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The Growth And Explosion Of the Internet Has Led To a Global Market Pl

The growth and explosion of the internet has led to a global marketplace, enabling companies to sell products worldwide without physical relocation. This digital expansion has heightened security threats to organizations, individuals, and government agencies. All organizations rely on information systems to process, store, and retrieve data for internal stakeholders, customers, and external users. Consequently, these systems possess inherent vulnerabilities to malicious attacks from internal users, hackers, criminals, and external threats. Organizations must implement comprehensive security measures to defend against such risks proactively. This paper evaluates the cybersecurity posture of Solomon Enterprises, a mid-sized company with a global business footprint, and recommends necessary controls and policies to strengthen their security infrastructure.

Assessment of Solomon Enterprises’ Current IT Infrastructure and Security Posture

Solomon Enterprises employs approximately 500 staff across five regional offices distributed throughout the United States: Florida, Texas, Arizona, Montana, and Missouri, with a central data center located in West Virginia. The firm generates $200 million annually, making it a lucrative target for cybercriminals. The company operates an online sales platform accessible globally, supporting the dispersed workforce that can work remotely via VPN connections. Their infrastructure includes firewalls at the central data center and regional offices, VPN security, and a disaster recovery site located in Billings, Montana.

The existing IT infrastructure incorporates Windows XP operating systems on devices and Windows Server 2003 on their servers. While these legacy systems may still function adequately, they represent significant security vulnerabilities due to outdated software that no longer receives security patches or updates from Microsoft. This outdated environment increases susceptibility to malware, exploits, and data breaches. Additionally, the use of a centralized database simplifies data management but presents a critical target for attackers seeking access to sensitive information, such as customer data, financial transactions, and proprietary business intelligence.

Remote work options enhance flexibility but introduce potential security gaps, despite the VPN encryption. Devices used remotely, including laptops, devices from offices, and remote access points, may lack adequate security measures such as updated antivirus solutions, consistent encryption standards, and strict access controls. Without comprehensive endpoint security and regular patch management, these devices serve as entry points for sophisticated attacks.

Furthermore, their security controls seem limited to firewalls and VPNs, lacking advanced intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), multi-factor authentication (MFA), encryption of data at rest and in transit, and rigorous event logging practices. Event logs are critical for incident detection and forensic investigations but appear not to be centrally monitored or analyzed regularly in this scenario. Overall, Solomon Enterprises’ cybersecurity posture exhibits vulnerabilities that could be exploited to compromise sensitive data or disrupt business operations.

Recommendations for Improving Security Controls and Policies

To address these vulnerabilities, a comprehensive, layered security approach aligning with best practices such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity framework is essential. This approach comprises technical controls, security policies, and administrative procedures that collectively mitigate risks.

Technical Controls

- Firewall and Intrusion Detection/Prevention: Although firewalls are in place, upgrading to next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) will provide better traffic inspection, application-layer filtering, and integrated IDPS capabilities. Deploying SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems will enable centralized monitoring and analysis of logs for early threat detection.

- User Identification and Authentication: Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all access points, including remote VPNs and administrative accounts, enhances account security. Enforcing password policies requiring complexity, expiration, and lockout thresholds further reduces unauthorized access risks.

- Encryption: Data encryption at rest (using AES-256 standards) and in transit (TLS 1.2 or higher) protects sensitive information, especially during remote access transmission and storage. Ensuring encryption standards are uniformly applied across devices minimizes data interception risks.

- Endpoint Security: Upgrading devices from Windows XP and Server 2003 to current supported operating systems is critical. Deploying antivirus, anti-malware solutions, and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools will improve threat detection capabilities at the device level.

- Event Logging and Monitoring: Establishing a centralized log management system is vital. Regularly analyzing logs can help identify anomalous behaviors indicative of cyber threats or insider threats.

Security Policies

- Media Destruction Policy: Proper procedures for disposing of sensitive media—including securely wiping data from devices and physical destruction—must be defined to prevent data recovery and misuse.

- Incident Response Policy: Developing a formal incident response plan ensures swift action when breaches occur. This policy should outline roles, communication protocols, containment procedures, and recovery steps.

- Acceptable Use Policy: Defining acceptable use of organizational devices, networks, and internet resources helps prevent misuse and introduces accountability.

- Remote Access Policy: Clear guidelines for secure remote work, including device security requirements, VPN use, and data handling, are vital to prevent vulnerabilities.

- Patch Management Policy: Ensuring all devices and systems are patched regularly to address known vulnerabilities reduces attack surfaces.

Administrative and Organizational Controls

- Conducting regular security awareness training educates employees about phishing, social engineering, and safe computing practices.

- Performing periodic security audits and vulnerability assessments detects potential weaknesses proactively.

- Establishing annual or semiannual penetration testing will validate the effectiveness of security controls.

Securing Solomon Enterprises’ infrastructure against evolving cyber threats requires a multilayered approach integrating advanced technical controls, comprehensive security policies, and ongoing organizational practices. Upgrading outdated systems, implementing multi-factor authentication, instituting encryption, enhancing monitoring, and fostering a security-aware culture are critical steps. A well-designed security program will mitigate vulnerabilities, protect sensitive data, and ensure continuous operations in an increasingly interconnected digital landscape.

References

  • Andress, J. (2019). Mastering cybersecurity principles and practices. CRC Press.
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2018). Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. NIST.
  • Kim, D., & Solomon, M. G. (2021). Fundamentals of information systems security. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
  • ISO/IEC 27001. (2013). Information technology — Security techniques — Information security management systems — Requirements.
  • Scarfone, K., & Mell, P. (2007). Guide to intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS). NIST Special Publication 800-94.
  • Chauhan, S., et al. (2020). Cybersecurity threats and their mitigation strategies in enterprise networks. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 169, 102801.
  • Furnell, S. M., & Clarke, N. L. (2019). Cybersecurity in the modern enterprise: Risks, strategies, and best practices. IEEE Security & Privacy, 17(2), 59-66.
  • European Union Agency for Cybersecurity. (2020). Threat landscape report. ENISA.
  • Anderson, R. (2020). Security engineering: A guide to building dependable distributed systems. Wiley.
  • Sweeting, M., & Harris, R. (2022). Implementing effective security policies in large organizations. Journal of Information Security, 13(1), 45-60.

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