1 00:00:00,090 --> 00:00:00,960 In this lesson, 2 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:02,250 we're going to focus on selecting 3 00:00:02,250 --> 00:00:05,430 infrastructure controls for our enterprise infrastructure. 4 00:00:05,430 --> 00:00:07,890 Now, our networks and infrastructure security is created 5 00:00:07,890 --> 00:00:09,504 by a large number of different decisions 6 00:00:09,504 --> 00:00:11,700 that we have made over the years. 7 00:00:11,700 --> 00:00:13,320 Each decision to install a new piece 8 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:14,520 of hardware or software, 9 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:15,990 will introduce new vulnerabilities 10 00:00:15,990 --> 00:00:17,820 into our enterprise infrastructure, 11 00:00:17,820 --> 00:00:19,905 but we can also strategically select different controls 12 00:00:19,905 --> 00:00:22,080 to effectively mitigate the risks presented 13 00:00:22,080 --> 00:00:24,570 by these new vulnerabilities and weaknesses. 14 00:00:24,570 --> 00:00:26,160 As a cybersecurity professional, 15 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:27,360 you're going to spend a lot of time 16 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:29,820 selecting or recommending various controls 17 00:00:29,820 --> 00:00:31,470 that you can use to effectively secure 18 00:00:31,470 --> 00:00:33,965 and protect your network and the data it contains. 19 00:00:33,965 --> 00:00:35,580 Now, a control is a measure 20 00:00:35,580 --> 00:00:38,370 or safeguard that's implemented to mitigate potential risks 21 00:00:38,370 --> 00:00:40,259 and to protect an organization's assets. 22 00:00:40,259 --> 00:00:42,510 Selecting effective controls ensures 23 00:00:42,510 --> 00:00:43,590 that we can prevent breaches 24 00:00:43,590 --> 00:00:45,660 and to minimize vulnerabilities while ensuring 25 00:00:45,660 --> 00:00:48,360 that our resources are being used efficiently. 26 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,640 Effective control selections can also help us 27 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,130 to foster trust among our stakeholders by demonstrating 28 00:00:53,130 --> 00:00:54,270 that we have a proactive approach 29 00:00:54,270 --> 00:00:56,780 to our organization security and compliance postures. 30 00:00:56,780 --> 00:00:58,830 So in this lesson, 31 00:00:58,830 --> 00:01:00,420 we're going to go through some key principles, 32 00:01:00,420 --> 00:01:03,060 methodologies, and best practices that you can use 33 00:01:03,060 --> 00:01:05,250 to make more informed decisions when you're selecting 34 00:01:05,250 --> 00:01:07,410 effective controls inside of your organization's 35 00:01:07,410 --> 00:01:09,060 network infrastructure. 36 00:01:09,060 --> 00:01:11,820 Now, first, let's talk about some key principles 37 00:01:11,820 --> 00:01:13,950 when it comes to selecting effective controls. 38 00:01:13,950 --> 00:01:15,450 We should consider the key principles 39 00:01:15,450 --> 00:01:17,610 of least privilege, defense in depth, 40 00:01:17,610 --> 00:01:18,995 utilizing a risk-based approach, 41 00:01:18,995 --> 00:01:20,880 conducting lifecycle management, 42 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,310 and focusing on open design principles 43 00:01:23,310 --> 00:01:25,110 to secure our infrastructure. 44 00:01:25,110 --> 00:01:27,750 Now, the principle of least privilege mandates that a user 45 00:01:27,750 --> 00:01:30,025 or system should only have the necessary access rights 46 00:01:30,025 --> 00:01:32,015 that they need to perform their duties. 47 00:01:32,015 --> 00:01:34,410 Selecting and implementing controls associated 48 00:01:34,410 --> 00:01:36,570 with the principle of least privilege really does help 49 00:01:36,570 --> 00:01:39,015 to reduce the potential attack surface of your network. 