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The Aftermath: Steps to Recovering from a Malware Attack

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Malware (shorthand for “malicious software”) is any intrusive software that can infiltrate your computer systems to damage or destroy them or to steal data from them. The most common types of malware attacks include viruses, worms, Trojans, and ransomware.

Malware attacks are pervasive, and can be devastating to an unprepared business. Preparing for such attacks also means accepting the reality that eventually you will fall victim to one – and that you can then recover from it swiftly. This article will explore how to do that.

We can begin with ransomware. Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts its victim’s files, allowing the attacker to demand monetary payment in exchange for a decryption key. Simply put, cybercriminals use ransomware attacks to hold your data hostage and practice extortion. Typically the ransom is paid using cryptocurrency such as bitcoin to hide the identity of the attackers.

Most malware attacks are file-based, meaning that threat actors use executable (.doc, .zip, or .pdf) files that are embedded with malicious code. The goal of a malware attack is to fool users into opening those files, which will introduce the malicious script into your organization’s network to steal passwords, delete files, lock computers, pilfer data, and so forth.

Unlike traditional malware attacks, fileless malware attacks involve no files that cybersecurity software can scan, and are therefore harder to detect by conventional endpoint protection tools. In fileless malware attacks, attackers can achieve their goals even if the victim does nothing more than click on a malicious link or unknowingly visit a compromised website, usually followed by a phishing attack or social engineering attempt.

Over the years, malware and ransomware attacks have increased significantly. 2021 alone saw ransomware attacks perpetrated against Colonial Pipeline, the Steamship Authority of Massachusetts, JBS, and the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department.

In many of these cases, the inability to access encrypted files from the ransomware infection resulted in the shutdown of critical infrastructure. This led to shortages, increased costs of goods and services, financial loss due to shutdown of operations, and loss of money due to payment owed to ransomware attackers.

Research also suggests that healthcare organizations are particularly vulnerable to ransomware attacks. A study by Comparitech shows that ransomware attacks had a huge financial impact on the healthcare industry, with more than $20 billion in lost revenue, lawsuits, and ransom paid in 2020.

Ransomware and malware affects all industries. Malware is clearly a major threat to businesses in all sectors, and the first step to protecting your organization from malware attacks is to understand how malware and ransomware work.

Ultimately, how you respond to a security incident such as a malware attack should be documented in a business continuity plan (BCP), and more specifically as part of your disaster recovery (DR) strategy.

Your disaster recovery plan (DRP) should consist of a set of policies, tools and procedures that will help your organization to resume the operation of vital technology systems following a natural or human-induced disaster.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the signs of a malware attack, the steps you can take after a malware attack, as well as some methods for prevention including how to develop a robust data protection strategy that’s right for your business.

Signs of a Malware Attack

Before we introduce the steps to recover from a malware attack, we first need to describe some of the signs you should look for when trying to identify a malware attack. It isn’t always obvious when you’ve been the target of a malware infection.

Here are some things you should look out for if you think you may have experienced a malware attack:

Slow Devices

For some devices, running slowly is just a sign of old age. That said, a slow operating system (or one that freezes or crashes often) can also be an indication of a malware infection. Malware viruses usually run in the background on your system and interfere with other programs, eating up your processing power. If you notice that your devices are running slower than usual (and especially if it’s a newer device), you should have the device inspected by your IT team or an information security specialist.

Login Lock Out

Many malware programs, and especially ransomware, will lock you out of your own system or deny access to certain files until you pay a sum of money. Ransomware attacks will typically identify themselves when they demand a ransom in exchange for a decryption key, but even if you don’t see a ransom note, the sudden inability to log in to your computer is a red flag for a possible malware attack.

Unusual Error Messages

Some malware viruses will send error messages to prompt users to grant even further systems permissions or to authorize more downloads. These messages will often attempt to mimic your computer’s error messages – but look for something off stylistically or grammatically. If you get a message you don’t recognize, or one that seems strange, you should first try Googling for the exact wording of the message to see if it’s associated with any malware. Even if you can’t find anything online, a mysterious and recurring error message is a good reason to have your device inspected for malware.

Pop-up Interruptions

Annoying pop-ups that interrupt your work with alarming messages or advertisements aren’t just irritating; they’re an indication of a malware virus on your device. If you suddenly start getting inundated with pop-up messages, it’s likely that you’ve fallen victim to a malware attack.

Browser Changes

When a virus infects your web browser, it inserts itself onto the pages you visit on the internet and can sometimes even change your settings without your approval. If you notice any suspicious behavior on your browser – say, your homepage suddenly being set to a different website, a new extension appearing next to your search bar, or new bookmarks being added to your browser menu – it’s probably a warning sign of a malware attack.

Strange Icons or Programs

Some malware viruses will also install some sort of program on your device that tries to pass itself off as legitimate. While it may have an harmless looking name and icon, any programs or applications that you don’t recognize or don’t remember downloading should be cause for concern.

Spontaneous Restarts or Shut Downs

Most computers will automatically restart after a system update, although they will usually warn you before they do so. If your computer spontaneously shuts down and restarts itself, it’s possible that you have a malware virus. If you notice it happening repeatedly and without warning, you should talk to your system administrator or an IT specialist about the possibility of a malware attack.

Antivirus Alerts

Some of the more clever malware viruses also come with self-defense mechanisms to prevent themselves from being quarantined or removed. One such mechanism is to disable any antivirus programs that run on your devices. Hopefully, your antivirus software will warn you if it’s been disabled. And if you see such an unprompted warning (especially after you’ve recently activated software) it’s a sign that something is probably wrong.

