Choosing the Right Cybersecurity Solution

In today's digital age, cybersecurity threats are becoming increasingly complex and frequent, and protecting your organisation from these threats has never been more critical. Choosing the right cybersecurity solution is a crucial step in safeguarding your organisation's sensitive information, assets, and reputation. In this article, we'll discuss some essential factors to consider when selecting a cybersecurity solution for your organisation.

Understanding Your Needs

Before choosing a cybersecurity solution, it's essential to understand your organisation's specific cybersecurity needs. In process improvement terms, we would avoid jumping straight to the solution and spend some time crafting the problem statement. Some questions which may help at this juncture are:

• What type of data does your organisation handle, and how sensitive is it?
• What are the potential risks to your organisation's data and systems?
• What level of protection do you need?
• What is your budget for cybersecurity solutions?
• What is your training budget, or training timescale, for your new cybersecurity solution?

Understanding the answers to these questions will help you choose the right cybersecurity solution that meets your organisation's specific needs. 

Other topics which are important to include in your decision are which kind of vulnerabilities are prevalent in your sector, which kind of cybersecurity certifications are most used or applicable to your organisation.

Having the ability to track important and up to date security information such as vulnerability alerts (like VMSA or the KEVs list from CISA) and then prioritise workloads based this information is invaluable for all organisations.

Types of Cybersecurity Solutions

There are many and various types of cybersecurity solutions available in the market today. Below we have listed the most common types, along with some points to consider:

Antivirus Software

Antivirus software is the most basic cybersecurity solution, and it's essential for protecting your organisation's systems and data from malware and viruses. Antivirus software scans for known viruses and malware and alerts the user if any malicious code is detected. Antivirus software has evolved from resource-hogging ineffective tools to something much more efficient and effective.

Firewall

Firewalls are network security solutions that monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined security rules. Its purpose is to establish a barrier between your internal network and incoming traffic from external sources (such as the internet) in order to block malicious traffic. In this way firewalls prevent unauthorised access to your organisation's network and systems.

Intrusion Detection and Prevention System

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS) are cybersecurity solutions that detect and prevent cyber attacks. There are still systems that perform either function, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), however IDPS may be a more efficient or cost effective solution for your organisation. An IDPS identifies suspicious activity and alerts the security team to take action to prevent a security breach.

Virtual Private Network

A virtual private network (VPN) is a cybersecurity solution that provides a secure connection between a user and a remote network. VPNs protect data transmitted over public networks by encrypting it and making it difficult for cybercriminals to intercept. VPNs can be used by employees to access sensitive systems or information from outside of the physical location, enabling practices like out of hours troubleshooting and flexible and remote working.

Cloud Security

Cloud security solutions are designed to protect cloud-based data and applications. Cloud security solutions can include firewalls, encryption, and access controls. Cloud security solutions encompass concepts and frameworks such as Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Kubernetes Security Posture Management (KSPM), Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP) and Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP). 

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Cybersecurity Solution

When choosing a cybersecurity solution, consider the following factors:

• Scalability

Your cybersecurity solution should be scalable to accommodate future growth and changing business needs. The solution should be flexible enough to handle new technologies and systems as your organisation evolves.

• User-Friendliness

Your cybersecurity solution should be easy to use and maintain. It should not require extensive technical knowledge to operate and should be user-friendly for all employees. This is essential for providing a quick return on investment, ensuring that employees are quickly able to use your chosen solution and make a difference in the cybersecurity posture.

• Integration

Your cybersecurity solution should integrate with your organisation's existing systems and infrastructure. This integration ensures that your cybersecurity solution can work seamlessly with your existing systems, reducing the risk of gaps in security. Key integrations like single-sign on and workflow management systems can save users time and energy.

• Compliance

Your cybersecurity solution should easily facilitate your compliance with industry regulations and standards, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS. Compliance ensures that your organisation is meeting the necessary security requirements and avoiding legal penalties. The ability to prove compliance with minimal intervention means your organisation can be audit ready all year round. 

How Runecast meets your needs as a cutting-edge cybersecurity solution

Choosing the right cybersecurity solution is critical for safeguarding your organisation's sensitive information and assets from cyber attacks. It's essential to understand your organisation's specific cybersecurity needs, the different types of cybersecurity solutions available, and the essential factors to consider when selecting a solution. By considering scalability, user-friendliness, integration, compliance, reputation, and customer support, you can choose a cybersecurity solution that meets your organisation's specific needs and provides the necessary protection against cyber threats. 

Learn more in this video:

Runecast is a leading provider of an AI-powered Cloud Native Application Protection Platform. With Runecast in your organisation you can be assured of lightning quick ROI and an audit ready posture all year round.

Runecast was built to save your IT Security & Operations teams time and money, with key integrations with tools like Jira and OIDC. It is at the forefront of the CNAPP space and proactively assists with CSPM and Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC). In addition, it provides continuous audits against common security standards such as: NIST, HIPAA, PCI DSS, DISA STIG, BSI IT-Grundschutz, ISO 27001, GDPR, KVKK, Cyber Essentials (UK), Essential 8 (Australia), and the CISA KEVs catalog.