We have been writing for several weeks now about the human rather than technological side of cyber security. In part one we described ways to effectively train staff about cyber security. In part two we told you about the kinds of human errors that invite cyber security risks. In this third and final section, we’d like to discuss ways that the “human factor” can actually help you improve cyber security. Using emerging behavioral analysis capabilities, security experts can use utilize the unique features of human usage to identify and qualify security threats faster. Here’s how.
Categorize Network Traffic
By monitoring who accesses a network and when, security experts are able to develop usage patterns. They can then compare those patterns against all incoming network traffic to spot anomalies faster. If that anomaly is in fact malicious, it can be addressed before it has time to impact data.
Prioritize Alerts
Over time, behavioral analysis reveals which alerts and notifications users respond to and which they ignore. That data can be used to develop a smarter system of alerts in which the most important is prioritized and everything else is downplayed to avoid distracting the user.
Mitigate Human Errors
Human error is a major source of security breaches. But in some cases, human error is blamed for problems that are actually the fault of IT. Behavioral analysis acts as a third party mediator, revealing the true source of the problem so that it be effectively resolved without having to argue over blame.
Spot False Positives
The vast majority of network traffic is non-malicious. By focusing analysis on this traffic rather than the malicious traffic, security experts can develop nuanced profiles that are better able to spot the traffic that requires a response. In practice, that streamlines the response process and identifies more of the traffic that poses a threat.
Track Threats Closely
Cyber security has traditionally focused on the point on infiltration and the point of extraction. But in-between those poles there is a vast middle ground in which threats gestate and gain strength in secret. Behavioral analysis empowers security professionals to spot these buried threats by searching for anomalous behaviors. They may not have been stopped from getting in, but they can be stopped before they have an impact.
Many experts predict that as behavioral analysis develops, it will become an essential weapon in the fight against advanced threats. Introducing it at your company, however, requires the right blend of technology and staff. Find the professionals you need by working with The Squires Group.
