Best Practices to Secure Your IT Infrastructure in 2024

January 10, 2024

Information security management covers a broad spectrum, including safeguarding perimeters, encryption, application security, and disaster recovery. Compliance requirements like HIPPA, PCI DSS, and GDPR further complicate IT security. Implementing IT Infrastructure security frameworks and standards becomes crucial, as they form the backbone for businesses. Understanding these regulations is fundamental, ensuring compliance aids in audits.

Standards vs. Regulations in IT Compliance

Standards act as structured guidelines, outlining the necessary steps for compliance within an IT framework. Compliance with these standards is vital for well-managed IT organizations. Conversely, regulations possess legal bindings, supported by governmental authority. Non-compliance with IT-specific regulations may result in monetary fines and legal consequences.

Fortifying Network Infrastructure

Defining Network Infrastructure Devices

Network infrastructure devices constitute the essential components facilitating data, application, service, and multimedia transmission across networks. These include routers, firewalls, switches, servers, load balancers, intrusion detection systems, domain name systems, and storage area networks.

Vulnerabilities and targeting

These devices become prime targets for malicious cyber actors due to their critical role in directing organizational and customer traffic. Attackers gaining access to gateway routers or internal routing and switching infrastructure can monitor, modify, or disrupt traffic, compromising network integrity.

Legacy Protocol: Risks and Controls

The use of outdated, unencrypted protocols by organizations and individuals for managing hosts and services exposes them to easy credential harvesting by cyber adversaries. Controlling the routing infrastructure essentially translates to controlling the data flow within the network.

Selecting an IT security framework

Choosing a specific IT security framework depends on various factors, including industry type and compliance requirements. Publicly traded companies often favor COBIT to meet SOX compliance, while the healthcare sector commonly opts for HITRUST. The ISO 27000 series frameworks offer versatility, finding application in both the public and private sectors.

Although time-intensive, ISO standards can effectively showcase information security capabilities through certification. NIST SP 800-53, obligatory for U.S. federal agencies, suits any organization devising a technology-specific security plan.

Employing these frameworks aids security professionals in structuring and overseeing information security programs. The incorrect decision would be to neglect implementing any of these frameworks.

Strengthening network infrastructure security

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) proposes strategies for fortifying network infrastructure:

Partitioning and separation

Properly segmenting networks prevents exploitation propagation and lateral movement by intruders within internal networks.
Segregation, based on roles and functions, confines malicious activities, mitigating intruder impact within the network.

Physical Separation for Security

Using routers to segregate LAN segments creates boundaries, expands broadcast domains, and efficiently filters broadcast traffic.
This measure aids in containing breaches by restricting traffic and shutting down network segments during intrusions to limit adversary access.

Enforcing security principles

Implement least privilege and need-to-know principles when structuring network segments.
Separate sensitive information into distinct network segments and enforce secure configurations across all network layers.

Following these recommendations enhances the resilience of network infrastructure, curbs the potential impact of intrusions, and ensures a more secure operational environment.

Secure Measures for Network Infrastructure

Virtual segmentation and communication limitations

Employing virtual separation and limiting lateral communications are vital for network security.

Virtual Segmentation

Virtual separation logically isolates networks within the same physical network, thwarting intruders from infiltrating other segments.
Methods like private VLANs, virtual routing, and VPNs help isolate users, segment network traffic, and extend secure hosts or networks.

Lateral Communication Constraints

Unfiltered peer-to-peer communications pose severe vulnerabilities, aiding intruders in spreading access across systems.
Implement host-based firewall rules, VLAN access control lists (VACLs), and logical segregation to restrict communication and isolate critical devices.

Device hardening and access security.

Strengthening network devices and managing administrative access play a pivotal role in fortifying security.

Device security measures

Disable unencrypted remote admin protocols and unnecessary services and enforce robust password policies on routers and switches.
Restrict physical access, back up configurations, and ensure the latest updates and patches are installed to maintain secure configurations.

Secure Administrative Access

Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) and manage privileged access to limit unauthorized intrusions through administrative credentials.
Out-of-Band (OoB) management ensures secure network infrastructure handling, utilizing alternate communication paths to prevent observation by adversaries.

Integrity Verification of Hardware and Software

Ensuring the authenticity and integrity of hardware and software guards against potential risks:

Supply Chain Vigilance

Purchase from authorized resellers, enforce integrity checks, and inspect devices for tampering to avoid gray market products.
Validate serial numbers, download from validated sources, perform hash verification, and regularly monitor devices for unauthorized modifications.

Training and awareness

Train personnel to identify and address risks associated with gray market devices, enhancing awareness across network owners, administrators, and procurement personnel.
Implementing these measures heightens the security of network infrastructure, mitigating potential threats and safeguarding network integrity.

Elevate your security posture

At Alliance PRO, we empower global enterprises with:

Data Encryption

Safeguarding sensitive information with resilient encryption protocols.

Multifactor Authentication

Strengthening access security with multi-layered identity verifications.

Strong Passwords

Fortifying networks with resilient and sophisticated password protection.

Employee Training

Empowering global teams with next-gen cybersecurity awareness and expertise.

Cybersecurity Audits

Ensuring compliance and resilience through comprehensive security assessments.

Cybersecurity Mesh

Pioneering dynamic and flexible security infrastructure.

Cloud security access

Safeguarding cloud environments with secure access protocols.

Smart Cybersecurity Policy

Strategically implementing adaptable and intelligent security policies.

User Education

Enriching staff with advanced IT security knowledge and practices.

Security Compliance Standards

Establishing and upholding universal security standards and regulations.

Data Encryption Strategy

Securing data assets through advanced encryption strategies.

Employee Empowerment

Enabling staff to proactively counter cybersecurity threats.

High-Level Security Inclusion

Integrating global cybersecurity expertise into top-tier strategic discussions.

Logout Best Practices

Implementing comprehensive logout protocols across the global network.

Zero-Trust Principles

Implementing universal zero-trust security principles for network access.

Software Updates

Ensuring consistent and global software security through timely updates.

Access Control Measures

Implementing reliable access control globally to limit unauthorized network access.

Network Security Assessment

Conducting extensive global network assessments to fortify security.

Employee Awareness Programs

Enabling enhanced cybersecurity education for heightened knowledge and awareness.

IT Security Frameworks

Strategically choosing and deploying global security frameworks to uphold standards.

These initiatives, led by Alliance PRO, represent a comprehensive approach encompassing compliance, encryption, empowerment, updates, access control, assessments, adherence to frameworks, and awareness for fortifying global IT infrastructures against advanced threats in 2024.

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