Page 16 - FCW, August 2019

JIM HANSEN is vice Commentary|BY JIM HANSEN presidentofproducts,
security and cloud management at SolarWinds.
4 keys to successful cyber defense automation
Identifying the right processes to automate and adopting robust tools will help time-strapped agencies secure their systems
Results from a recent SolarWinds federal cybersecurity survey suggest there’s never been a more important time to tackle evolving threat
vectors. A majority of government
IT professionals feel that threats by careless or malicious insiders and foreign governments are at an all-time high.
IT professionals understand that the best defense against cyberattacks is a good offense. But how do they initiate that offense when they’re strapped for funds, resources and time?
Automation can reduce the need
to perform mundane tasks, improve efficiency and create a more agile response to threats. For example, administrators can use artificial intelligence and machine learning
to ascertain the severity of potential threats and remediate them through the appropriate automated responses. They can also automate scripts so that they do not have to repeat the same configuration process every time a new device is added to their networks.
But automation is not necessarily appropriate for every task, nor
is it something that can operate unchecked. Here are four strategies for effectively automating network security.
1. Earmark what should — and should not — be automated. Since setting up automation can take time, it may not be worth the effort to automate smaller jobs that only require a handful of resources or a small amount of time to manage.
Security itself is ripe for automation. With the number of global cyberattacks rising, the challenge
has become too vast and complex
for manual threat management. Administrators need systems that can continually police their networks, automatically updating threat intelligence and monitoring and responding to potential threats.
2. Identify the right tools.
Security automation tools have
Automation is not necessarily appropriate for every task, nor is it something that can operate unchecked.
different feature sets, and choosing the most appropriate solution can be a daunting task. Certain features should be considered table stakes. For example, continuous network monitoring for potential intrusions and suspicious activity is a basic necessity. Automatically monitoring log files and analyzing them
against multiple sources of threat intelligence are critical to being able to discover and, if necessary, deny access to questionable network traffic. The system should also be able to automatically implement predetermined security policies and remediate threats.
3. Augment security intelligence. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are indispensable. Through machine learning, security systems can absorb and analyze data on past intrusions to automatically and dynamically implement appropriate responses
to the latest threats, helping administrators stay one step ahead of hackers. Other useful features allow administrators to stay updated through cyberthreat intelligence reports, for example.
4. Remember that automation is not automatic. Despite the move toward automation, people are and will always be an important part of the process. Network administrators must continually audit, monitor and maintain automated tasks to ensure that they are performing as expected. Software can make split-second decisions and detect issues that humans cannot, but IT professionals are still the final checkpoint when
it comes to analyzing security data and determining how to use that knowledge to develop effective security policies.
Automating an agency’s security measures can be a truly freeing experience for time- and resource- challenged IT managers. They will no longer have to spend time tracking down false red flags, rewriting scripts or manually attempting to remediate every potential threat. Meanwhile, they’ll be able to rest easy knowing that the automated system has their backs and that their agencies’ security postures have been improved. n
12 August 2019 FCW.COM