50 00:01:39,015 --> 00:01:40,980 Another key principle to use 51 00:01:40,980 --> 00:01:43,020 is the concept of defense in depth. 52 00:01:43,020 --> 00:01:45,600 Now, the defense in depth approach emphasizes the use 53 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,550 of multiple layers of security to ensure 54 00:01:47,550 --> 00:01:48,455 that if one control fails, 55 00:01:48,455 --> 00:01:50,105 that our other controls will still be ready 56 00:01:50,105 --> 00:01:52,710 to stop a potential threat from successfully 57 00:01:52,710 --> 00:01:54,810 exploiting our infrastructure. 58 00:01:54,810 --> 00:01:57,330 Now, a risk-based approach is another good idea for you 59 00:01:57,330 --> 00:01:59,310 to implement because it underscores the need 60 00:01:59,310 --> 00:02:01,920 for the prioritization of controls based on the potential 61 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:03,870 risks and vulnerabilities that are specific 62 00:02:03,870 --> 00:02:05,675 to your organization's infrastructure. 63 00:02:05,675 --> 00:02:08,685 After all, no organization has enough people time 64 00:02:08,685 --> 00:02:12,030 or money to completely mitigate every single potential 65 00:02:12,030 --> 00:02:13,980 threat or vulnerability that's out there. 66 00:02:13,980 --> 00:02:16,405 So we have to prioritize them using a risk-based approach 67 00:02:16,405 --> 00:02:18,900 to more effectively use our limited resources 68 00:02:18,900 --> 00:02:22,050 while giving us the best protection for our infrastructure. 69 00:02:22,050 --> 00:02:24,060 Additionally, the principle of lifecycle 70 00:02:24,060 --> 00:02:26,100 management will be used to focus on the importance 71 00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:27,930 of regularly reviewing, updating, 72 00:02:27,930 --> 00:02:29,940 and retiring our controls that align 73 00:02:29,940 --> 00:02:31,200 with the always changing threat 74 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:32,715 landscape that we're experiencing. 75 00:02:32,715 --> 00:02:34,470 After all, we don't select 76 00:02:34,470 --> 00:02:36,060 and implement our controls one time 77 00:02:36,060 --> 00:02:37,410 and then expect that our network will be 78 00:02:37,410 --> 00:02:39,300 well protected for the rest of time. 79 00:02:39,300 --> 00:02:41,700 So we need to conduct proper lifecycle management for all 80 00:02:41,700 --> 00:02:44,285 of our controls as our networks evolve over the years. 81 00:02:44,285 --> 00:02:47,085 Now, the final key principle we need to utilize is one known 82 00:02:47,085 --> 00:02:49,380 as the open design principle. 83 00:02:49,380 --> 00:02:51,510 The open design principle is focused on creating 84 00:02:51,510 --> 00:02:53,880 transparency and accountability by ensuring 85 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,640 that our infrastructure and our controls undergo rigorous 86 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:58,860 testing and scrutiny to ensure they're effective 87 00:02:58,860 --> 00:03:00,810 and being implemented securely. 88 00:03:00,810 --> 00:03:03,390 By deeply understanding and integrating these key principles 89 00:03:03,390 --> 00:03:05,760 into the selection of your infrastructure's controls, 90 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:07,260 you can ensure that you have a more robust, 91 00:03:07,260 --> 00:03:10,105 resilient and responsive enterprise infrastructure. 92 00:03:10,105 --> 00:03:12,205 Second, let's take a look at the methodology 93 00:03:12,205 --> 00:03:14,665 that you can use to select some effective controls. 94 00:03:14,665 --> 00:03:16,925 Now, the basic methodology that I recommend is 95 00:03:16,925 --> 00:03:18,600 to assess the current state, 96 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,300 conduct a gap analysis, set clear objectives, 97 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:24,390 conduct benchmarking, conduct a cost benefit analysis, 98 00:03:24,390 --> 00:03:25,920 ensure stakeholder involvement, 99 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:27,300 and then implement monitoring 100 00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:29,760 and feedback loops into your organization. 