Humans are pushed to innovation by the progress of those who came before us. We have a natural drive to make better choices and that has pushed us to new heights. Most CEOs understand and use this to improve and expand their businesses. Unfortunately, this age of better technology has also brought about an age of more sophisticated cyber-attacks. Companies must now make a decision with their response to cyber threats: taking a proactive or reactive approach?
Cybersecurity threats are a growing problem for all organizations. Newer malware is being found almost daily and hackers are finding more creative ways to exploit weaknesses in networks.
The cost of cyber incidents is expected to exceed US$ 11 trillion in 2023. The annual cybercrime costs worldwide are also estimated to go over US$ 20 trillion by 2026. This is why companies are now looking to improve their cybersecurity.
CEOs Are Also Trying to Secure Networks
Businesses have to look at the risks and benefits before diving in. The Gartner 2023 Board of Directors Survey revealed that boards are now more open to taking risks. This only increases the need for better cybersecurity measures on executive levels.
A Gartner study found that 60% of boards have achieved their digital business optimization goals. Businesses are willing to pay for new technologies to stay ahead. However, a surprising number of them do not have the right cybersecurity measures in place to protect these investments.
The security and reputation of a company are worth the expense of improved cybersecurity. The global cybersecurity market size is already forecast to grow to US$ 266.2 billion by 2027.
The main goal of cybersecurity is to protect a network from cyber-attacks, data breaches, or any cyber threat. The cybersecurity measures used can often be neatly divided into proactive and reactive strategies.
A Proactive Cybersecurity Approach
A proactive approach uses active measures to prevent attacks before they take place. This type of security focuses on identifying potential weaknesses in a network well before they can be exploited.
Examples of proactive cybersecurity measures include the use of firewalls and threat detection. It also involves regular vulnerability assessments and employee training on proper cyber hygiene.
A Reactive Cybersecurity Approach
Reactive cybersecurity involves the actions after a cyber-attack has taken place. These are usually just quick-fix solutions for damage assessments and recovery. They do not always focus on data or money loss.
Examples of reactive cybersecurity include disaster recovery solutions, vulnerability patching, and updates to security software.
Both approaches have their advantages and downsides - either of them still protects your network. However, the best protection comes from using a combination of the two.
Organizations usually focus on reactive cybersecurity rather than proactive. This is not enough for the efficient protection of a network. Statista reported that 16% of respondents saw their company benefiting from cloud security, security awareness training, and endpoint security in 2022. More than 50% were also planning on using third-party risk management processes and zero-trust strategies in the future.
Business leaders and CEOs are now taking cybersecurity more seriously. This is a hopeful sign for the coming years. Vijay Kumar Dayinde, the CIO of Malaysia Airports, shared with ETCIO Southeast Asia his plans for a proactive approach to cybersecurity. As the CIO of Malaysia Airports, Dayinde manages the technology across 39 airports and branches - ensuring seamless operation. With over 22 years in the industry, he knows all the cybersecurity threats at the top of the food chain.
In the interview, Dayinde says that digital transformation in the aviation industry has brought about a new focus on cybersecurity. He notes that he is always trying to strengthen cybersecurity in place. This helps to avoid cyber-attacks against any of the airports under his watch. Dayinde says he sees AI and machine learning in the future of cybersecurity. He claims that it would help in finding threats. As the aviation sector is a strategic asset of the nation, Dayinde sees cyber-attacks as a major challenge.
Dayinde ended the interview by asking other CIOs to prioritize a proactive approach to cybersecurity. He explains that regular risk assessments and multi-layered security will help. He also asks that CIOs stay updated with the latest security and invest in training.
The solutions proposed by Dayinde have both proactive and reactive approaches combined.
Proactive vs. Reactive Security Measures
The question then begs, which approach is the better solution? Proactive cybersecurity helps to identify, isolate, and eliminate any threats. This happens before an attack can take place while still looking for weak spots.
Reactive approaches, however, focus on fixing immediate incidents and preventing repeat attacks from happening. This is done through log monitoring, patching, and SIEM solutions. However, prevention will always be better than cure.
