Cybersecurity threats challenge Colombian companies’ operations
Digital security has become an operational challenge for organizations, given the volume of incidents and the various ways their information can be compromised.
Companies in Colombia receive an average of more than 3,000 cyberattacks per week, placing the country third in Latin America in terms of the volume of cyber incidents, after Brazil and Mexico.
Colombia accounts for 8% of the attacks recorded in the region, according to FortiGuard Labs’ Threat Landscape Report.
Against this backdrop, CNID identifies five areas of action to reduce organizations’ exposure to digital threats. These measures include protecting identities and access, addressing vulnerabilities, safeguarding information, securing infrastructure and applications, and preparing employees.
A layered protection strategy
Managing these risks requires moving beyond approaches focused exclusively on antivirus software or the individual protection of devices. Digital security requires controls over infrastructure, data, applications, access, and internal processes, as well as an organizational culture that enables threats to be recognized and reported.
Attacks can begin with an email impersonating someone, a reused password, a vulnerable application, or an incorrect cloud configuration. These entry points can lead to information theft, operational disruptions, extortion, and a loss of trust among customers and partners. For this reason, cybersecurity management must be part of organizations’ business decisions and business continuity plans.
“Cybersecurity cannot depend on a single tool or be the exclusive responsibility of the technology department. A company needs technical controls, clear rules, designated responsibilities, and employees capable of recognizing warning signs. Effective protection comes from integrating these layers and constantly reviewing them,” explains Felipe Peláez, CEO of CNID.
As part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, CNID highlights five areas for improving prevention and response practices for digital incidents:
Five areas to reduce exposure to cyberattacks
1) Protect identities and access:
Using unique passwords, implementing multifactor authentication, and assigning permissions according to each employee’s role can help reduce unauthorized access. It is also necessary to review account privileges and remove those that are no longer needed.
2) Address vulnerabilities and insecure configurations:
Updating systems, managing patches, and conducting regular infrastructure reviews help close known security gaps. Security assessments make it possible to identify incorrect configurations and set priorities based on their potential impact on operations.
3) Protect information and secure backups:
Applying data encryption and classification, controlling access, and maintaining protected backups help reduce the consequences of information loss or leaks. Companies must also verify that backups allow them to recover data and restore services when necessary.
4) Incorporate security into infrastructure and applications:
Segmenting networks, reviewing exposed services, conducting security tests, and monitoring logs make it possible to detect anomalous behavior and limit the scope of potential intrusions. In cloud environments, permissions, resources, configurations, and monitoring mechanisms must also be reviewed.
5) Develop a culture of prevention and response:
Providing regular employee training, conducting exercises to help recognize fraudulent emails, and establishing internal reporting channels help reduce risks associated with social engineering. Each organization also needs to define response protocols, assign responsibilities, and establish procedures to restore operations and communicate incidents when appropriate.
Implementing these five areas requires periodic risk assessments and a clear set of priorities. Organizations need to identify their critical assets, understand their vulnerabilities, and allocate resources according to the potential impact of each threat.
“Digital security also protects business continuity, reputation, and customer trust. Companies need to understand the actual state of their systems, establish priorities, and have clear procedures in place to respond to an incident. Prevention requires organizational discipline, in addition to technology,” Peláez concludes.
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