The Basic Pillars of Cyber Hygiene: Protecting Your Clients and Your Business

It’s no stretch to say that there are hundreds and hundreds of cybersecurity products—from hardware, such as firewalls and backup devices, to software solutions, like EDR/XDR, not to mention subscription services for various protections and management.  

While these products and solutions offer layers of security, it’s important to recognize that not all aspects of cybersecurity receive equal attention. Many managed service providers (MSPs) or IT solutions providers prioritize reactive solutions and measures, focusing on fixing issues post-incident. However, within this reactive mindset, there are foundational elements—basic pillars—that can sometimes be overlooked. These pillars are crucial for proactive cybersecurity, serving as fundamental components in developing robust defense strategies. 

If you, as an MSP or IT solutions provider, are not fully understanding and providing the basic pillars to your clients, you may be missing solutions that not only provide better protection, but at a price point that makes them easy to digest. This is likely hindering your clients from complying with various requirements (e.g. standards/frameworks) or obtaining or renewing a cyber insurance policy. Moreover, these pillars support good cyber hygiene practices, which are crucial for fortifying your clients’ security.

Cyber hygiene, like personal hygiene, involves adopting a proactive approach to maintain the health and security of your clients’ data and infrastructure. Consistent cyber hygiene practices mitigate the risk of cyber threats and attacks. However, most cybersecurity products lean towards a more reactive approach, trying to fix something or repair a network or device after there’s been a problem or a cyber-attack. While these products are extremely important, there are some basic tools that are critical for a proactive focus, otherwise known as “left of boom.”

If you are able to prevent an attack and/or reduce the risk or severity of an attack, doesn’t that make sense, as well? I see four key components, or pillars, to a proactive approach, and they mostly revolve around proactive management and education. These include: 

• Email Security: Given the prevalence of email as an attack vector, robust email security measures are essential for thwarting or minimizing phishing attempts, malware distribution, and other malicious activities.
  
• Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): Strengthening access controls with MFA adds an extra layer of defense, significantly reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access, even in the event of compromised credentials.
  
• Security Awareness Training: Educating your customers and their employees about cybersecurity best practices is important in creating a culture of cybersecurity within their organization. Employees trained to recognize and respond to potential threats effectively act as frontline defenders against cyber-attacks.  
• Vulnerability Management: Regularly identifying, managing, and remediating vulnerabilities within your customers’ systems and networks is indispensable for addressing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. 

These pillars not only serve to protect your clients from external threats but also play a crucial role in mitigating insider risks, thereby fortifying their security posture from all angles. 

By embracing a proactive approach centered around these fundamental components and maintaining good cyber hygiene practices, you can help your customers navigate the ever-evolving threat landscape with confidence and resilience, safeguarding both their businesses and your own. 

In subsequent posts, I’ll dive a little deeper into each pillar. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at fraimondi@igius.com.