In the modern, fast-paced digital world, cybersecurity concerns are a constant threat to enterprises. Dwell time, or the amount of time a cyber intruder stays hidden within a network, is a crucial parameter in addressing these risks. In order to minimize harm and safeguard critical information, dwell time must be reduced.
Why it's important to shorten dwell times
Even though studies indicate that dwell times are getting shorter, many companies still receive notification of a third-party intrusion rather than finding out about the event firsthand.
Extended periods of stay enable malevolent actors to investigate networks, pilfer confidential information, and develop durability, resulting in heightened harm and monetary deficits. Preventing these effects requires prompt notice and action.
Preventing breaches altogether or detecting them early is the best defense a company can have against the threat. A variety of best practices are utilized in prevention, including as frequent patching, web application firewalls, multi-factor authentication, port closure, and continuous phishing awareness training.
But prevention is never a foolproof strategy. Whether it's through unpatched vulnerabilities, methods, or stolen credentials, a determined attacker will always find a way in.
The effectiveness of incident response
Incident response is useful in this situation. Organizations should ideally use monitoring technologies at the email, network, endpoint, and cloud environments to supplement their preventative controls and best practices for cyber hygiene. These technologies are not limited to detecting malware; they can also identify other strategies, such as "living off the land" that attackers commonly employ to evade detection by legacy systems.
Above all, when something doesn't seem quite right, detection and response systems should be able to identify it with a high degree of confidence. Additionally, companies that use managed services will have a staff available around-the-clock to look into, address, and respond to issues, evicting rogue actors and bolstering resilience for future occurrences.
Obviously, the use of such technologies must be integrated within a thoroughly thought out and routinely exercised incident response plan.
In summary
In order to lessen the impact of cyber events and safeguard important assets, dwell time must be reduced. By offering superior threat detection, fast incident response, ongoing monitoring, and professional insights, MDR services provide a complete solution. Organizations can strengthen their security posture, shorten dwell times, and protect their company from the constantly changing threat landscape by collaborating with an MDR provider.