System Tools Disabled

Another common defense mechanism for malware viruses is to lock users out of their control panel to prevent them being able to check the system settings that would alert them to what’s wrong with their device. If you try to check your control panel and get a message saying that only system administrators are allowed access, it’s another possible sign of a malware infection.

Nothing at All

Unfortunately, most malware viruses go out of their way to avoid detection. Some even remove other viruses on your device to assure that they don’t blow their cover. And the longer these malware viruses are on your system, the more information they’re able to glean, and the more dangerous they become.

Even if nothing seems wrong, you should still run regular checks on your computer and invest in antivirus and antimalware protection. You should also keep your computer up to date, especially with security updates. And be wary of any suspicious websites, emails, or advertisements online that might trigger a malware download.

Steps to Recover from a Malware Attack

Let’s say you have been attacked, and you recognize some of the signs that we described above. What’s next?

Here are the steps you should take if you’ve been on the receiving end of a malware attack:

  1. Isolate
    To prevent the malware infection from spreading, you’ll first need to separate all the infected devices from each other, shared storage, and the network.The rate and speed of your malware detection is critical to combat attacks before they spread across your network and encrypt your data. If you suspect a device has been infected, first isolate it from other computers and storage devices. This includes disconnecting it from the network (both wired and Wi-Fi) and from any external storage devices.Keep in mind that it’s likely that there could be more than one patient zero, meaning that the malware may have entered your organization or home via multiple devices. Or it may be dormant on other devices and just hasn’t shown itself on some systems.Regardless, you should treat all connected and networked devices with suspicion and apply measures to ensure that all your systems are not infected.
  2. Identify
    It’s important that you do your best to identify which malware strain you’re dealing with by examining any messages, evidence on the computer, and using identification tools.As mentioned above, ransomware attacks will often identify themselves with a ransom note. There are also a number of sites that can help you identify ransomware, including ID Ransomware, and the No More Ransom! Project.Identifying which malware strain has infected your devices will help you better understand how it propagates, what types of files it might encrypt, and some of the options for removal and disinfection. You should also try to determine the date of infection from malware file dates, messages, and any other information you can find.Identifying the type of malware and the date of the malware attack will also help you report it to the proper authorities.
  3. Report
    Reporting a malware attack to the authorities will help you (and others) support and coordinate measures for counter attack. The FBI urges ransomware victims in particular to report ransomware incidents, regardless of the outcome.Reporting malware attacks provides law enforcement with a greater understanding of the threat, as well as providing justification for ransomware investigations and contributing relevant information to any ongoing ransomware cases.
  4. Consider Your Options
    You can deal with a malware attack in several ways. Ultimately, you should determine which approach is best for you and your organization.If you find yourself the victim of a ransomware attack, these are your options:
    • Pay the ransom. Generally it’s considered poor form to pay ransom for a data decryption key for a number of reasons. First, this encourages more ransomware. Second, even if you do pay the ransom, it’s likely you won’t get your data back anyway.
    • Remove the malware. There are a number of internet sites and software packages that claim to be able to remove malware from systems; whether this is actually possible is up for debate. There isn’t any guarantee that decryption tools will work for every known variant, and the more sophisticated the malware, the less likely it is that a decryption tool will help.
    • Wipe the system and start from scratch. This is the surest way to remove malware or ransomware for good. Completely wiping all of your storage devices and reinstalling everything from scratch will include formatting your hard disks to assure that no remnants of malware remain. Ideally before this step happens, you should have enforced a strict backup policy, so you should already have copies of all your critical data up to the time of infection.
  5. Restore and Refresh
    No matter what you decide to do after a malware attack, you’ll need to rely on safe backups and program software sources to restore your computer or outfit a new platform.If you are the victim of a malware attack and you don’t have a consistent backup system, it’s time to develop one. Starting from scratch after a disruption can lead to delays in business continuity and even harm your business operations entirely.Your backup procedures and processes should be thoroughly documented in your disaster recovery and business continuity plans so you know exactly what to do should an incident occur.
  6. Plan for Prevention
    The most effective way to protect your systems against malware is to prevent it from being installed in the first place. Unfortunately this isn’t always possible, and it’s likely that your organization will experience a malware attack at least once in its lifetime.After an attack, you should make an assessment of how the infection occurred and consider what you can do to put measures into place that will prevent it from happening again.You’ll need to develop a robust data protection strategy that includes the following:
    • Data inventory. Inventory your data to determine how it should be categorized and where it should be stored. Some categories might include: critical, valuable, regulated, or proprietary. Once you have a clear understanding of your data, you can begin to determine how to best protect it and how to initiate a consistent data backup solution.
    • Endpoint identification. To identify where malware infections might be coming from, it’s critical to know where your endpoints are. Just like with your data, you should categorize your endpoints to determine their priority and to assure that your high-value endpoints are appropriately protected.
    • A Data recovery plan. As part of your disaster recovery plan, you should create a data recovery plan for all assets and data, and prioritize those that are mission-critical. Ideally, you should be able to restore or rebuild all of your assets and data from a master backup to prevent any data loss.
    • Backup protection. Your backup plan is only helpful if it’s both secure and accessible. This means you should make sure that your backups are protected in addition to your critical systems and data, to assure that you are able to restore data from backups, and that the data you are restoring is reliable.
    • Duplicated offsite data. To keep your data safe, you should store at least one copy either offline, offsite, or both. Even if your on-site backups end up encrypted or stolen, you can still restore your data and your most important files.
    • Tools to help. A number of cybersecurity solutions are designed to help you recover your systems and your data after a malware attack. Consider the options that make the most sense for your organization and determine how you can leverage these tools to make your cybersecurity efforts as streamlined as possible.

