Hardly a week passes without a report of yet another high-profile case where cyber criminals steal off with heaps of credit cards numbers or other sensitive data. Deterring cybercrime is a pressing concern for any business owner, but many have only a vague idea about the proper way to go about implementing a security plan. With that in mind, here’s an overview of cybersecurity and what you can do to keep your business safe from attack.

• From governmental agencies to private companies, organizations of all sizes can be and have been targeted by malicious hackers.

• In late 2014, the FBI issued an official advisory that warned the U.S. business community of the danger posed by highly sophisticated malware attacks.

• Some threat actors simply intend to cause havoc by wrecking a company’s computer systems, but in many cases financial gain is the goal.

• Intellectual property, financial data, personal identifiable information. The latter poses a tempting target due to the widespread consumer habit of reusing passwords across multiple sites.

• In 2013, a single data breach enabled hackers to nab around two million usernames and passwords from 93,000 (!) sites.

A company that falls victim to a data breach can suffer a number of negative consequences that may even threaten the continued existence of the organization. These consequences can include: 1. Loss of customer confidence 2. Loss of sensitive data (if hard

drives are erased) 3. Fines and penalties from

regulatory agencies and/or credit card companies if data security rules (e.g., the PCI DSS) were flouted

• Far too many businesses wait until disaster strikes before putting together a loss mitigation plan to cope with the fallout from a data breach. For others, security measures put in place simply aren’t adequate.

• For optimal protection against hackers, it’s important to implement a wide-ranging cybersecurity plan.

• A comprehensive cybersecurity plan consists of two primary elements: the right personnel and the right security products.

• Relevant in-house staff should be familiar with the various aspects of the cybersecurity system in place. They should also be aware of correct actions to take in the event of a confirmed or suspected data breach.

• It’s also vitally important to maintain up-to-date cybersecurity products, including firewalls and malware detection software.

In addition to training in-house personnel, many companies elect to hire a third-party organization for assistance with cybersecurity, including: 1. Incident response - Some

cybersecurity companies have 24/7 hotlines in the event of a breach.

2. Forensic analysis - This includes collecting and/or reverse-engineering malware and similar threats.

3. Prevention assessments - This evaluates potential security risks of a particular system.

Cybersecurity Products and Services

Firewalls and anti-virus programs are standard elements of any cybersecurity system, but for maximal security it’s important to consider more advanced tools, such as: 1. Automated threat intelligence - This can

detect Internet-based hazards (e.g., malware) before they wreak havoc.

2. Data exfiltration prevention - This stops unauthorized transmission of sensitive data.

3. Metadata capture - Every network transaction is logged for future analysis

4. Actionable Visibility – Ability to see and take action on everything in the network.

General Dynamics Fidelis Cybersecurity Solutions offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, services, and expertise to combat today’s sophisticated advanced threats and prevent data breaches. Our commercial enterprise and government customers around the globe can face advanced threats with confidence through use of our Network Defense and Forensics Services, delivered by a team of security professionals with decades of hands-on experience, and our award-winning Fidelis XPS Advanced Threat Defense products, which provide visibility and control over the entire threat lifecycle. To learn more about General Dynamics Fidelis Cybersecurity Solutions, please visit www.fidelissecurity.com.

About General Dynamics Fidelis Cybersecurity Solutions

• http://www.fidelissecurity.com/products/advanced-threat-defense • http://www.fidelissecurity.com/services/breach-services • http://www.threatgeek.com/2014/11/are-you-playing-cybersecurity-chess.html • http://www.threatgeek.com/2014/10/write-the-playbook-before-

gameday.html • http://www.nato.int/docu/review/2013/cyber/timeline/EN/index.htm • http://www.fastcompany.com/3039273/fbi-warns-us-companies-vulnerable-in-

the-wake-of-sony-cyberattack