Security governing structure
Sony has developed a robust cybersecurity response program to protect against the expanding scope of threats and vulnerabilities. The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) heads Sony’s technical team that is responsible for the implementation of company-wide security infrastructure to promote efficiency in risk management. The systems security team is classified into specialized groups to allow for the application of real-time security controls to report the emerging security risks and deploy the proper monitoring and response strategies to mitigate against attacks. The information security governance structure at Sony Inc. is governed by robust standards and policies to minimize potential security risks. The CISO regularly reviews the security policies to ensure compliance with the regulatory environment by collaborating with the information security officers to ensure adequate response to the security threats and risk landscape. Moreover, employees are subjected to regular information security training to mitigate internal risks and social engineering.
Sony can increase the resilience of its information security infrastructure against potential threats by integrating multiple authentication procedures in access to all IT resources by the employees. This procedure would entail deploying biometric and facial recognition architecture to protect against social engineering and phishing attacks that would result from unauthorized access to employee login details such as passwords, usernames, and emails by hackers. The deployment of advanced security infrastructure would also have process automation capabilities to automate threat detection, blocking, and reporting. It would reduce the potential impacts of intrusion attacks on the company IT resources and data. Additionally, Sony has recommended centralizing decision-making processes in its cybersecurity leadership plan to increase the incidence response rates through reduced approval durations. It would allow unit leaders to approve cybersecurity response actions and offer the necessary support to technical teams for increased efficiency. The shortcoming of this measure would be an increased risk of violation of the cybersecurity standards in threat detection and response.
The DMZ infrastructure
In computer networking, a DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a physical or logical network that distinguishes an internal local area network from other untrusted connections.
There are various ways to build a network with a DMZ. The two primary methodologies are to use either 1 or 2 firewalls, though most modern ones are designed with two firewalls. This fundamental method can be expanded on to create complex architectures, depending on the network requirements.
Cloud computing
Cloud computing has been here for almost two decades, and despite the data pointing to the business delivery, cost-benefits, and competitive advantages it holds, a large portion of the business community continues to operate without it. Cloud computing is a terminology that has gained fame in use over the last few years. With the notable increase in data use that has accompanied society’s move into the digital 21st century, it is becoming harder and harder for individuals and businesses to keep all of their essential information, programs, and systems up and running on in-house computer servers.
Cost Savings: If you are concerned about the price tag that would come with making the shift to cloud computing, you aren’t alone 25% of organizations are worried about the initial costing of implementation of a cloud-based server. Sony has such measures in place.
Security: Sony has security concerns when it comes to using a cloud-computing solution. After all, when data, programs, and other data aren’t kept onsite, how can you know that the entrusted firm is protecting them? If one can remotely access your data, then what’s stopping a cybercriminal from doing the same thing? Well, quite a bit.
Flexibility: Sony only has a finite amount of focus to separate all of its responsibilities. its current solutions do not force you to commit too much of its attention to computer and data-storage issues; then it’s not going to be able to concentrate on reaching business goals and satisfying customers
Mobility: Cloud computing allows mobile access to company data via phones and devices, which, considering over 2.7 billion phones, are being used today. Staff who are busy or who live a long way away from the company office can use this feature to keep always up to date with clients and co-workers.
Insight: As we move further into the digital age, it’s becoming crystal clear that the old saying “knowledge is power” has taken on the more modern and accurate form: “Data is money.”
Increased Collaboration: If the business has two employees or more, then you should be making collaboration a top priority. After all, there is not much point to having a team if it is unable to work as a team.
Measures against intrusion
Current Intrusion Detection System being applied by Sony include:
- Data encryption
- Ability to detect software intrusion
- Preventing unauthorized access
- Additional firewalls
- New discrete data center
- The naming of new chief of an information security officer
Future preventive measures against threats
The organization has put in place the following measures to prevent future threats
Create policies and procedures concerning the handling of private or sensitive information. Have employees sign an acknowledgment letter indicating that they have gone through the systems and perceive their responsibilities.
Focus more on training. Many firms think that a general 30-minute online data security training followed by ten questions is sufficient for staff to understand what they should do
. Sony deals with it; differently, employees are given the minimum necessary access to relevant information. A frustrated employee who was terminated from the organization can inflict the most harmful impact on a company.
Communicate and apply continuous sanctions for information or security violations. If there are no reactions to data sharing, your staff are more apt to do so.
Make sure that there is enough oversight or control of information security programs. This is vital to evaluate the causes of security or privacy events, apply consistent sanctions, and make information security part of the organization’s daily doing.
