fred avolio's musings

Going back to my notes of things that I set aside to discuss or to comment on, I find a February 3 Computerworld article, Old security flaws still a major cause of breaches, says report. Its first line states “an over emphasis on tackling new and emerging security threats maybe causing companies to overlook older for more frequently exploited vulnerabilities, according to a recent report.” As I see it, the old but more common security threats—the old, but more common vulnerabilities—are less interesting, especially for newer security practitioners. Therefore, they get less serious attention.

The article makes some recommendations, including knowing your network assets. In other words, knowing what is is on your network, and knowing if it is behaving as you expect, will enhance your security posture.

I add the following:

• Know your network’s security posture. “Water seeks its own level.” Nowhere will it be higher than its lowest point. Or if you prefer, “a boat is only as strong as its weakest rower.” Network security is only as strong as its weakest component.
  
• Next, enforce existing security policies or remove them. Too many exceptions lower a network’s security posture and makes managing its security nearly impossible.
  
• If you are relying on reviewing log files, and associated port- and site-blocking as an important part of your network security, then you have already lost.
  

(I explain that last one in another post, The Never-ending Battle.)