Mitigate Cyber Risks with ZenGRC

The key to a successful cybersecurity program is knowing when to ask for help. Cybersecurity is a complicated practice that requires in-depth knowledge and understanding of cyber risks and how to mitigate them. You need a solution that can help take the guesswork out of cyber risk management. So how do you know which software is right for your organization?

ZenGRC is an integrated cybersecurity risk management solution designed to provide you with actionable insights to gain the visibility you need to stay ahead of threats and communicate the impact of risk on high-priority business initiatives. Turn the unknown into quantifiable and actionable risk insights with built-in expertise that identifies and maps risks, threats and controls for you, so you can spend less time setting up the application and more time using it.

A single, real-time view of risk and business context allows you to communicate to the board and key stakeholders in a way that’s framed around their priorities, keeping your risk posture in sync with the direction your business is moving.

ZenGRC will even notify you automatically of any changes or required actions, so you can be on top of your risk posture like never before. Eliminate time-consuming, manual work and streamline collaboration by automating workflows and integrating with your most critical systems.

Plus, ZenGRC is seamlessly integrated so you can leverage your compliance activities to improve your risk posture with the use of AI. ZenGRC gives you the ability to see, understand and take action on your IT and cyber risks.

Now, through a more proactive approach, you can give time back to your team with ZenGRC. Talk to an expert today to learn more about how ZenGRC can help your organization mitigate cybersecurity risk and stay ahead of threats.

How to Prevent Third-Party Vendor Data Breaches

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Third-party data breaches can happen at any time to any organization. This type of breach occurs when a vendor (or some other business partner) holding your company’s data suffers a breach, and your data is exposed. According to the Verizon 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report, 62 percent of all data breaches happen via third-party vendors.

Even worse, IBM and the Ponemon Institute report that on average, a company takes 277 days to identify and contain a third-party data breach. Why so long? One reason is that threat actors have become much better at operating in stealth mode once they enter the computer system. Another, more troubling explanation is that some third-party contractors and vendors may attempt to hide a data breach from clients to avoid damaging the partnership. 

Regardless, the consequences and cost of recovering from a breach can be detrimental to your business and bottom line. The average cost of a data breach in the United States has been pegged at $9.48 million for 2023. Big targets include healthcare organizations, credit card companies, email service providers, and cloud service providers. 

This post will cover examples of common third-party breaches, as well as what to do when a third-party data breach strikes your organization.

Examples of Third-Party Security Breaches

Third-party suppliers, partners, and vendors are prime targets for cybercriminals. Here are a few instances of third-party violations from recent history:

  • Customers of Click Studios’ business password manager Passwordstate received a breach notification in 2021 after hackers used the app’s update mechanism to spread malware to users. It was unclear how many of the nearly 370,000 security and IT professionals who use Passwordstate at 29,000 organizations worldwide had been impacted by the incident. Click Studios instructed victimized customers to change every password in the Passwordstate database.
  • Toyota, a leading global auto manufacturing company, experienced a third-party data breach in 2022. As a result, the company had to close its manufacturing plant in Japan temporarily to safeguard its data. Additionally, the breach had implications on the operations of other Toyota subsidiaries.
  • The Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma’s third-party cloud storage provider, Elekta, identified odd behavior on its network in 2021. It found that 8,000 cancer patients’ sensitive health information was accessed without authorization. As a result, names, Social Security numbers, locations, birthdates, and information about medical diagnoses and treatments were disclosed.
  • The Saudi Arabian oil company Saudi Aramco had 1 terabyte of data stolen, which included details about its employees, customers, sites, reports, and project papers. The cybercriminals gave Aramco an ultimatum: pay $50 million to have the data deleted, otherwise it would be offered for sale on the dark web for $5 million. Saudi Aramco claims that a flaw at a third party caused the intrusion.

Common Data Breaches Caused by Third-Party Vendors

Phishing and ransomware attacks have been spiking, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the number of employees working from home soared. Phishing and ransomware are standard cybercrime tools that may lead to the following types of data breaches:

  • Unauthorized access via a company email account. General Electric experienced a breach that exposed employees’ personal data such as marriage certificates, passports, driver’s licenses, and tax withholding forms.
  • Hacking of a telecommunications provider. Sensitive information of more than 50 million T-Mobile customers was exposed when an unprotected router was accessed.
  • Lack of encryption. A vendor for Health Share of Oregon, which coordinates care for Medicaid patients, had an unencrypted laptop stolen, exposing the personal information of more than 650,000 people.
  • Unsecure websites and improperly stored log-in information. A website bug allowed access to thousands of passwords and usernames for an Instagram account via the third-party Social Captain.

These breaches are bad enough on their own. Even worse, the sensitive information stolen by cybercriminals was already available for sale on the dark web when they were discovered. From there, even more scams are perpetrated on unsuspecting customers and clients whose phone numbers and addresses have been exposed.

Preventing Third-Party Vendor Data Breaches and Holding Vendors Accountable

Holding third-party vendors accountable can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a third-party security policy or program. Ideally, any third-party vendor should enforce the same strict standards and internal data security controls that your company follows.

So how do organizations best prevent third-party vendor data breaches? It begins with a robust and responsive vendor risk management policy, which can be divided into several action areas.

Consider information security during vendor selection

When selecting a vendor, you must consider how those vendors handle information security. Talk with your vendors early about their security processes; understand how they handle internal security along with your company’s. Only sign contracts with those vendors whose internal security processes align with your own security objectives. 

