Which Cybersecurity Metric is Crucial for Network Security Engineers to Monitor?

Monitor Critical Asset Security Scores

If I just needed to monitor one cybersecurity metric, that would be tracking all my critical assets and systems and their security score (vulnerability, incidents). We all know incidents/cyber breaches are bound to happen, but knowing all about your critical systems/assets and their cyber health would help us to be ready and prepared for them.

Track Unidentified Network Devices

One crucial cybersecurity metric we consistently monitor is the presence of unidentified devices on our internal networks. This metric is invaluable because it helps us quickly identify security threats or unauthorized access. By keeping a close eye on the devices connected to our network, we can promptly investigate and address any anomalies.

This proactive approach allows us to maintain a secure digital environment, protecting our sensitive information and ensuring the overall integrity of our systems. Regularly monitoring unidentified devices is a key preventive measure in our cybersecurity strategy at TechNews180, helping us keep abreast of risks and vulnerabilities.

Regularly Review Intrusion Attempts

One important cybersecurity measure that I regularly track in the IT industry, especially in SEO consulting, is intrusion detection. This measure is very important because it shows the number of attempted and successful unauthorized system accesses. Ensuring the integrity and security of our digital assets is of the utmost importance due to the sensitive nature of the data we handle in SEO. This includes client websites and proprietary analytics.

In addition to allowing us to react quickly to possible dangers, monitoring intrusion attempts allows us to study patterns and fortify our defenses against future assaults. In a world where cybersecurity threats are ever-changing, this proactive approach helps us stay ahead of the curve. Maintaining trust and providing high-quality SEO services in the competitive digital market hinges on this measure, which we prioritize by ensuring the security, integrity, and availability of our clients' data.

Maintain Secure Firewall Practices

As a website owner, I am always interested in maintaining a secure firewall. My strategy is to keep track of expiration dates and proactively manage certificate renewals through my provider, WPX. Then, I also use the Wordfence plugin on my WordPress site to protect against online threats and avoid disruptions.

Focus on Patching Cadence

Patching cadence is a key metric we track, focusing on how quickly we address known vulnerabilities in our internal systems and identifying critical issues still needing patches. Since hackers often exploit the gap between the release of a patch and its implementation, monitoring patching cadence is vital. It allows our cybersecurity team to adjust our security measures in response to evolving cyber threats and to evaluate how often we review and update our systems to counter these threats.

For a SaaS company like ours, this KPI is especially important. Quick and effective patching ensures that our software remains secure and trustworthy for our users. It also minimizes the risk of security breaches, which is crucial in maintaining customer trust and compliance with industry standards. Frequent and efficient patching not only improves our system's security but also reflects our commitment to providing a secure and reliable service to our clients.

Ensure High-Security Training Grades

Passing grades of all security-awareness training is essential. End users are often the biggest targets, and if users are getting less than an 'A' on their training tests, then it means there's a risk that the user doesn't understand the material.