Simphiwe Mayisela Managing Director, SS Consulting

Having an up-to-date cybersecurity strategy can mean the difference between success and failure when predicting and mitigating cyber threats.

Simphiwe Mayisela, Managing Director at SS Consulting, explains that an up-to-date strategy is one that integrates cybersecurity as an essential component of the risk management framework, rather than a separate entity, divorced from the broader enterprise risk management approach. This integration ensures it connects seamlessly with other business risks.

Outdated cybersecurity strategies often fall short of integrating with cutting-edge technologies such as AI-enhanced threat detection, machine learning-driven analytics, and automated incident response. They overlook the utilisation of blockchain for secure transactions and don’t have guardrails for AI platforms to prevent the leakage of sensitive information.

While AI-powered tools provide a significant advantage to defenders, helping them stay ahead of potential threats, many cybersecurity strategies haven’t yet capitalised on these advancements. With large-scale AI-driven cyberattacks and deepfake impersonation attacks presenting a significant future risk, strategies must integrate modern technologies to deal with these emerging challenges.

Many cybersecurity strategies fall short due to inadequate threat intelligence mechanisms. The cyber threat landscape is in a perpetual state of flux, with adversaries crafting increasingly sophisticated attack vectors and exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities. AI-based anomaly detection feeds must be combined with comprehensive threat modelling. This will enable your strategy to effectively prepare for evolving risks.

The MITRE ATT&CK Framework is an example of a powerful knowledge base that offers a structured approach to dynamic threat modelling. It provides a comprehensive matrix of tactics, techniques, and procedures, allowing security teams to map threat actor behaviours and system vulnerabilities. Consider a scenario where an organisation faces the threat of an APT targeting its critical infrastructure. By leveraging the MITRE ATT&CK Framework, the organisation can simulate the attack path an APT might follow, identify its tactics, and bolster defences at those critical junctures.

Many organisations believe their strategy is up to date when it is not, because of the success of past strategies. They assume the same strategies will continue to work indefinitely, without accounting for the ever-changing threat-landscape. Organisational inertia plays a huge role here. Organisations often prefer maintaining the status quo due to entrenched processes and the comfort of familiarity.

“To correct these deficiencies and establish a robust, relevant, and forward-thinking strategy, organisations must undertake a multi-faceted approach,” Mayisela says. “It is imperative to integrate threat intelligence feeds and adopt agile frameworks for dynamic threat modelling. Complement this with an automated vulnerability management programme that prioritises rapid patch deployment to defend against zero-day exploits.

“Establishing XDR capabilities can pre-empt ransomware threats, while regular security awareness training can mitigate social engineering attacks. At SS-Consulting, we assist our clients with the deployment of MFA-enabled micro-segmentation toolsets to prevent hackers and malware from achieving the lateral movement and privilege escalation necessary to carry out their objectives.”

Compliance with industry benchmarks is also critical for evaluating an organisation’s maturity and for defining the desired maturity when developing a cybersecurity strategy. Despite the fact that alterations in regulatory requirements occur infrequently, e.g., the NIST Cybersecurity Framework’s transition from version 1.0 to 2.0 spans a decade, organisations often lack mechanisms to keep their cybersecurity strategies aligned with updated standards.

“An up-to-date strategy should align with the prevailing legal and regulatory mandates, and enable prompt implementation of any necessary changes,” says Mayisela.

At SS-Consulting, we empower organisations to foster a security-conscious culture and adapt their strategies to the evolving technological landscape, enabling them to effectively counter current and future threats.

Contact us: sales@ss-consulting.co.za to update your cybersecurity strategy.