Patch and vulnerability management:
Known vulnerabilities are publicly listed and actively exploited. Regular patching closes those doors. The window between a vulnerability being published and it being targeted is getting shorter.
CVE tracking | CVSS scoring | Vulnerability scanning
Access and identity controls:
Multi-factor authentication, least privilege access, and regular access reviews. Identity is the most commonly exploited entry point and the most consistently overlooked.
MFA | IAM | Zero Trust | SASE
Network segmentation:
A flat network where everything can reach everything gives an attacker freedom to move. Segmentation means a compromise in one area does not automatically become a compromise everywhere.
Next Gen Firewalls | Microsegmentation | SD-WAN | IOT/OT | NAC
Endpoint hardening:
Every connected device is a potential entry point. Disabling unused services, enforcing encryption, and controlling what can run on each device reduces the available surface area.
EDR | MDM | Device Encryption | APP Whitelisting
Configuration management:
Default configurations are publicly documented and frequently exploited. Hardening your setup and removing default credentials are among the highest value steps a business can take.
Infrastructure as a Code | STIG | Baseline Hardening
Asset visibility:
You cannot protect what you cannot see. A current inventory of every device, application, and service in your environment is the foundation everything else sits on.
Shadow IT Detection | Asset Recovery tools | CMDB