Audit third-party vendors for compliance

An audit is the only way to see what’s really happening with your vendor’s security, so perform those audits whenever necessary (say, with particularly high-risk data you’re entrusting to a vendor). An audit evaluates how the organization executes against its security compliance framework, as well as its performance in previous audits. Look for indicators of compromise and how well the vendor assesses cybersecurity risk.

Require proof of the third-party vendor’s cybersecurity program

Proving the third-party vendor has an information security program is only half the battle over third-party breaches. The third-party vendor should be able to demonstrate that it takes risk management seriously and dedicates resources to its vulnerability management program.

Ask for the most recent results from internal risk assessments, penetration testing, and compliance frameworks. The third-party organization must have a robust risk management program, a supply chain risk mitigation strategy, and plans to remediate a potential data breach.

Ongoing third-party risk monitoring gives you continuous insights into the vendor’s cybersecurity program. Hold quarterly reviews to evaluate your vendor’s performance metrics and security posture.

Set clear policies and expectations for data storage and transfer

Collaboration with third-party vendors often involves sharing or transferring data. Data storage and transfer without a defined policy can expose companies to risks, including unauthorized access, data breaches, and failure to comply with data protection regulations. 

By establishing clear guidelines, companies can set boundaries and expectations regarding data storage and transfer. This assures that third-party vendors treat organizational data with the same importance and standards as their data. Defined data storage and transfer policies act as a protective layer, ensuring data integrity at all levels.

Adopt a least-privileged model for data access

Many third-party data breaches have one thing in common: the third party was given more access than necessary to complete its job. Holding third-party service providers to strict least-privileged access management standards will improve your network security significantly.

Least-privileged access is the cornerstone of managing vendor risk. A breach will only do minor damage when the third-party vendor’s access is restricted to the lowest possible access level.

Continuous monitoring for third-party vendors

Third-party vendors play an integral role in your organizational supply chain. They can also introduce multiple risks, including data breaches and compliance violations when not properly monitored. That means evaluating vendors only at the beginning of the business relationship is not enough; you need to monitor your vendors on an ongoing basis. 

Continuous monitoring assures that the organization remains informed of any changes in the risk profile of its third-party vendors. It also allows you to take new measures and adapt your compliance strategies accordingly. With ongoing monitoring, organizations can detect potential threats earlier and foster a culture of transparency and accountability with their vendors. That, in turn, strengthens the trust and reliability in the partnership, assuring both parties are aligned in maintaining the highest standards of security and compliance.

Measure fourth-party risk

In addition to third-party vendors, some organizations may also face fourth-party risk — that is, the risk from your vendors’ vendors. Many organizations overlook fourth-party risk essential, but assessing it is critical. Fourth-party relationships include any additional vendors, suppliers, and partners that your third-party vendors depend on. It covers the additional risks businesses are exposed to outside of those initial third-party partnerships. 

Organizations often have visibility into their third-party vendors, but not into entities further down the supply chain. To manage this effectively, companies should require transparency from their third-party vendors about the vendors’ own supply chains.

What Do You Do if You Have a Third-Party Data Breach?

Let’s say you just became aware of a data breach at your company. What to do next depends on whether hackers stole information or the information was unintentionally published on the company’s website.

What actions must be taken, and who needs to be contacted if personal information has been exposed?

Secure your operations

Immediately patch any vulnerabilities in your own systems that may have contributed to the incident. Data breaches quickly become worse when there are several of them. Do everything possible to prevent it from happening again.

Secure any locations connected to the incident. If necessary, lock them and change the access codes. Then ask law enforcement and forensics professionals whether it is OK to restart normal activities.

Immediately mobilize the breach response team to stop further data loss. The specific actions to take may vary depending on the type of breach and how your company is set up.

Take down information

Quickly remove any personal information from your website affected by the data breach. Be aware that search engines “cache” or retain information for a while. Get in touch with them to ensure they do not archive personal information that was exposed.

Search for the disclosed data online to check if other websites have saved a copy. If you find something, contact those websites and urge them to take it down.

Interview the individuals who found the breach. Also, talk to anyone else who might be familiar with it. Finally, tell customer care center employees where to send information about the incident.

Alert necessary parties

Notify law enforcement, police, other impacted organizations, and affected individuals if the company has a data breach.

Find out what the company’s legal requirements are. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have laws mandating notice of security breaches involving personal information. Other countries have their own laws too.

Figuring out what to do in the heat of the moment can be overwhelming. Therefore, incident response plans are critical. Comprehensive response plans outline the roles, responsibilities, and activities that need to happen if there is a data leak or security breach.

Overcoming Resistance from Your Third-Party Vendor

Sometimes your third-party vendor may be reluctant to follow best practices, but that vendor is the only choice for the service you need. If that’s the case, vendor risk management comes down to how much risk your organization is willing to accept, and what cybersecurity measures you have in place to prevent the inadequate security of a third-party vendor from hurting your business.

You can convince your vendors about the importance of security standards through education. A third-party vendor may welcome a well-developed risk management plan in addition to security basics such as protecting against malware, ransomware, and phishing. Share information security training webinars and other materials to grow their interest.

No matter how you broach the topic, think “security first” when pursuing a third-party vendor relationship. It will ultimately lead to fewer third-party data breaches.

Improve Your Cybersecurity with ZenGRC

Cybercriminals will continue to attack and exploit businesses and consumers alike. It is important to keep track of the new cyberattacks and risks that pop up daily. ZenGRC is an intuitive, easy-to-use platform that monitors new compliance issues and regulations while you focus on your business.

