Cybersecurity Enthusiast from Australia shares exemplary insights

In this exclusive article, we speak to Nakul Madhura, we have been closely tracking through his blogs and articles on this hot topic. Nakul is a cybersecurity enthusiast from Australia and here he is dispensing his in-depth insights into this globally- acknowledged market. With an enormous amount of funding and investment being poured into this industry, the number of cybersecurity service providers (CSSPs) is skyrocketing like never before! In the current scenario especially since the onset of 2020 (since the start of pandemic), cyber threats started to be conducted as a whole new level ransomware attacks, phishing attacks, supply chain attacks and brand & trademark abuse, etc., the significance of CSSPs and advanced threat intelligence has been acknowledged by everyone- be it an individual or any corporation. And above that, the proliferating use of BYOD devices, the Work from Home trend and remote access, has propelled the masses towards more and more inclusion of digital technologies, stirring the requirement of next-level security measures to navigate the cyber world.

An absolute suite of cybersecurity services enriched in protection, detection, response, and sustainable services is the need of the hour to establish a sense of confidence among the global populace that their precious information systems are impeccable against data breaches. In this direction, the formation of strategic cybersecurity services to build an enhanced security posture has become crucial to shield oneself against cyber threat state actors. Referring to the Domain Security Report in line with Forbes Global 2000 companies, Nakul states that any kind of cyber threat is induced by phishing at an early stage. So far, it has been estimated that all across the globe, huge monetary losses have been the result of ransomware attacks majorly, despite it, multiple ransomware response systems are inefficient in terms of considering phishing risks which is a major issue. The first layer of defense can be establishing a domain security system, just by considering the threat of phishing as the first considerable step towards a cybersecurity solution. Furthermore, he proceeded with elucidating three common methods of conducting the phishing attacks by the ‘malicious elements’:

1. Compromised third-party domain registrations

2. Nearby domain names causing confusion

3. Inability of email authentication and email headers, commonly called spoofing

As asserted earlier, domain security is an instrumental step to weaken the cyber threats and this process includes a framework that comprises three vital components-

1. Protective measures for suspicious domains

2. Additional checks for email header spoofing

3. Additional monitoring towards odd domain activity

Email channeling with DMARC, DKIM and SPF, a much helpful resource set to gain a better security posture:

Unprotected domains pose a major threat to an entity’s security infrastructure, customer safety, data protection, IP, supply chains, etc. To combat the risk of phishing attacks, mail administrators can shield their email domains from hackers via DMARC (Domain-based Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) in response to email spoofing scams or other cyber threats. It primarily provides email authentication against any impersonated domain that reaches out to the user. Likewise, leveraging the technologies such as DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) and SPF (Sender Policy Framework) that are pretty much free-of-cost to be used by any organization, can ensure all-around protection against spoofing at the DNS level. On one hand, DKIM provides an end-to-end key digital signature that validates the authenticity of the received email. On the other hand, SPF allows an email sender to customize and regulate the IP addresses that can safely send an email message at a specific domain. Those who are wellaware of the significant role of email campaigns in customer acquisition, as well as retention, know how important domain security technologies are to be cybersecure. However, still only half of the total population of email authorizers are utilizing such technologies in their own favor which emphasizes the need for user awareness, claims Nakul.

SIGNIFICANCE OF CYBERSECURITY MESH:

The latest tech trend in security infrastructures is Cybersecurity Mesh that is defined as designing and implementing a robust IT security system across all the concerning devices and IT networks. Vulnerabilities are what Cyber threat state actor intend to exploit and new-age IT security can prove to be quite a competent mechanism against it, cites Nakul. Since the rapid proliferation of IoT devices and internet penetration, access points are the core focal points for cyber threat state actors to pose a threat to data. This is where Cybersecurity Mesh pitches in to set individual perimeters around the weaker nodes, ensuring all-around protection for each access point. Each perimeter is password protected where the level of accessibility can be managed internally while developing any network or portal. Here, corporations can ask IT- developers to inculcate a robust cybersecurity mesh while working on their IT projects from the initial stages itself. It will mitigate the risk of any device being compromised due to weak access points in case any customized software is being formulated for workforce management or any other purpose. Today, sales and financial techniques, share the same importance with sound security posture, to make difference in your business performance. Nakul puts sheer focus on being efficiently adaptable in today’s scenario by quoting Charles Darwin’s famous statement- “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent one. It’s the most adaptable to change.”

At last, Nakul wanted to conclude by conveying that budding start-ups and SMEs are usually not in the state of adopting any Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) and Advanced Threat Protection services. Insufficient funding has been the foremost reason that impedes the adoption of cybersecurity solutions across the globe, especially in developing companies. These restricted financial capabilities later stimulate huge monetary losses. However, each organization shall be well-equipped against such backdrops as cyber threats have been estimated to scale up in the forthcoming years with technology piercing every aspect of our lives. The ultimate solution to later avoid sobbing over data breaches or ransomware attacks is an efficacious deployment of a robust cybersecurity model.

To get more information about Nakul Madhura and his informative insights into the cybersecurity realm, visit his LinkedIn profile- http:// www.linkedin.com/in/nakulmadhura-41406015