Are you a state government organization’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)? As cyber-attacks on governmental systems become more frequent and sophisticated, ensuring that your cybersecurity strategy is as robust as possible is essential. The role you hold as a state-level CISO has grown vastly in importance in recent years amid these growing vulnerabilities and from new opportunities, such as the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act of 2021, which established the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program.

As a government CISO, your responsibility is to ensure the security of your organization’s information and resources, and to provide guidance and direction in developing effective cybersecurity strategies that protect against data breaches and malicious attacks. But how can you effectively bolster these efforts? Here are seven ways to get ahead: 

Leverage Risk Assessments: 

Start by conducting regular risk assessments using established frameworks such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework or ISO 27001 standards. These will help identify areas of vulnerabilities and develop appropriate risk mitigation plans. Additionally, use tools such as threat modeling, penetration testing, and other automated tests to assess the effectiveness of your current security measures. 

Security Monitoring:  

Use automated security monitoring and analytics tools to detect potential threats, malware, or malicious activities on your networks. These tools can help identify anomalous activities, such as unauthorized logins, data exfiltration attempts, or suspicious file downloads that may indicate a breach attempt. We recommend choosing a solution that will monitor your network and your cloud 24/7. 

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR):  

Endpoint protection is a critical component of any security strategy. EDR will not only work to detect and block malicious activity on company endpoint devices, but it uses a layered approach that combines continuous monitoring, endpoint data collection, and advanced correlation to detect and respond to suspected malicious activities. 

Vulnerability Management:  

Vulnerability management involves identifying, classifying, and remedying security flaws in your systems and networks. To ensure your organization is secure against potential threats such as malware, ransomware, or data theft, we recommend using a vulnerability scanner to regularly scan your networks for vulnerabilities and apply patches and updates. 

Staying Up-to-Date On Threats: 

Constantly monitor threat intelligence sources and stay up-to-date on the latest security trends, threats, and attack techniques. This will enable you to identify potential risks before they become an issue. We recommend using a platform that compiles intelligence from multiple sources and provides ongoing threat analysis.

Establish Incident Response Plan: 

Develop a comprehensive incident response plan to identify, respond, and mitigate incidents as quickly as possible to minimize damage and downtime. This plan should include established protocols for each type of incident that may occur, such as malware or phishing attacks, data breaches, and system outages.

Cybersecurity Training: 

Make sure your employees are aware of the risks and threats posed to cybersecurity by providing ongoing training on essential topics such as phishing, malware protection, and identity theft. Additionally, hold regular awareness sessions with staff members so they can stay up-to-date on the latest cybersecurity threats. 

Using these cybersecurity methods, you can effectively bolster your cybersecurity strategy and build an effective defense against malicious attacks. As a state-level CISO, it is essential that you stay ahead of the curve when it comes to protecting your organization’s information and resources. 

How AgileBlue Can Help

With AgileBlue’s Cerulean SOC|XDR platform, you can get the aforementioned tools wrapped up into one security solution. Our platform combines 24/7 monitoring of your network and cloud, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), and vulnerability scanning to correlate, stitch and integrate your entire tech stack to detect cyber threats. 

Ready to bolster your cybersecurity strategy this year? Please fill out the form below, and one of our team members will be happy to assist you.