101 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:31,595 So remember that when you're examining methodologies, 102 00:03:31,595 --> 00:03:33,325 it's always important that you adopt a structured 103 00:03:33,325 --> 00:03:35,185 and systematic approach to ensure the security 104 00:03:35,185 --> 00:03:37,860 of your infrastructure remains intact. 105 00:03:37,860 --> 00:03:38,910 Now, you should always start out 106 00:03:38,910 --> 00:03:40,745 by assessing the current state of your security 107 00:03:40,745 --> 00:03:43,350 and the controls that you already have in place. 108 00:03:43,350 --> 00:03:44,580 You must have a clear understanding 109 00:03:44,580 --> 00:03:47,220 of your current infrastructure set up its vulnerabilities, 110 00:03:47,220 --> 00:03:49,380 and its existing controls, if any, 111 00:03:49,380 --> 00:03:51,395 before you start adding any kind of new controls. 112 00:03:51,395 --> 00:03:53,225 Once you understand your baseline, 113 00:03:53,225 --> 00:03:55,165 you should then utilize a gap analysis 114 00:03:55,165 --> 00:03:56,685 to identify any discrepancies 115 00:03:56,685 --> 00:03:58,385 between your current security posture 116 00:03:58,385 --> 00:04:00,930 and your desired security posture that you want to achieve 117 00:04:00,930 --> 00:04:03,180 inside your organization's network. 118 00:04:03,180 --> 00:04:05,310 Then once you have this information, 119 00:04:05,310 --> 00:04:07,260 you can set clear objectives for what you're hoping 120 00:04:07,260 --> 00:04:09,035 to achieve as you add additional controls, 121 00:04:09,035 --> 00:04:11,640 whether you want to safeguard specific data, 122 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:12,480 ensure uptime, 123 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:14,315 or maintain compliance with laws and regulations. 124 00:04:14,315 --> 00:04:16,805 Setting up clear objectives is going to help you do this 125 00:04:16,805 --> 00:04:19,440 during your control selection process. 126 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:20,910 Once your objectives have been set, 127 00:04:20,910 --> 00:04:22,110 you can conduct benchmarking 128 00:04:22,110 --> 00:04:23,940 to compare your organization's processes, 129 00:04:23,940 --> 00:04:25,740 performance, and security metrics 130 00:04:25,740 --> 00:04:27,384 against your industry's best practices 131 00:04:27,384 --> 00:04:29,790 to determine how you compare to your competitors 132 00:04:29,790 --> 00:04:31,560 and others in your industry. 133 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:34,620 Next, you should consider performing a cost benefit analysis 134 00:04:34,620 --> 00:04:36,930 before you start implementing your new controls. 135 00:04:36,930 --> 00:04:38,375 While we want the best controls in place, 136 00:04:38,375 --> 00:04:40,980 these controls also need to be cost effective. 137 00:04:40,980 --> 00:04:42,405 So it's important to find the right balance 138 00:04:42,405 --> 00:04:43,800 between the level of security 139 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,645 that you want to achieve versus the amount of financial 140 00:04:45,645 --> 00:04:47,765 and other resources that are going to have to be invested 141 00:04:47,765 --> 00:04:49,955 to achieve that level of security. 142 00:04:49,955 --> 00:04:52,380 Stakeholder involvement is also important 143 00:04:52,380 --> 00:04:54,180 during this process because it's going to help you 144 00:04:54,180 --> 00:04:56,520 to ensure the controls you choose are going to be adopted 145 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,080 by your users, and they're going to work 146 00:04:58,080 --> 00:04:59,850 in the business context of your current 147 00:04:59,850 --> 00:05:01,710 and ongoing operations. 