Managing third-party providers and the risk they bring to your company can be challenging. A third-party risk management program like ZenGRC can streamline the onboarding and vendor risk assessment processes. Additionally, it uses inherent risk analysis to evaluate appropriate supplier controls and conduct supplier due diligence.

Managing third-party risk is essential regardless of the size of your business or the sector you are in. Take action before it’s too late and adopt a risk and compliance system that scales as your business grows, automatically analyzes risks, and identifies potential hazards.

Schedule a demo today and get the advantage of ZenGRC.

What is Cybersecurity Automation?

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AI Automation

Conventional cybersecurity management solutions are becoming outdated, unable to handle the exponential growth of sophisticated security threats. Plus, financial and talent constraints impede the ability of security teams to expand. 

Given those difficult circumstances, how can security teams improve their capacity to minimize data breaches even amid today’s increasingly complex attack surfaces? Enter cybersecurity automation.

In this article you’ll learn why cybersecurity automation is important, different types of security automation tools, and how you can keep your information secure with ZenGRC.

Cybersecurity automation explained

Cybersecurity automation is a concept used to describe advanced systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and it involves exactly what the name implies: automating cybersecurity processes so they run faster and more efficiently. 

With cybersecurity automation, organizations deal with (and disarm) cyber threats before those threats can disrupt your operations. Automation can also help you fight even the highly sophisticated technologies that cybercriminals now use to infiltrate networks and systems. 

Cybersecurity automation takes human-driven and repeatable tasks that could be handled by the devices without human interaction, and automates that work. Put another way, cybersecurity automation streamlines manual and time-consuming tasks into automated workflows, making network security processes more efficient and less prone to human error. With enhanced efficiency, faster decisions can be made, which also can improve an organization’s entire security posture.

Can cybersecurity be automated?

Sure it can. For example, automation can monitor and scan networks for security loopholes and potential vulnerabilities. This can be done by using software tools such as network scanners and vulnerability management platforms, which are designed to detect and report security issues automatically. Once a vulnerability is found, the tool generates a report that security teams can use to assess the severity of the issue and determine a solution to mitigate it.

Automated compliance monitoring is another use case. This involves automation to monitor systems and networks for compliance with industry regulations and standards. Automated compliance monitoring makes it easy for organizations to identify and handle potential compliance problems, and reduce the risk of fines and penalties.

You can also automate the process for responding to security incidents. Automated incident response systems use pre-planned and custom rules to respond to an incident, all without human intervention. This can help organizations respond to incidents more quickly and reduce the overall impact of a security incident. Other benefits of automated incident response are optimized threat intelligence, streamlined operations, and automated reporting and metrics capabilities.

Why is cybersecurity automation important?

Effective protection against cyberattacks requires the implementation of automated systems that can analyze data in real-time and provide a comprehensive view of all activity happening within an organization’s network. The advantages of using automated cybersecurity systems include:

Increased efficiency. Cybersecurity automation allows for the rapid detection and response to potential threats, reducing the time it takes to mitigate them.

Improved accuracy. Automated systems can process massive amounts of data and uncover patterns that may be difficult for humans to discover, leading to fewer false positives or negatives.

24/7 monitoring. Automated systems can monitor networks and systems continuously for potential threats, providing round-the-clock protection.

Scalability. Automation can be used to scale security operations to satisfy the requirements of organizations of all sizes, allowing for more effective security management while keeping costs as low as possible (certainly lower than hiring more staff).

What are security automation tools?

There are different types of security automation tools.

Security information and event management (SIEM) tools

Organizations invest in SIEM solutions to streamline visibility across their organization’s environments, investigate log data for incident response to cyberattacks and data breaches, and adhere to local and federal compliance mandates.

SIEM solutions work by aggregating log and event data produced from applications, devices, networks, infrastructure, and systems to make an analysis and provide a comprehensive view of an organization’s IT environment.

Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) tools

Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) refers to a set of software solutions that enable organizations to streamline security operations in three major areas: threat management, security incident response, and security operations automation.

Large organizations use SOAR tools extensively since the organizations tend to have a great number of security systems and recurring events that need to be taken. These security tools typically run automatically and offer the ability to automate incident response processes through the use of standardized playbooks.

Vulnerability management tools

Vulnerability management tools can automatically scan IT resources for vulnerabilities, helping organizations to identify such weaknesses, classify them, prioritize the risks, and suggest remediation activities.

Vulnerability management solutions handle security in a different way compared to firewalls, antivirus, and anti-malware software, as they are built to combat cyberattacks on the network as they occur.

Endpoint protection tools

An endpoint security solution tracks, monitors, and manages an organization’s “endpoints,” including network connections, PCs, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, cloud-based applications, and services, to keep them safe from ransomware, malware attacks, and other cybersecurity threats.

Some of the main categories of endpoint protection tools include anti-malware solutions, mobile device management software (MDM), endpoint detection and response (EDR) software, and data loss prevention (DLP) software.

Keep your information secure with ZenGRC

ZenGRC offers a comprehensive solution for assuring the security of your sensitive data. With its user-friendly interface, ZenGRC simplifies the complexity of managing governance, risk, and compliance, allowing you to focus on your core business activities. It provides robust tools for monitoring and auditing your information security posture, ensuring adherence to industry standards and regulatory requirements. 

ZenGRC’s real-time reporting and analytics give you a clear view of your risk landscape, enabling proactive risk management and decision-making. By leveraging ZenGRC, businesses can enhance their information security strategies, keeping their data secure and their operations compliant.

