The threats posed by cyber adversaries have continued to escalate year after year. The digital landscape has become a battleground where our adversaries continuously probe our defenses for vulnerabilities. The need to shore up defenses against malicious actors is clear.
This blog delves into the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures within the Department of Defense (DOD), emphasizing the principles of zero trust, continuous testing, comprehensive asset management and the integration of human-led testing to combat an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Our goal is to highlight the importance of reducing vulnerabilities, increasing attacker resistance scores and hardening cyber defenses to ensure resiliency against the relentless cyber threat.
The Freedom of the Cyber Adversary
Our adversaries are able to wage a digital war with little constraint; they are not hindered by legal boundaries, budget limitations or bureaucratic processes. This lack of bureaucratic impediment enables them to exploit vulnerabilities at will. As defenders, we know that traditional, static approaches to cybersecurity are no longer sufficient.
The adversary’s advantage lies in their ability to continuously test and exploit weaknesses in our defenses. To match their intensity and effectiveness, the DOD must adopt a proactive, continuous approach to cybersecurity, suitable for handling the resource constraints and complexity associated with military networks.
The Imperative of Zero Trust
The concept of zero trust is gaining traction as a fundamental principle in modern cybersecurity. Unlike traditional security models that rely on perimeter defenses, zero trust assumes threats could exist both inside and outside the network. That means no entity—whether user, device or system—is inherently trusted regardless of whether they’re part of the network or not. However, the implementation of zero trust cannot be a one-time effort. It must involve ongoing scrutiny and testing to ensure that any gaps in security are discovered and remediated.
Key Areas of Zero Trust
- Identity and Access Management: Continuous monitoring and verification of user identities and access privileges are essential to preventing unauthorized access and insider threats.
- Network Security: Segmentation and monitoring of network traffic help detect and mitigate lateral movement by attackers within the network.
- Application Security: Regular testing and validation of applications ensure that vulnerabilities are identified and remediated promptly.
- Data Protection: Encryption and access controls must be continuously evaluated to protect sensitive data from breaches.
The Need for Continuous Testing
Continuous testing is a cornerstone of effective cybersecurity. Unlike periodic assessments, continuous testing ensures that vulnerabilities are identified and addressed in near real-time. This approach mimics the persistent probing of adversaries, enabling the DOD to stay ahead of threats.
Benefits of Continuous Testing
- Proactive Defense: Identifies vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by attackers.
- Real-time Insights: Provides up-to-date information on the security posture of the organization.
- Reduced Risk: Minimizes the window of opportunity for attackers by addressing vulnerabilities promptly.
The Role of Human-led Testing in Cybersecurity
Automated scanners are valuable because they can detect known vulnerabilities, but when it comes to discovering flaws that haven’t been publicly disclosed or added to the scanner’s toolbox, automated tools are insufficient. Human-led testing is indispensable—skilled researchers bring intuition, creativity and a deep understanding of the threat landscape that scanners can’t emulate.
Advantages of Human-led Testing
- Discovering Unknown Vulnerabilities: Humans can identify and exploit vulnerabilities that are not on the radar of automated scanners.
- Adversary Emulation: Human testers can mimic the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) used by real-world adversaries, providing a realistic assessment of an organization’s defenses.
- Contextual Analysis: Humans can assess vulnerabilities in context, considering the broader impact on the organization and prioritizing remediation efforts accordingly.
Challenges in Human Resource Allocation
The DOD faces significant challenges in deploying a robust cybersecurity testing program due to a shortage of skilled personnel. This limitation hampers the DOD’s ability to conduct comprehensive testing with internal resources, leading to potential gaps that adversaries could exploit.
Human Resource Constraints
- Limited Availability: The shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals restricts the DOD’s capacity to perform frequent and thorough security testing.
- Scheduling Difficulties: The inability to schedule testing as needed due to personnel shortages creates gaps in the continuous assessment of security measures.
- Narrowed Scope: A small number of testers constrains the breadth and depth of assessments, limiting the ability to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities across the entire network.
The Power of a Comprehensive Vulnerability Dashboard
Managing a continuous testing program requires a comprehensive dashboard that provides visibility into the security landscape. A well-designed dashboard allows the DOD to:
- Monitor Real-time Metrics: Track the number of vulnerabilities discovered, their severity, and the effectiveness of remediation efforts.
- Analyze Trends: Identify patterns and trends in vulnerability data to anticipate and prepare for future threats.
- Manage Resources: Allocate resources efficiently by prioritizing high-risk areas and addressing critical vulnerabilities first.
- Demonstrate Compliance: Ensure that security measures align with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
A robust dashboard not only provides a centralized view of the security posture but also enables continuous improvement by facilitating data-driven decision making.
Mapping the Organization from an Asset Perspective
To build an effective cyber defense, it is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of all assets within the organization. This includes not only the systems and devices that are actively managed but also those that are owned but not currently managed. Utilizing tools to provide visibility into these unmanaged assets is critical. This allows for:
- Identifying Hidden Vulnerabilities: Ensures that all potential entry points are secured, not just those that are actively monitored.
- Enhancing Asset Management: Provides a clear picture of the organization’s asset inventory, helping in the effective allocation of resources.
- Improving Incident Response: Faster identification and mitigation of threats when a complete view of the network is available.
Measuring Success: Attacker Resistance Score
To gauge the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures, we must move beyond simply counting vulnerabilities. The attacker resistance score provides a more comprehensive metric by evaluating three key factors:
- Cost to Find Vulnerabilities: The effort and resources required by attackers to identify vulnerabilities. Higher costs indicate stronger defenses.
- Quality and Quantity of Vulnerabilities Found: The criticality and number of vulnerabilities detected. Lower numbers and less severe vulnerabilities reflect improved security.
- Effectiveness of Remediation: The efficiency with which vulnerabilities are addressed. Faster and more effective remediation enhances overall security.
By focusing on these metrics, organizations can ensure that their security measures are not only identifying vulnerabilities but also preventing exploitation and improving resilience.
Hardening Assets and Cyber Defenses
Hardening involves strengthening systems and networks to reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized access. This process includes:
- System and Network Configuration: Ensuring that systems and networks are configured securely and compliant with best practices.
- Patch Management: Regularly updating software and systems to address known vulnerabilities.
- Endpoint Security: Protecting devices that access the network, such as laptops and mobile devices, from threats.
- Security Awareness Training: Educating users on best practices and potential threats to reduce the likelihood of human error.
The cyber threat landscape is constantly evolving, with adversaries exploiting opportunities to compromise our defenses. To safeguard our digital infrastructure, we must adopt a continuous, proactive approach to cybersecurity that emphasizes zero trust, continuous testing, comprehensive asset mapping and the hardening of assets.
By incorporating human-led testing, leveraging a comprehensive cybersecurity dashboard and addressing the critical challenge of human resource constraints, the DOD can significantly enhance its resilience against cyber threats.
Ed Zaleski is Synack’s Director of Federal Sales for the Department of Defense.
