The public sector handles a significant amount of sensitive information related to public services and administration. The challenge is to protect this data from breaches that could lead to identity theft, financial loss or misuse of personal information. It is also important to maintain public trust in the public sector.
Rising cyber threats
Ransomware attacks on public organisations are happening more often than ever. The attacks block all computers, and therefore all digital communications; then the attacker demands a large ransom to unlock them. Avoiding digital communications is hardly a solution in today’s world, and to avoid being harmed by the attacks, you need to work on cybersecurity in a consistent and structured way. It is the only option if your business’s digital communications are to be protected.
How to protect yourself against cyberattacks
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all formula that will protect you from all cyberattacks. But there is a lot you can do to prevent it from happening, as well as ways to reduce the damage from an attack.
Read about four concrete tips on how you can protect yourself and your business against cyberattacks:
1. Create a good security culture
One thing that all organisations can do is build a good security culture. Cybersecurity is not only a technical challenge, but also a human challenge. Criminals do not always exploit only technical flaws, but also the human factor as part of the attack. Building and maintaining a strong security culture is therefore an extremely important part of working with cybersecurity.
To improve security culture, attitudes and behaviors need to change. The organisation needs to see cybersecurity and security culture as a cross-functional activity and not just an IT issue – it is important that management prioritises the issue. What should permeate the work on security culture is to think of security as something that enables work, not hinders it.
Read more about how your organisation can improve security culture.
2. Segment your networks
Network segmentation limits the damage in the event of a cyberattack. Without segmentation, there is a risk that sensitive information can be leaked or manipulated, and that malware and ransomware can spread uncontrolled and quickly, making systems inaccessible. Attackers do not need to go directly to the target, such as a command-and-control system. Instead, they nestle in via weak points far out in the network, or via email or customer service, as a way to reach their goal. Many attackers are also patient, are prepared to work long-term, do everything in small steps and, unfortunately, are often one step ahead. The harsh reality is that the business’s command-and-control systems may already be attacked without you noticing.
When working with cybersecurity and segmenting your systems into security zones, it is a good idea to use a risk-based approach. This way, you avoid security work being carried out according to some undefined “ad hoc” method and it is also often easier to explain and justify the investments you want to make if you can explain which risks you are addressing or reducing.
Read more about network segmentation.
3. Set requirements for your subcontractors
To ensure that your information security solution is future-proof, it is important to ensure that your subcontractors have a working method that means they take on the commitment to remain digitally responsible. Do they provide security updates throughout the life of the product/service? Do they conduct regular threat and security analyses? Will their products remain secure throughout their lifetime? These are important questions that you should ask your supplier.
4. Update securely
Nowadays, virtually all companies must rely on external software supply chains, even if there is a local IT infrastructure and local maintenance. In addition, all software, whether it is an operating system or a business application, needs updates to implement new features, fix bugs or correct critical vulnerabilities. These updates are downloaded from the vendor or from another trusted external party via the Internet. In some cases, portable media (such as USB sticks) are also used to reduce the risk of data manipulation by an external threat actor.
When downloading software updates, it is good security practice to use only trusted sources and verify the integrity of the updates by checking for each downloaded package that the software checksum matches the checksum provided by the vendor. But what happens if someone tampers with the package by injecting other program code, such as a backdoor, ransomware or other malicious content into the package, either at the software vendor or in an intermediary between the vendor and the end customer? For companies that use or provide such a software package to their customers, the integrity of the software package appears to be OK and the content trustworthy.
Read more about secure updates.
Products from Advenica that increase your security
To protect sensitive systems and confidential data, Advenica’s data diodes are the most secure option. The function of a data diode is to allow data to pass forward, while blocking data in the opposite direction. And since it is not software, it cannot be directly attacked by malicious code, resulting in high security. Every organisation that uses sensitive information has a great use for a data diode to protect its valuable information and to achieve a secure exchange of data.
To further reduce potential attack vectors while providing secure and selective access to systems from remote networks, a security gateway for controlled information exchange should be implemented. By using Advenica ZoneGuard with secure remote access, access is controlled and threats to remote connectivity are greatly and effectively reduced in the transition between the insecure and the protected environment. All information is validated and transformed, which means that sensitive information remains within the protected network and malicious code cannot spread.
Importing files into secure environments is another area that poses a significant security threat if files are not properly sanitised before transfer. Using Advenica’s File Security Screener provides a high security end-to-end solution with effective and automated countermeasures through malware scanning and CDR (Content Disarm and reconstruction). At the same time, separation of the connected networks is ensured. File Security Screener provides an efficient, scalable and reliable solution for secure file import.
What to consider when procuring IT security
Is your organisation planning to procure your IT security? Then there are a lot of important things to consider. To make a successful procurement, you need to go through a few different steps:
Step 1: Conduct a needs analysis
Step 2: Send an RFI (Request for information) to the suppliers
Step 3: Statement of requirements
Step 4: The procurement document
Step 5: Evaluation and selection of supplier
We have made a guide with some tips for such a procurement. Download the guide here.
Why you should choose Advenica as your security solutions provider
At Advenica, we have extensive experience working with public sector customers. For over 30 years, we have been a trusted supplier to several national defense customers as well as other organisations with sensitive systems and digital information. This has given us extensive experience in cybersecurity and the high-security segment.
Advenica was founded in 1993, and our unique products are designed, developed and manufactured in Sweden. We are a private listed company with extensive experience in security at the highest level.
Our products ensure that you can protect your digital information. This is because they physically isolate networks while allowing information to be connected securely. Our solutions also help you achieve compliance with GDPR, NIS and security protection legislation.
Most often, our products are part of a larger solution, but a very important part if you are to be able to protect your most important digital information. Therefore, it is important that you ensure that you get this important part included!
Some things we think you should consider in your IT security procurement are the following:
• Is it important to have certifications such as Common Criteria or is a national certification important?
• Is it important that it is a Swedish company?
• Is it important that the company has extensive experience with security solutions?
• Is it important that the company has great knowledge of high security?
If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then Advenica is the company you should turn to! With us, you can borrow/rent products when you make your RFI with us so that you can see how they work. You can also come to us in Malmö and see how different security challenges can be solved.
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