Proactive cybersecurity outweighs the reactive approach by covering more ground. A proactive approach prevents cyber threats before they can cause damage.
Why You Should Choose Proactive Cybersecurity
Proactive cybersecurity is better than relying on the damage control of a reactive solution. Companies have resources and data that need to be protected as best as possible.
Proactive approaches create a basic level of security for your company to build on. We’ve created a list of some of the benefits of a proactive approach to cybersecurity:
- Cost Efficiency: Proactive solutions usually involve more steps, which might mean more money spent. However, these measures ensure a better return on investment than a reactive solution. The costs of a cyber-attack can cause damage to any organization. Brand damage alone can have lasting effects on business growth. Proactively defending your company ensures that your network - and bottom line - are always safe.
- Fewer Crisis Situations: Cyber-attacks are happening more each day - forcing companies to lose lots of money and data. Proactive security ensures that your IT team is always one step ahead.
- Evolved Thinking: Proactive cybersecurity relies on the ability to identify and quickly get rid of new cyber threats. This means that these solutions are always improving to adapt to new threats.
- Prevents Inside Jobs: A proactive approach gives you a simple and open view of your entire network. This helps you quickly find any odd behavior or files that could be harmful.
- Improves Compliance: Regulations ask for a high level of cybersecurity. Many countries have issued hefty fines to companies for data breaches. Proactive solutions use a risk analysis and offer layered protection to avoid any data breaches.
- Finding Flaws: A proactive approach scans your entire network to show you areas that need to be improved. All cybersecurity solutions need the right tools and specialists. Sangfor Technologies uses innovative platforms and services to help you create the best proactive cybersecurity for your company.
Proactive Security Measures with Sangfor
Making the switch from a reactive approach to a proactive one means enhancing your existing security.
Proactive Threat Hunting
A selection of Open-Source Threat Hunting Tools can be a great asset if done properly, but what’s even better is creating a threat hunting strategy that works for your unique organization’s needs and covers all your cyber security bases fully. That’s why we have created Sangfor Cyber Command NDR platform to address all of the elements critical to threat hunting. Cyber Command monitors for malware, residual security events, and future potential compromises in your network and is coupled with our advanced Threat Intelligence technology and an enhanced AI algorithm that can keep you updated on any vulnerabilities detected.
Proactive Ethical Hacking
Ethical hacking is another proactive solution. It is the authorized entry into a company’s network by professionals. This helps to see the integrity of the company’s existing cybersecurity. This method also ensures that all weak spots are patched up and that the company is not being exploited.
Proactive Cybersecurity Awareness Training
Creating awareness about cybersecurity within your company is a major proactive step. Cybersecurity Awareness Month showed the importance of our actions in creating a safer digital space. It showed that we need more cybersecurity training and education for everyone involved in a company - starting at the executive level.
Sangfor offers advanced and integrated solutions to ensure that your organization remains safe. We keep you proactively prepared to maintain improved cybersecurity.
Sangfor Next-Generation Firewall
Sangfor's Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) is used with Endpoint Security to find malicious files at both the network level and endpoints. Designed to inspect network and application traffic for threats, it also prevents intrusion and brings in security intelligence from outside the network. The cloud-based Neural-X sandbox is used for intense isolation and critical inspection.
Sangfor’s Endpoint Secure (EDR)
This advanced Endpoint Security technology protects against malware infections and APT breaches. It provides easy management, operation, and maintenance. The platform also received the AV-TEST “Top Product” award for achieving 100% ransomware protection against zero-day malware.
Sangfor’s Cyber Command Platform
Finally, the Network Detection and Response (NDR) platform looks for malware, residual security events, and potential compromises in your network. It uses Threat Intelligence technology and an AI algorithm to keep you updated on any flaws.
Make the smart choice for your company and choose Sangfor for a proactive approach to cybersecurity. For more information on Sangfor’s cyber security and cloud computing solutions, visit www.sangfor.com.
