The architecture focused on security and business

In today’s digitized world, cyber security is crucial when designing, building, maintaining and managing systems. A crucial aspect of ensuring system security is paying careful attention to its architecture and configuration. In this blog, we explore the importance of architecture and configuration in the process of designing, building, maintaining and managing secure systems.

Architecture

The architecture of a system determines the structure of components and subsystems and how they integrate with each other. A well-designed architecture can increase the security of a system by minimizing the attack surface and making the system more resilient to attacks.

One approach to designing a secure architecture is to apply the principle of Zero Trust. This implies that a system grants only the essential rights needed for users or processes to perform their tasks. By following this principle, the attack surface is reduced by limiting malicious activity to the permissions allowed.

Another approach to designing a secure architecture is the concept of “defense in depth”. This involves implementing multiple layers of security measures that work together to protect the system. Examples of these measures are firewalls, intrusion protection (IPS) and access control methods. Implementing several layers of security prevents a single security vulnerability from leading to a breach of the system.

Configuration

The configuration of a system refers to the specific settings and options selected to make the system function. Configuration plays a crucial role in system security, as incorrect configuration can make the system vulnerable to attacks.

One approach to securely configuring a system is to follow industry-standard best practices. Many organizations and regulatory bodies publish guidelines for securing systems. Adhering to these guidelines can help ensure correct system configuration. Examples of such guidelines include the Center for Internet Security’s Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Cyber security Framework.

One way to check the configuration of systems is to conduct regular security audits. These audits can identify any misconfigurations or vulnerabilities in the system and help prioritize necessary security measures to reduce risks. Regular security audits also ensure that the system remains safe from the emergence of new threats.

Benefits of building a good architecture and configuration

Proactive security approach
Implement a ‘security-by-design’ strategy where security is part of the initial design. This approach ensures that systems are secure from the start and minimizes the need for costly remedial work later in the process.

Reliability
A well-designed and configured system inspires confidence as the security measures in place effectively mitigate the risks that matter to an organization.

Continuous monitoring and assessment
Just building a secure system isn’t enough. Managing and maintaining security over time are equally crucial. By continuously monitoring and assessing security through audits, organizations can stay ahead of new threats and ensure that their systems remain secure.

What steps should be taken?

To guarantee the safety of a system, various steps need to be taken:

• Develop knowledge about the system to be built and the reasons behind it. Here, it is crucial to fully understand the context, including risks that are and are not acceptable to the organization. Identify critical components and define the level of security required here, looking at the threat level and risk appetite.

• Embrace a risk-based approach in selecting security measures. Choose security measures based on identified risks and their effectiveness in mitigating expected attacks according to the threat level. Implementing all possible security measures is not advisable as it will affect efficiency; a risk-based approach ensures targeted deployment of resources and maintains maximum efficiency.

• Build systems with the ability to adapt to changes in the threat landscape over their expected lifetime. As the cyber security landscape is constantly evolving, adaptability is important to keep systems secure.

• Implement a combination of technical and policy controls to effectively monitor and manage changes. Ensure that changes are authorized and have gone through proper controls to avoid negative impact on in-process services. Design measures so that security updates and vulnerability fixes can be applied easily and quickly.

• For a management interface, multi-factor authentication (MFA) is very important, especially for administrative accounts that have access to sensitive functions. MFA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access to these accounts by eliminating the need for an additional form of identification besides the password, such as a generated code or biometric scan. This makes hacking these accounts significantly more difficult for attackers.

the OpenSight 10 new year’s cyber security resolutions

During the OpenSight 10 new year’s cyber security resolutions, we will publish a blog each week about each of the ten resolutions as listed below:

• The company’s digital assets.
• Are my colleagues engaged and aware of cyber security?
• Are our company assets under control?
• Architecture focused on security and the business.
• How to keep vulnerability management in order?
• Who’s that? And what is he doing here?
• How do we protect digital assets?
• Is this normal behavior and does it happen more often?
• Preparation is key!
• Is there a weak link in my supply chain?

With these 10 new year’s resolutions, we at OpenSight hope to give you some insight regarding the ten steps you could take to decrease the chance and impact of an incident.

Want to know more?

Be sure to keep an eye on our blogs where, following these Cyber Security resolutions for 2024, we will cover all 10 topics in detail. Follow us on LinkedIn to be the first to know about all our updates!