Schedule a demo today to see how ZenGRC can help you achieve “Zen-mode” compliance!

Cybersecurity KPIs to Track + Examples

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Cybersecurity KPIs

To manage cybersecurity risks effectively and maintain a strong defense posture, organizations need a clear understanding of their security program and the ability to measure their progress toward key objectives.

Enter key performance indicators (KPIs), a mechanism that allows organizations to gauge and track their cybersecurity effectiveness. In this article we delve into cybersecurity KPIs, exploring their meaning, showcasing real-world examples of cybersecurity metrics, and highlighting the numerous benefits of employing a data-driven approach to cybersecurity management.

KPIs in Cybersecurity

KPIs are measurable values that depict how well an organization achieves its key business objectives. Which KPIs your organization chooses depends on your industry and which element of business performance you’re looking to track.

In cybersecurity specifically, KPIs help to evaluate the effectiveness of security measures and processes to mitigate security threats.

Examples of Cybersecurity Metrics

Here are some of the commonly used KPIs in cybersecurity:

  • Security incidents. This KPI measures the total number of security incidents, including data breaches, malware infections, unauthorized access attempts, and system compromises.
  • Intrusion attempts. How often have malicious actors tried to breach your networks?
  • Mean time between failures (MTBF). How much time elapses between one system or product failure and the next? This metric helps to understand system reliability.
  • Mean time to detect (MTTD). MTTD measures the average time taken to detect security incidents from the moment they occur. It reflects the efficiency of an organization’s detection mechanisms and its ability to identify and respond to threats promptly.
  • Mean time to recovery (MTTR). How long does your organization take to recover from a system failure?
  • Cost per incident. This KPI measures the average cost incurred by the organization for each security incident. It considers factors such as incident response efforts, investigation, remediation, legal actions, regulatory fines, and other associated costs.
  • Cybersecurity awareness training. How well are you maintaining documentation for security awareness training? Are you including all members of your organization, including senior executives?
  • Number of cybersecurity incidents reported. Are employees and users reporting cybersecurity issues to your team? If yes, that’s a good sign; the employees and stakeholders recognize the issues outlined in your training.
  • Compliance with security policies and regulations. This compliance metric measures the degree of adherence to security policies, standards, and regulatory requirements. It helps to ensure that security controls and measures are implemented as per the defined guidelines.
  • Security ratings. Security ratings provide a simple score to communicate metrics to non-technical colleagues, evaluating your company’s security posture in various categories such as network security, patching cadence, endpoint security, IP reputation, web application security, hacker activity, leaked credentials, and social engineering.
  • Phishing attack success. This KPI measures the percentage of employees who fall victim to phishing attempts by clicking on malicious links or providing sensitive information.
  • Vendor patching cadence. This vendor risk management KPI refers to how often (and promptly) third-party vendors release and deploy patches to address security vulnerabilities in their products or services. It is an essential aspect of third-party risk management as it directly affects the security of organizations relying on these vendors.

Benefits of a Cybersecurity KPI Dashboard

You can’t measure your security without tracking specific cybersecurity KPIs.

Interestingly, a 2019 Risk in Review study found that just 22 percent of chief executives believe they receive sufficient information about risk exposure to inform their decisions. That indicates a potential gap in the availability and quality of risk exposure data for chief executives, which is a huge red flag.

One solution: a cybersecurity KPI dashboard. These dashboards can deliver numerous benefits, such as:

  1. Centralized view of security metrics. A dashboard provides a centralized and visual representation of both KPIs and their cousins, key risk indicators. It allows stakeholders, including executives, IT professionals, and security teams, to quickly grasp the organization’s overall security posture at a glance.
  2. Real-time monitoring. The dashboard allows real-time monitoring of cybersecurity metrics, such as the number of security incidents, threat detection rates, response times, vulnerability assessments, and compliance status. This real-time visibility helps identify potential security risks promptly and allows for timely remediation.
  3. Early-warning system. A well-designed KPI dashboard brings concerns to light quickly, by highlighting any significant deviations from established security benchmarks or industry standards. This helps organizations identify potential security incidents, breaches, or policy violations right away, which in turn allows faster incident response.
  4. Data-driven decision-making. A cybersecurity dashboard facilitates data-driven decision making by presenting actionable data and insights. It allows organizations to assess the effect of security investments, identify areas for improvement, allocate resources, and prioritize security initiatives based on actual performance metrics.
  5. Alignment with business goals. A KPI dashboard aligns cybersecurity metrics with broader business goals and objectives. It offers insights into how security initiatives contribute to overall business performance, risk mitigation, and compliance requirements, helping to prove the value of cybersecurity investments.

What Should Be Included in a Cybersecurity Dashboard?

While the specific components of a cybersecurity dashboard will vary depending on the organization’s needs and priorities, some vital elements should always be included:

  • Threat intelligence. Real-time updates on the latest threats, vulnerabilities, and security incidents, including information from trusted sources, such as threat feeds, security advisories, and vendor alerts.
  • Intrusion detection system (IDS). Statistics on the network and host-based intrusion detection and prevention activities, including alerts triggered, blocked attacks, and suspicious activities detected.
  • Security alerts. Summary of active security alerts and notifications, highlighting critical incidents, intrusion attempts, system compromises, and ongoing attacks.
  • Vulnerability management. Metrics related to the identification, assessment, and remediation of vulnerabilities within the organization’s infrastructure, including vulnerability scan results, patch management status, and prioritization of high-risk vulnerabilities.
  • Firewall and network security. Monitoring and reporting on firewall rules, network traffic, and security device logs, which provides visibility into network security posture, potential breaches, and policy violations.
  • User activity monitoring. Insights into user behavior and activity logs, such as failed login attempts, privileged account usage, and abnormal user behaviors that could indicate potential insider threats or compromised accounts.

