What is a ``cyber stack``?

The right approach to cybersecurity.

Many cybersecurity firms offer a product or solution that they believe is cybersecurity. These firms approach cyber in a manner that is blind and ineffective. They are often risking their client’s (and their client’s client’s) data and safety while affirming that they should have peace of mind via the simple notion that they are paying some firm somewhere to oversee the mitigation of cyber threats. Cybersecurity cannot be achieved with one product or solution. There are too many systems, configurations and processes that can be exploited by hackers. Numerous systems should be used if a business wants to (in actuality) be cyber secure.

We refer to the assortment of these systems as the “Cyber Stack.”

The “Cyber Stack” is built to offer a suite of systems that tackle threats from different avenues that may not be related. A properly built stack will cover every known and unknown vulnerability that a business may face. A worthy cybersecurity firm, in our view, is a firm that offers a heavily-tested cybersecurity stack with expert configurations and management services. This idealized firm would constantly be tweaking it’s recommended stack to ensure that it’s client are always utilizing the industry’s best solutions to offer best-in-class protection with unparalleled white-glove service and support. FusionNetix likens itself to such an idealized cybersecurity firm.

Building a cyber stack

What should a cyber stack be comprised of?

  • Network Firewall

    The Firewall acts as a buffer between a device and the internet. It enforces policies managed by an IT or cybersecurity team and inspects websites and inbound activity before it is allowed to be passed through.

  • Security Operations Center (SOC)

    SOC Teams inspect network traffic, packets inbound and outbound. They sift through logs and assess dashboards for anomalies and potential threats.

This image depicts a Security Operations Center (SOC) where network traffic is inspected by a team as they watch activity in real time.
  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) System

    An EDR is the next-level replacement for an antivirus. It assesses real-time activity on an endpoint. Rather than check the definitions of known threats (antivirus), and EDR uses Artificial Intelligence to assess the behavior of applications for malicious intent.

  • Phishing Simulation Program

    With many cybersecurity incidents originating via email, it is increasingly important not-only to have user awareness, but to test a user's understanding of cybersecurity best practices. For this reason, simulating phishing attacks is critical to understanding who in an organization may need more training.

  • Dark Web Scanning Tool

    A Dark Web Scanning Tool is used to search for user's information (emails, passwords, SSNs, etc.) on the dark web. This is where many bad actors search for easy targets for cyber crime. With proper monitoring, data can be secured and passwords can be changed before such bad actors take note.

  • Deny All Policy Protection System

    A Deny All Policy Protection System denies absolutely everything that runs on a device unless independently reviewed by your cybersecurity team (or has previously been reviewed within the organization) for authenticity and lack of malicious intent.

  • Disk Encryption Manager

    Disk encryption managers fully encrypt hard drives, SSDs and flash drives with sensitive data. Without a disk encryption manager, user accounts (no-matter the severity of the password) can be bypassed by a thief.

  • Email Encryption Tool

    Email Encryption Tools are third party systems that send regular email messages in an encrypted form to end recipients. They are necessary for sending sensitive information where the risk of someone monitoring the message while in-transit is a risk too sensitive to leave to chance.

  • Email Virus Filtering System

    An email virus filtering system works similarly to your junk mail filter, just more comprehensive. This type of system filters through every message before it is delivered to your inbox and checks for viruses, applies security policies and reduced attacks on an email system.

  • Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)

    RMM systems are essential IT tools that allow your service provider to remotely access devices, see system status and, most importantly, run patches of outdated software. Without scheduled patching, many systems may fail to mitigate known vulnerabilities.

  • Cybersecurity Systems Monitoring & Management

    The monitoring and management of your cybersecurity stack is probably the most-critical component. These tools are not built to install and let sit. They need to actively be monitored for incidents, modified / reconfigured as threats evolve, etc.

We like to think of a proper cybersecurity stack as offering a “backup to the backup to the backup” should a system or process fail.