A considerable number of an organization’s data breaches are due to “friendly fire” – the mistakes and transgressions of the business’s staff and business associates. By taking the actions enlisted above, a company can significantly minimize the likelihood of these internal breaches, both the careless errors and the malicious or criminal acts.
Firewall enhancements
Sony has dramatically improved the security of the network perimeter, but despite its investments in that field, most vast networks remain susceptible at their core. Techniques that have proved viable at defending the walls have not been effective in the organization. However, security practitioners can take significant steps in protecting their internal networks by aligning their tactics with the realities of internal network security.
- Consider that internal security is different from perimeter security.
The threat model for in-door security differs from that of perimeter security. Perimeter security protects your networks from Internet attackers, armed with zero-day exploits of standard Internet services like HTTP and SMTP
- Lockdown VPN availability.
Virtual private network client’s devices are a huge internal security liability because they place unhardened desktop operating systems (OS) outside the protection of the company firewall. Be explicit about what Virtual Private Network users are allowed to access
- Build Internet-style perimeters for partner extranets.
Partner networks contribute to internal security menace, although keen security administrators know how to set up their firewalls to block SQL.
- Automatically track security breach policy.
An intelligent security breach policy is the key to effective security practice. The challenge is that changes in normal company operations dramatically reduces the ability to use security policy manually.
- Shut off unused network services.
An extensive company network might have 4 or 5 servers actively in use to deliver email, but a typical company network might also have 95 other servers listening on the SMTP port
- Defend important resources first.
On a network with 30,000 devices, it is unrealistic to expect that every host can be kept locked or patched. An extensive network has triage security difficulty. Perform a cost-benefit in-depth analysis. It might take one month to find, enlist, patch and harden every Web server on the network.
Firewall Best Practices for Securing Networks
A network firewall is your most important security tool that must be as big as it can get. Network firewall configuration is a challenging task for administrators as they have to make the perfect balance between security and speed of performance.
- Block traffic by monitor user access
It is good to block all traffic to a network by default. Allow only specific traffic to certain known services. This helps one to possess control over who can access your system and prevents any security breaches from occurring.
- Put in place a firewall configuration change plan
the network’s firewall will need to be renewed from time to time for various reasons. This is vital to ensure that the firewall remains strong and capable of protecting against new intimidations
- Optimize the firewall policies of your network
The firewall policies must be well-defined to provide protection. Cleaning up your firewall can have a positive impact on your network security.
- Update your firewall software regularly.
Firewall sellers usually release software updates often. These updates address any new security threats by making changes to the software. It is critical to keep updating your firewall to ensure that the network is secure, and there are no entry points in the system that could be a threat to security.
- Conduct regular firewall security checks
Security audits are vital to ensure that the firewall policies comply with the company’s, as well as external security rules that apply to the network.
Network Access Control (NAC) Solutions
Network Access Control (NAC) helps enterprises implement policies for controlling devices and user access to their networks. NAC can set policies for resource, role, equipment, and location-based access, enforce security compliance with security, and patch management policies, among other controls. The following measurements are in place for NAC for Sony:
- ACL:
The ACL refers to access control lists. It is typically applied to the router interface that denotes, denied, and allowed traffic. It is a method of determining traffic and making decisions depending on the attributes of traffic.
- MAC filtering
Every device on the entire network has 48 bits of hexadecimal MAC address, and also each Ethernet packet consists of a destination MAC addresses and a source Mac addresses.
- IP filtering
destination IP address and source IP address of the packages are enlisted in the header of the package; it is known as a layer three addresses. The IP filtering, generally linked with the routers, is the process of configuring a gadget to pass only through the required IP traffic and block everything else.
- Port filtering
The ports are the numbers on the packet that refer to the purpose of the package. Hence, it allows the device to perform so many things at once through the wire. While checking and browsing the email and getting files over the internet all at once, then it will provide the advantages of ports.
Steps to improve patch management
Patch management is a difficult task to execute nowadays. Although for many years, IT workers have tried to make processes and procedures to make changes to systems and applications, it is challenging.
The following are simple steps that can help improve Patch Management programs:
- Update your asset store, including OS types, versions, and make sure to include all thirds party applications.
- Run a vulnerability scan to make a baseline: Use the National Vulnerability Database and the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures as a point of reference.
- Create a Patch and Vulnerability Management committee: The committee will aid with the review, assess, and classification of vulnerabilities by importance
- Test the patches must be tested before they are deployed in your production environment(s).
- Develop a patch cycle starting with the most critical and high-risk vulnerabilities, and have a plan to address medium and low vulnerabilities.
It is vital to apply patches promptly, but unless there is an imminent threat, don’t rush to deploy the patches until there is an opportunity to see what effect it is having elsewhere in similar software user communities. A good is to apply patches 30 days from their release.