Infrastructure security protects the various components that support an organization's functionality, including its physical assets, IT systems, and communication networks.
As cyber threats evolve and the digital landscape advances, businesses, and institutions are becoming more aware of the need to understand infrastructure security. Also, the increasing interconnectivity of systems, reliance on digital data, and the prevalence of sophisticated cyber threats make it even more critical to have robust infrastructure security measures.
To better understand the concept, we must grasp the different types of infrastructure in the context of security and the key components that ensure their protection.
This article will answer some of the most crucial questions business leaders and security teams have on infrastructure security.
Infrastructure security protects physical assets, information technology systems, and communication networks, safeguarding against a diverse range of threats and vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of critical resources.
Several key factors highlight the significance and relevance of infrastructure security in the digital landscape. These include:
To build a strong defense against potential threats, security teams, and business leaders need to understand the different types of infrastructure security. These include:
Below are the key components that serve as the bedrock of defense against potential threats:
Access control is a security measure that regulates and manages who or what can access a system or a specific resource. It dictates and manages permissions, ensuring only authorized individuals or entities can access critical infrastructure components.
Organizations can fortify their security posture by implementing robust access control measures and safeguarding against potential threats or breaches.
Data protection involves implementing measures to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access, loss, or corruption, ensuring the data's confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This includes using encryption, firewalls, secure storage practices, and backup protocols to mitigate the risks of data breaches or accidental data loss.
Data protection is integral to infrastructure security because it safeguards against unauthorized access, reducing the risk of data breaches and fortifying the overall infrastructure security.
Network security is a set of measures designed to protect a computer network's integrity, confidentiality, availability, and the data transmitted over it. It involves implementing technologies, policies, and practices to prevent unauthorized access, mitigate potential cyber threats, and ensure the secure flow of information within and between networks.
Network security focuses on safeguarding the communication channels and connections within an organization's infrastructure. It involves deploying intrusion detection systems, regular monitoring, and security protocols to protect the communication networks from cyber-attacks and unauthorized access attempts.
Potential risks and threats that can compromise infrastructure security can stem from various sources. These include:
A cyber threat is a malicious action or activity that seeks to compromise the security, integrity, or availability of digital information and systems. Some of the most prevalent cyber threats include:
Some of the most common physical threats include:
Enhancing infrastructure security requires implementing specific, robust measures to fortify against attacks. There are several ways that security teams and business leaders can achieve this. These include:
This can be done by setting up security controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data and critical infrastructure components.
Also, implementing strong password policies and regularly updating access credentials will go a long way in preventing unauthorized access.
It’s possible to set up end-to-end encryption to secure data both in transit and at rest, safeguarding sensitive information from interception and unauthorized access.
Regularly backing up data and storing backups in secure off-site locations will also mitigate the impact of data loss due to security breaches or unforeseen disasters.
Security teams can develop and regularly test disaster recovery plans to ensure the swift restoration of services in case of a security breach or a natural disaster.
They may also consider implementing redundancy in critical systems and networks to minimize downtime and ensure seamless continuity of operations.
It’s important to regularly perform comprehensive security audits to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the infrastructure and address them before malicious actors can exploit them.
This might include conducting penetration testing to simulate real-world attacks and assess the effectiveness of existing security measures.
Organizations should invest in providing regular training sessions to inform employees about the latest security threats and best practices for safeguarding sensitive data and infrastructure.
Companies such as KnowBe4, Infosec IQ, and Terranova Security offer regular security awareness training to employees to help maintain their awareness.
It also helps to encourage a culture of security awareness and vigilance among employees, emphasizing the importance of promptly adhering to security protocols and reporting suspicious activities.
Infrastructure security is becoming increasingly necessary in our technology-driven landscape. The evolving nature of cyber threats, the interconnectedness of systems, and the sensitivity of digital information underscore the critical importance of robust security measures.
Implementing robust security measures is imperative to protect infrastructure from evolving threats. Security teams and business leaders should be at the forefront of employing a combination of proactive strategies to fortify the organization's overall security posture and ensure the safety of its physical assets, IT systems, and communication networks.