How to Use a Cybersecurity KPI Dashboard

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use a cybersecurity KPI dashboard effectively.

Step 1: Determine your goals

Identify your organization’s cybersecurity goals and objectives. These could include reducing the number of security incidents, improving incident response times, enhancing patch management, or strengthening employee training. Clearly defining your goals will help you choose the appropriate KPIs to track.

Step 2: Select relevant KPIs

Choose KPIs that align with your goals and provide meaningful insights into your cybersecurity performance. Some common cybersecurity KPIs include the number of security incidents, the average time to detect and respond to incidents, the percentage of systems with up-to-date patches, and vulnerability assessment results.

Step 3: Set benchmarks and targets

Establish benchmarks and targets for each KPI. Benchmarks provide a baseline for comparison, while targets define the desired level of performance. These benchmarks and targets should be realistic and aligned with your organization’s risk appetite and industry standards.

Step 4: Gather and analyze data

Collect the necessary data for each KPI. This may involve integrating your dashboard with various cybersecurity tools and systems, such as intrusion detection systems, vulnerability scanners, antivirus software, and log analysis tools. Regularly update and maintain the data to ensure accuracy.

Step 5: Track performance

Regularly review and monitor the dashboard to track your security performance. Identify deviations from the targets and benchmarks, and investigate the underlying causes. Use the insights from the dashboard to make informed decisions and take corrective actions as needed.

Step 6: Share insights and reports

Communicate the findings and insights from the cybersecurity KPI dashboard with relevant stakeholders, the chief information security officer (CISO), senior management, and board members. Share periodic reports that summarize IT security performance, highlight key areas of concern, and suggest recommendations for improvement.

Improve Cybersecurity KPIs with ZenGRC

ZenGRC provides extensive capabilities that empower you to observe and promptly respond to crucial cybersecurity KPIs. Using the ZenGRC gives you an enhanced perspective into the intricate landscape of cyber threats, enabling you to make informed decisions and take proactive measures to safeguard your digital assets.

The graphics within the ZenGRC offer visually intuitive, color-coded representations that allow management to comprehend and assess the organization’s current risk status.

Book a demo today to see how the ZenGRC simplifies the reporting process for security KPIs.

5 Steps to Performing a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment

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There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all cybersecurity. Every organization faces a unique set of security risks and needs to take its unique approach to cybersecurity risk assessment.

Unfortunately, however, cybersecurity risk assessments aren’t easy to undertake, and getting started can be the most challenging part of your risk management strategy. To help, we’ll take you through the process step by step.

What Is a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment?

A cybersecurity risk assessment evaluates the threats to your organization’s IT systems and data, as well as your capacity to safeguard those assets from cyber attacks.

Organizations can (and should) use a cybersecurity risk assessment to identify and prioritize opportunities for improvement in existing information security programs. A risk assessment also helps companies to communicate risks to stakeholders and to make educated decisions about deploying resources to mitigate those security risks.

Cybersecurity Risk Assessments: Getting Started

To prepare, you must align the organization’s information security and cybersecurity goals with its business objectives. That means you will need to get input from across the enterprise about how each function uses data and IT systems, to assess and evaluate your cybersecurity risk exposure. Consider the following activities as part of your initial preparation for your risk assessment.

Define cybersecurity threats

You should think about all the scenarios that threaten the safety of your customer and employee data and the function of your products and services. Hackers can bypass security measures to gain unauthorized access, bypass mechanisms and exploit vulnerabilities to steal or modify critical data assets, or run rogue programs inside your IT infrastructure.

Identify security vulnerabilities

Once you have a handle on your potential threats, you can better scrutinize each part of your IT infrastructure for vulnerabilities across software and hardware. Identifying these vulnerabilities requires diligence and thorough examination, always keeping in mind your contractual obligations and regulatory compliance obligations.

Determine threat likelihood and threat impact

Once you have identified the weaknesses in the organization, you should determine the likelihood and potential severity of each risk. This helps you understand which risks are most serious, and therefore should get first priority when remediating your security weaknesses.

How Do You Perform a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment?

Begin by assembling a team with the right qualifications. A cross-departmental group is crucial to identify cyber threats ( from inside and outside your organization) and mitigate the risks to IT systems and data. The risk management team can also communicate the risk to employees and conduct incident response more effectively.

At a minimum, your team should include the following:

  • Senior management to provide oversight.
  • The chief information security officer to review network architecture.
  • A privacy officer to locate personally identifiable information, as required by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
  • The compliance officer to assure compliance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), or other security standards that might apply to your business.
  • Someone from the marketing team to discuss any customer information that’s collected and stored.
  • Someone from the product management team to assure product security posture throughout the development cycle.
  • Human resources, to give insight into employee personally identifiable information.
  • A manager from each central business line to cover all enterprise data and lead response initiatives.

Step 1: Catalog information assets

Your risk management team should catalog all your business’s information assets. That includes your IT infrastructure, as well as the various software-as-a-service (SaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) solutions used throughout the company. It also includes the data that those systems process.

