Towerwall's InfoSec Blog

Another staple in a series examining the Center for Internet Security's best practices. Our last article looked at applying Critical Security Controls 4, 5, and 6 to your organization, covering vulnerability assessment, administrative privileges, and audit logs. Now it’s time to move on to CSCs 7, 8, and 9. Email programs and web browsers are still the most common points of entry for attackers, too many companies have woefully inadequate malware defenses, and a failure to control ports andfalse

The last time we looked at how Critical Security Controls (CSC) can help you build your InfoSec framework, we covered getting a handle on your software and your hardware inventories. Today, we're going to discuss the importance of continually assessing and remediating vulnerabilities, keeping a tight control of administrative privileges, and monitoring your audit logs. These concepts are encapsulated in CSCs 4, 5, and 6. You should develop stringent policies, consider devoting resources tofalse

When it comes to infosec, many of the most core basics are being overlooked. Many of the most obvious areas where security can be tightened up with little effort are being blatantly ignored. Are you doing your level best by covering the basics? Below are seven potential vulnerabilities. Most of these can be tackled without major cost or time, so there’s really no excuse not to consider these.

Critical Security Controls is a set of best practices devised by the Center for Internet Security, a nonprofit dedicated to improving cybersecurity in the public and private sectors. Cyberattacks are costing businesses between $400 billion and $500 billion per year, depending on which analysts you listen to. Cybersecurity has never been a hotter topic. The market is expected to grow from $106 billion this year to more than $170 billion by 2020, according to Markets and Markets. The average costfalse

The Enterprise is at risk from malware and vulnerabilities hiding within mobile apps. You have to test your mobile apps to preserve your security. Mobile apps are ubiquitous now, and they offer a range of business benefits, but they also represent one of the most serious security risks ever to face the enterprise. The mixing of devices and software for work and leisure opens up many potential avenues for attack, but even purpose-built enterprise apps are shipping with woefully inadequatefalse

Encryption has a bad rap and far too often protection schemes are deployed foolishly without encryption in hopes of protecting data. t's a heartache, nothing but a heartache. Hits you when it's too late, hits you when you're down. It's a fools' game, nothing but a fool's game. Standing in the cold rain, feeling like a clown. When singer Bonnie Tyler recorded in her distinctive raspy voice "It's A Heartache" in 1978, you'd think she was an oracle of sorts, predicting the rocky road thatfalse

Encrypting data on your own might be the smartest move. For those of you old enough to remember the TV comedy series "Get Smart" featuring a spy that used his shoe for a phone, the good guys belonged to an agency called "Control," and the bad guys were affiliated with "Chaos." This month "Get Smart" celebrates its 50th anniversary, yet CIOs continue to struggle in a seemingly never-ending battle to restore control in a chaotic, cloudy world in which data security is less than transparent.

10. You need a WISP. A written information security policy, or WISP, is vital. Make sure there’s a person in charge of enforcing it.

Are you patching quickly enough? How safe is the software you use? Do you have a system in place to identify vulnerabilities and patch them when they are discovered? How quickly do you react to vulnerability reports? There's evidence that software vulnerabilities are on the rise, and few companies are taking the necessary action to combat them.

Falling victim to a ransomware attack is most definitely inconvenient, but it could also serve as a wake-up call to the importance of backing up important data. You're minding your own business, sitting at your office computer. Suddenly, a pop-up appears – with the logo of the FBI – warning that you're under investigation for trafficking in child pornography. Your computer locks up. The message also instructs you to pay a fine with a gift card or money order, or risk being arrested. In returnfalse