A remote workforce under constant threat requires continuous vigilance and timely responses
Network and online security are serious issues. But for most infosec teams, there is real skepticism about whether all the security features they’ve installed and all the protocols they follow are actually deterring bad actors. Particularly now, following the horrendous SolarWinds and Microsoft Exchange hacks, is anyone really safe? But let’s say you’re one of the few who haven’t detected any network intrusions. Is it because your security tools are working really well? Does it mean that attackers have succeeded, but managed to hide their intrusion? Or could it be that you’ve somehow been spared by hackers?
In theory, it could be any of these. But you have probably heard the famous claim that there are only two kinds of network owners: those who’ve been hacked, and those who’ve been hacked but don’t know it yet. While that may be a bit of hyperbole, the fact is that the online world is rife with malicious actors and bots — always looking for ways to slip into organizations’ networks and create mischief. So even if you haven’t detected any attacks or breaches, that doesn’t mean it’s time to kick back and relax.
A Clark School study at the University of Maryland determined that network attacks are essentially nonstop — and that every computer with internet access is being attacked, on average, once every 39 seconds. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If your network contains high-value information, hacks are far more frequent. For example, Utah state computer systems, which house one of NSA’s data centers, are securing remote workforce under constant change
