In today’s digital age, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure your company’s cybersecurity posture. Cybercriminals are becoming smarter and sneakier about how they launch attacks on businesses. Gone are the days when antivirus software was enough to protect businesses; now all businesses need to take a layered security, aka cybersecurity stack, approach to their network and data protection. 

“Cybersecurity stack” is not a new term, but many businesses fail to design and implement a robust stack that can withstand the ever-evolving threats we face today. As we mentioned before, this is due to cybercriminals constantly upping their game and getting better at finding gaps to bypass your company’s preventative measures. 

Why Cybersecurity Stacks Matter 

The best way to achieve layered security is by using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, which provides a comprehensive plan for achieving a robust cybersecurity stack. The framework has five core elements that every cybersecurity stack should have:

• Identify 
• Protect
• Detect
• Respond 
• Recover 

The first step is to identify what you are protecting. Most organizations skip the identification step in order to jump right into protection. In order to create the right layered approach, you need to understand what you are protecting so you implement the right solutions. 

In the past, companies focused heavily on the protection component of their cybersecurity, and rightfully so. However, only deploying firewalls, antivirus software and email filtering is not enough anymore. One phishing email is all it takes to breach these defenses, which is why detection and response are equally important. 

Why Detection and Response Is Critical to the Cybersecurity Stack

Another reason why creating an effective cybersecurity stack is important is being able to promptly detect and respond to cyberattacks in an efficient manner. The sooner you catch a cyberattack the better. 

The detection component of your cybersecurity stack revolves around monitoring your network and data for any breaches, or vulnerabilities as they arise. Unfortunately, without a comprehensive layered security protocol, a cyberattack may go unnoticed for weeks to months.

Cyberattacks can result in costly fines, legal fees and reputational damage that can harm your organization’s viability. The sooner you are able to catch these breaches, the less financial damage your company may suffer. 

Once you’ve detected a threat, responding to it quickly is key. Your company should have a detailed attack response plan in place prior to any cyberattacks. Whether you choose solutions such as endpoint detection response (EDR) or network detection response (NDR), they are crucial for identifying threats and taking action. Some companies may choose to use machine learning or AI, and while those are effective tools to add to your cybersecurity stack, they should be checked by humans. Human analysts are also imperative to investigate suspicious activity and a swift recovery. 

Why the Right Cybersecurity Stack Is Important 

Your organization is unique, and so are your cybersecurity needs. Therefore, you should have a cybersecurity stack that fits your business instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach and applying it to your business. The right cybersecurity stack protects all the important aspects of your business and leverages solutions that work for your team to ensure all your sensitive data is fully secure. 

A cybersecurity company, such as Internos, can create and manage a customized cybersecurity stack for your organization. Schedule a meeting with us, so we can keep your business safe.