148 00:05:01,710 --> 00:05:03,420 Finally, we need to create monitoring 149 00:05:03,420 --> 00:05:05,550 and feedback loops so that we can ensure our controls 150 00:05:05,550 --> 00:05:06,960 remain effective over time. 151 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,630 Because the cyber threat landscape is constantly changing 152 00:05:09,630 --> 00:05:12,510 and evolving by regularly revisiting your control selection 153 00:05:12,510 --> 00:05:14,310 methodology to ensure it remains relevant 154 00:05:14,310 --> 00:05:15,900 and adjusting it as required, 155 00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:16,800 we're going to be able to ensure 156 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,020 that our enterprise infrastructure remains agile 157 00:05:19,020 --> 00:05:21,175 in the face of continually evolving threats. 158 00:05:21,175 --> 00:05:23,445 Third, let's consider some best practices to use 159 00:05:23,445 --> 00:05:25,125 during the selection of various controls 160 00:05:25,125 --> 00:05:26,905 for your enterprise networks. 161 00:05:26,905 --> 00:05:28,980 Now, when you're determining the best controls 162 00:05:28,980 --> 00:05:30,570 for your enterprise infrastructure, 163 00:05:30,570 --> 00:05:33,300 you must first conduct a comprehensive risk assessment 164 00:05:33,300 --> 00:05:34,530 to better understand the threats 165 00:05:34,530 --> 00:05:37,275 and vulnerabilities that are specific to your organization. 166 00:05:37,275 --> 00:05:39,000 This will provide us with a foundation 167 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,130 for every subsequent decision that we're going to be asked 168 00:05:41,130 --> 00:05:43,650 to make during the control selection process. 169 00:05:43,650 --> 00:05:45,690 Also, a risk assessment should not be 170 00:05:45,690 --> 00:05:47,310 considered a one-time thing, 171 00:05:47,310 --> 00:05:48,945 but instead, it should be a recurring process 172 00:05:48,945 --> 00:05:51,360 that's going to be repeated and updated anytime 173 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:52,500 there's a significant change 174 00:05:52,500 --> 00:05:54,150 in your enterprise infrastructure 175 00:05:54,150 --> 00:05:56,160 or your business' operations. 176 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:58,290 Next, you need to align your control selection 177 00:05:58,290 --> 00:06:00,690 to a well-established framework or standard. 178 00:06:00,690 --> 00:06:02,970 For example, the National Institute of Standards 179 00:06:02,970 --> 00:06:04,355 and Technology known as NIST 180 00:06:04,355 --> 00:06:06,785 and the International Organization for Standardization, 181 00:06:06,785 --> 00:06:08,370 known as ISO, 182 00:06:08,370 --> 00:06:09,455 both have published guidelines 183 00:06:09,455 --> 00:06:11,635 that have been vetted and refined over time. 184 00:06:11,635 --> 00:06:13,500 By adhering to these frameworks, 185 00:06:13,500 --> 00:06:15,690 you can be assured that your approach is comprehensive 186 00:06:15,690 --> 00:06:18,180 and based on tried and tested methodologies. 187 00:06:18,180 --> 00:06:19,650 For example, I personally like 188 00:06:19,650 --> 00:06:21,480 to use the NIST Cybersecurity framework 189 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,700 and the NIST Risk Management framework when I'm working 190 00:06:23,700 --> 00:06:24,695 as a cybersecurity consultant, 191 00:06:24,695 --> 00:06:26,460 because they're both very in-depth 192 00:06:26,460 --> 00:06:27,535 and well-regarded frameworks 193 00:06:27,535 --> 00:06:29,605 that we can rely on during our engagements. 194 00:06:29,605 --> 00:06:31,975 Another best practice is to perform customization 195 00:06:31,975 --> 00:06:34,170 of the frameworks for your own usage 196 00:06:34,170 --> 00:06:36,210 to meet your specific use cases. 