Layers are often beneficial. Layered clothing not only makes attire look more interesting, but it also helps the wearer adjust to temperatures accordingly. Layered cakes allow room for more frosting. And layered structures, be they natural or manmade, tend to be stronger and more resilient.
In the digital age, layered security is vital. Also descriptively referred to as “defense in depth,” it provides multiple fortifications against cyberattacks and data leaks. Each shield is designed to perform a function that other layers may not.
It’s not unlike the layers of human skin. The outer layer protects against bacteria, germs, and environmental elements. The middle layer’s elastin and collagen provide structure and strength. The third layer houses the fat and connective tissues that protect organs from harm.
This type of security offers protection in every layer, although perhaps not enough on their own. Collectively, layered security can be a formidable force against cyberattacks. Here’s why that’s important.
Layered Security Puts Up Barrier After Barrier
Layered security isn’t all digital. Some of the tactics employed in a comprehensive approach are more analog. But providing barriers at those points is just as vital because it’s the series of obstacles that offer the most protection. A failure at one point may be contained at the next one.
Access to the physical building and spaces within it, as well as company security policies and procedures, form a layer. Key codes, cameras, and surveillance systems and monitoring help keep bad actors out. Scanning and blocking malicious emails can avert disaster.
Limiting permissions to information on an internal mainframe is also critical. Although employees need access to do their jobs, there are ways to control administrative logins. For example, using endpoint privilege management allows applications to access a full range of information. But users aren’t privy to all the admin logins required for unfettered access.
Encrypting files before they’re uploaded to the cloud and employing both public and private decryption keys control entry. So, at every turn, hackers will hit firewalls and malware detectors. The more obstacles they meet, the less likely they are to get in.
It Alerts Companies to Threats
The perimeter security layer is often the initial point of entry. Advances in technology have provided some increasingly effective tools. However, those improvements are a bit of a double-edged sword since hackers can use them to their advantage as well.
Intrusion (News - Alert) and detection systems monitor network activity, alerting IT personnel to abnormalities. They are often the first line of defense, although a cursory one. These systems alert but don’t put up a barrier against whatever intrusion raises a red flag.
Firewalls monitor ingoing and outgoing activity on the computer network. If they register abnormal activity or suspect an attempted breach, they block it and alert whoever is monitoring the network. Firewalls now powered by AI are not only more effective in identifying suspicious activity but also in assessing the threat potential.
Intrusion protection systems automatically block suspicious activity. Virtual private networks reroute internet connections from the network’s true location to a third-party location, rerouting attacks as well. So, while some perimeter measures don’t automatically block activity, they all alert the people who need to know what’s going on.
Layered Security Provides Crucial Insight
While some perimeter security measures may block cyberattacks, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other risks. IT staff need to investigate the breach. That’s the only way to not only ensure it’s halted but to gather information that can be used to protect from future intrusions.
It’s vital to a company’s network security to find out what tactics, tools, and procedures were used by cyber attackers. Gathering TTPs will help IT shore up security layers against threats using the same or similar ones.
AI is an effective tool now commonly deployed in the gathering and analysis of crucial data. Its ability to find patterns and analyze behaviors plays a pivotal role in attacker behavior analytics. And AI can cull vast amounts of information and analyze data far more quickly than humans.
Layered security provides a series of hurdles an attacker confronts in the attempt to hack the system. Just like a police detective must put together the steps of a crime to find the criminal, IT pros must explore the path of an attacker. That threat intelligence helps them beef up protection accordingly to fend off the next one.
It Buys Time to Employ Defenses
The layered nature of defense in depth helps give companies time to employ the countermeasures they need to protect themselves. Although each layer may not be sufficient in isolation to eliminate the threat, each slows down the attack. Such redundancy is a critical factor in mitigating a breach.
If IT staff are alerted to an anomaly at one security layer, they can more closely monitor other levels. That buys them critical time to implement greater protections.
For example, staff can use backup and disaster recovery protocols to put additional data out of reach. They can switch to redundant digital systems to protect them while they figure out how to stop the attack. Or they can shut down the system entirely for the time it takes to secure it.
Sometimes, the best defense is a good offense. Working through layered security should slow down the assault. Then, following company security protocols, they can mount their counteroffensive.
Dress in Layers
If digital systems have only one type of protection, they will probably not withstand a cyberattack. But hackers who have to overcome one defense after another may not prevail. It’s the layering that will keep systems safe.