To understand the types of data your company collects, stores, and transmits, as well as the locations involved, ask these questions:

  • What kinds of information are departments collecting?
  • Where do they send that information?
  • Where are they collecting it from?
  • Which vendors does each department use?
  • What access do those vendors have?
  • Which authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication, are used for information access?
  • Where does the company physically store information?
  • Which devices do employees use?
  • Do remote workers access information? If so, how?
  • Which networks transmit information?
  • Which databases store information?
  • Which servers collect, transfer, and store data?

Step 2: Assess the risk

Some types of information are more critical than others. Not all vendors are equally secure. So once you’ve identified the information assets, it’s time to assess their risks and the enterprise.

  • Which systems, networks, and software are critical to business operations?
  • What sensitive information or systems must maintain availability, confidentiality, and integrity?
  • What personal information do you store, transmit, or collect that needs to be anonymized in case of an encryption failure?
  • Which devices are most at risk of data loss?
  • What is the potential for data corruption?
  • Which IT systems, networks, and software might cybercriminals target for a data breach?
  • What reputation harm might arise from a security incident?
  • What are the financial risks of a potential data breach or data leak?
  • What business operation risks would result from a cybersecurity event?
  • Is there a business continuity plan to help business operations resume quickly after an IT disruption?

The risk assessment process considers risks to the information assets and what harm breaches of each might cause to the enterprise. That includes harm to business reputation, finances, continuity, and operations.

Step 3: Analyze the risk

Risk analysis assigns priority to the risks you’ve listed. For each risk, give a score based on the following:

  • Probability: the likelihood of a cybercriminal obtaining access to the asset
  • Impact: the financial, operational, strategic, and reputational impact that a security event might have on your organization

To establish your risk tolerance level, multiply the probability by the impact. Then, for each risk, determine your response: accept, avoid, transfer, or mitigate.

For example, a database containing public information might have few security controls, so the probability of a breach might be high. On the other hand, the damage would be low since the attackers would only be grabbing information that’s already publicly available. So you might be willing to accept the security risk for that particular database because the impact score is low, despite the high probability of a breach.

Conversely, suppose you’re collecting financial information from customers. In that case, the probability of a breach might be low, but the harm from such a breach could be severe regulatory penalties and a battered corporate reputation. So you may decide to mitigate these high-risk scenarios by taking out a cybersecurity insurance policy.

Step 4: Set security controls

Next, define and implement security controls. Security controls will help you manage potential risks so they are eliminated, or the chance of them happening is significantly reduced.

Controls are essential for every potential risk. That said, they require the entire organization to implement them and assure the risk controls are continuously carried out.

Examples of controls include:

  • Network segregation
  • At-rest and in-transit encryption
  • Anti-malware, anti-ransomware, and anti-phishing software
  • Firewall configuration
  • Password protocols
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Workforce training
  • Vendor risk management program

Step 5: Monitor and review effectiveness

Organizations have relied on penetration testing and periodic audits to establish and assure IT security. But as malicious actors keep changing tactics, your organization must adjust its security policies and maintain a risk management program that monitors the IT environment for new cybersecurity threats.

Risk analysis needs to be flexible, too. For example, as part of the risk mitigation process, you must consider your response mechanisms to maintain a robust cybersecurity profile.

What Companies Should Perform a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment?

All organizations that use IT infrastructure should conduct cybersecurity risk assessments. That said, some small businesses may have limited resources, which impedes the ability to assess and mitigate risk thoroughly. For that reason, many organizations turn to cybersecurity software to help them better evaluate, mitigate, and monitor their risk management strategies.

Modern cybersecurity solutions are designed for threat intelligence to prevent the three significant categories of cybersecurity risk: malware, ransomware, and phishing. And why is understanding and mitigating cybersecurity risk so important?

Benefits of Performing a Security Risk Assessment

There are many benefits to performing a cybersecurity risk assessment and implementing a risk management process within the organization. Here are just a few:

  • Reduce costs associated with security incidents. You can reduce the long-term costs related to damage caused by a data breach or theft of critical assets.
  • Establish a baseline for organizational risk. Risk assessments provide a baseline for future assessments as you address your level of risk over time.
  • Support the need for a cybersecurity program. Conducting a risk assessment provides the CISO with proof of the need for a cybersecurity program, which the CISO can then show stakeholders.
  • Avoid data breaches. You can identify potential threats, mitigate them, and avoid data breaches.
  • Avoid compliance issues. You can avoid regulatory compliance issues related to customer data.
  • Avoid lost productivity. When you identify and mitigate vulnerabilities, you avoid disruptions that can lead to lost productivity.
  • Avoid data loss. The theft of critical information assets could cost you more than monetary damages. You could lose your reputation and, ultimately, your ability to operate your business.
  • Be more compelling to business partners. If business partners see that your cybersecurity risks are well managed, you become less of a third-party risk to them.

ZenGRC for Cybersecurity Risk Assessments

ZenGRC is a governance, risk, and compliance platform that can help you implement, manage, and monitor your risk management framework and remediation tasks.

For example, ZenGRC can prioritize tasks so everyone knows what to do and when. Its user-friendly dashboards make reviewing “to do” and “completed tasks” lists easy. The workflow tagging simplifies assigning tasks for the activities involved in risk assessment, risk analysis, and risk mitigation. In addition, the ServiceNow connector enables two-way communication with that popular workflow application.

When audit time rolls around, ZenGRC “single source of truth” audit-trail document repository provides quick access to the evidence you need of data confidentiality, integrity, and availability as required by law.

ZenGRC can help you streamline the entire lifecycle of all your relevant cybersecurity risk management frameworks, including Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), HIPAA, and more.

Schedule a demo to get started on worry-free risk management.