Today’s light eading – the Cisco 2018 Security Capabilities Benchmark Study   This report, which “offers insights on security practices from more than 3600 respondents across 26 countries” shows that “defenders have a lot of challenges to overcome.”

The report introduction states,

Adversaries and nation-state actors already have the expertise and tools necessary to take down critical infrastructure and systems and cripple entire regions. But when news surfaces about disruptive and destructive cyber attacks—such as those in Ukraine, for example, or elsewhere in the world—some security professionals might initially think, “Our company’s market/region/technology environment wasn’t a target, so, we’re probably not at risk.”

However, by dismissing what seem like distant campaigns, or allowing the chaos of daily skirmishes with attackers to consume their attention, defenders fail to recognize the speed and scale at which adversaries are amassing and refining their cyber weaponry.

I love that imagery: “chaos of daily skirmishes with attackers to consume their attention.” Sounds like cybersecurity Whac-a-Mole.

So what is a company to do?  The report offers hope:

… defenders will find that making strategic security improvements and adhering to common best practices can reduce exposure to emerging risks, slow attackers’ progress, and provide more visibility into the threat landscape.

The 68 page report provides extensive analysis of the problems confronting us and numerous recommendations to address the complex security issue.  I like page 53, which states:

Faced with potential losses and adverse impact on systems, organizations need to move beyond relying solely on technology for defense.

Cisco research found that only 26% of security issues “can be addressed by technology alone”, while 74% “might also require people and/or policies to address.”

It is a complex world out there. We must think strategically, not just tactically killing each threat as it rears its head.