197 00:06:36,210 --> 00:06:37,615 Here, customization is key 198 00:06:37,615 --> 00:06:39,390 because while these frameworks provide 199 00:06:39,390 --> 00:06:40,860 a robust starting point, 200 00:06:40,860 --> 00:06:42,510 you can also tailor their controls 201 00:06:42,510 --> 00:06:44,790 to the unique aspects of your organization's business 202 00:06:44,790 --> 00:06:46,560 operations and its infrastructure's 203 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,005 own specific risk profile. 204 00:06:48,005 --> 00:06:50,735 Finally, I cannot overemphasize the importance 205 00:06:50,735 --> 00:06:52,710 of conducting stakeholder engagement 206 00:06:52,710 --> 00:06:53,850 and training as part 207 00:06:53,850 --> 00:06:55,885 of your effective control selection process. 208 00:06:55,885 --> 00:06:58,920 Your security controls are only going to be as effective 209 00:06:58,920 --> 00:06:59,970 as the people who are asked 210 00:06:59,970 --> 00:07:01,725 to implement them and monitor them. 211 00:07:01,725 --> 00:07:04,770 Therefore, you have to engage all relevant stakeholders 212 00:07:04,770 --> 00:07:06,184 in the decision making processes 213 00:07:06,184 --> 00:07:08,250 to ensure that they understand the rationale 214 00:07:08,250 --> 00:07:10,350 behind each control that was being selected, 215 00:07:10,350 --> 00:07:11,970 and it's rolling your organization's 216 00:07:11,970 --> 00:07:13,325 broader security strategy. 217 00:07:13,325 --> 00:07:16,110 Regular training sessions should also be conducted 218 00:07:16,110 --> 00:07:18,360 to keep everyone up to date on the latest threats, 219 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:20,235 the purpose of the security controls we have in place, 220 00:07:20,235 --> 00:07:23,045 and the best ways to utilize those control measures. 221 00:07:23,045 --> 00:07:25,500 When it comes to implementing effective security controls 222 00:07:25,500 --> 00:07:26,640 in your organization, 223 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:28,590 you really will have to rely on a knowledgeable 224 00:07:28,590 --> 00:07:30,780 and engaged workforce to achieve a higher level 225 00:07:30,780 --> 00:07:32,790 of security for your infrastructure. 226 00:07:32,790 --> 00:07:34,650 So remember, a control is a measure 227 00:07:34,650 --> 00:07:37,350 or safeguard that's implemented to mitigate potential risks 228 00:07:37,350 --> 00:07:39,085 and protect an organization's assets. 229 00:07:39,085 --> 00:07:41,460 Selecting effective controls will ensure 230 00:07:41,460 --> 00:07:42,630 that we can prevent breaches 231 00:07:42,630 --> 00:07:44,815 and minimize vulnerabilities while ensuring our resources 232 00:07:44,815 --> 00:07:47,130 are being utilized efficiently. 233 00:07:47,130 --> 00:07:48,480 To select your controls, 234 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:50,190 you should use a structured methodology 235 00:07:50,190 --> 00:07:51,930 like the basic methodology I presented 236 00:07:51,930 --> 00:07:53,880 that includes an assessment of the current state, 237 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:55,890 a gap analysis, clear objectives, 238 00:07:55,890 --> 00:07:58,140 benchmarking, a cost benefit analysis, 239 00:07:58,140 --> 00:07:59,100 stakeholder involvement, 240 00:07:59,100 --> 00:08:01,170 and monitoring and feedback loops. 241 00:08:01,170 --> 00:08:02,910 Also, that control selection 242 00:08:02,910 --> 00:08:04,710 is not going to be a one-time event, 243 00:08:04,710 --> 00:08:05,910 but instead it's something that we need 244 00:08:05,910 --> 00:08:07,680 to practice time and time again, 245 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,750 and I recommend that you do this either annually 246 00:08:09,750 --> 00:08:11,670 or quarterly based on your business 247 00:08:11,670 --> 00:08:14,470 to ensure your enterprise infrastructure remains secure.