Conduct a Vulnerability Assessment
Conduct a vulnerability assessment to reevaluate information security
practices. Networks must be protected against constantly emerging cyber
threats and the potential for cyber terrorism. It is imperative to
provide a security infrastructure that can quickly react and scale to
future conditions. This is essential in protecting any organization's
assets and a critical part of the strategic planning and implementation
process.
Implement a Defense-in-Depth Security Solution
A perimeter firewall is not enough for organizations with several
divisions and multiple network security centers. Firewalls must be
placed at several locations to provide protection from attacks.
Segmenting critical systems—such those within the energy and
transportation sectors—with additional firewalls will protect the
privacy and confidentiality of these critical assets and sensitive data.
Centrally Define a Consistent Security Policy
Centrally define a consistent security policy and distribute to every
division with the organization. Given the challenges of IT staffing
with qualified network security professionals, centralized management
enables organizations to leverage the talents of a small set of
security experts on a global scale. The ability to protect an entire
organization through centralized management also allows a rapid and
uniform response to any level of threat or malicious attack.
Put Contingency Plans in Place
Put contingency plans in place to ensure against any single point of
failure. A resilient network security infrastructure can mitigate
potentially critical losses. Redundancy can be applied at multiple
levels within the security architecture, including security at
enforcement points and at the management level. Redundancy at the
enforcement point ensures your divisions remain connected in the event
that one fails. At the management level, backup security operations
centers can assume management control if an operations centers goes
offline for any reason. In addition, organizations can use a secondary
operations center for 24/7 helpdesk support
Pilot Remote Access Projects with Security
Pilot remote access projects with security. Connecting telecommuters or
field personnel to a wide area network via an Internet-based virtual
private network (VPN) effectively extends the network's security
perimeter to individual laptops and desktops. Using tools such as VPNs
and personal firewalls maintains the integrity and security
infrastructure of remote user machines—at all times—so that it cannot
be used to infiltrate your network.