Relationship of technical Controls in preventing Cybersecurity incidents

Technical controls refer to the tools and techniques that are used to protect against cyber threats and to secure systems and networks. Technical controls can be divided into two categories: preventive controls and detective controls.

Preventive controls are designed to prevent cyber threats from occurring or to mitigate their impact if they do occur. Examples of preventive controls include:

  • Firewalls: Firewalls are devices or software programs that are used to control access to a network. They can be configured to allow or block specific types of traffic based on a set of rules.

  • Encryption: Encryption is the process of converting data into a coded format that can only be accessed by someone with the proper decryption key. Encryption is often used to protect sensitive data in transit or at rest.

  • Access controls: Access controls are used to restrict access to systems and resources based on a person’s identity or privileges. Access controls can include things like passwords, biometric authentication, and multi-factor authentication.

Detective controls are designed to detect cyber threats and to alert security personnel when an incident occurs. Examples of detective controls include:

  • Intrusion detection systems (IDS): An IDS is a device or software program that is used to detect and alert security personnel when an intrusion attempt is made on a system or network.

  • Network monitoring: Network monitoring involves continuously monitoring a network for signs of unusual activity or suspicious behavior. This can include things like monitoring traffic patterns, analyzing log files, and looking for signs of malware or other threats.

Overall, technical controls are an important part of cybersecurity because they help to protect systems and networks from cyber threats and to detect and respond to incidents when they occur. By implementing a combination of preventive and detective controls, organizations can improve the security of their systems and reduce the risk of a successful cyber attack.