How can technical support improve cybersecurity and protect against cyber threats?

One of the largest mistakes technical support makes is thinking the user understands the technical language being used in the conversation. End users rarely understand the language and will even more rarely ask questions when they don't understand. Training technical support to educate users to technical level that they understand and are comfortable participating in is critical to a successful education program.

1. Technical support teams should continue to get updates on latest threat Intel and Cyber Security trends so that they can quickly understand the type and impact of a cyber attack and respond efficiently. 2. Tech support team should know the business context and have clear understanding of the organization’s regulatory requirements and their Incident Response plan should also contain SLA's that are aligned to the business based on the applicable legal/regulatory requirements. 3. Tech team should closely work with the impacted business users/owners to articulate the issue clearly and provide remediation as quickly as possible.

It is important that technical support personnel are able to understand trends/threats and are able to understand this in context of organisation risk. Cyber security is an ever evolving field, hence keeping up to date with trends is vital.

In my experience security starts with the user. Education and awareness regarding these aspects is paramount to success. We often assume a normal user understand these topics and their importance, however this is not the case. The vast majority of users are not aware of simple Phishing attacks or what they do. They are not trained to be vigilent and build a level of intuition. Much more needs to be done in changing the behaviour of users and how they interact with corporate tools vs their own mobile phones. Education up front and tools afters.

Technical support's role has surpassed mere troubleshooting. Today, it's about shielding businesses from burgeoning cyber threats. A thorough grasp on malware, phishing, ransomware, DoS attacks, data breaches, and their implications is non-negotiable. Understanding the legal and regulatory fallout of cyberattacks is a key element. Laws on data protection, compliance stipulations, liability matters bear grave meaning for a company. As such, technical teams must comprehend these finer details to ensure compliance post cyber incident. In the AI era, tech support is pivotal to any company's cyber defense strategy. Knowledge of cyber threats and legal domains is fundamental in preserving users, company reputation, and assets.

It goes deeper than understanding the risks. There has to be solid process and tools in place to mitigate the risk. I just read about an Energy company that the Threat Actors breached the network by stolen VPN credentials from a 3rd party contractor's account. # 1 Multi-Factor Authentication on VPN access should be mandatory # 2 Global password resets should be periodic # 3 Asset inventory should be on steroids - meaning all ghost or decommissioned legacy systems or new systems should be hunted for continuously.

To help users and organizations protect themselves from cyber threats, technical support should: Monitor systems and networks for suspicious activity. Analyze security alerts and logs. Take appropriate action to mitigate threats. Keep up to date on the latest cyber threats and security trends. Work with other security professionals. Continuously improve security skills and knowledge. Following these recommendations can help technical support protect users and organizations from cyber threats and minimize the impact of any successful attacks.

Like cyber security itself there are multiple layers in answering how technical support teams can improve organisational postures. Some areas where they can be impactful include maintaining good cyber hygiene themselves and promoting a security first culture within their own teams, whilst maintaining best practice in keeping their environments patched, secure and generally being seen as exemplars of cyber security best practice for their respective users communities. However, some areas are not so obvious, a responsive support function that efficiently addresses user issues is also important, otherwise users could start to look for unsanctioned work-arounds that proliferate "Grey IT" which introduces yet more potential security issues.

Technical support can enhance cybersecurity by promptly responding to security incidents, educating users about best practices, managing and updating software patches, implementing access controls, monitoring and managing firewall and intrusion detection systems, conducting vulnerability assessments, developing incident response plans, and enforcing data encryption and secure configurations. They should also ensure regular backups, network segmentation, and collaboration with cybersecurity teams while staying vigilant in monitoring and threat detection, ultimately creating a robust defense against cyber threats.

Technical support plays a pivotal role in cyber incident response. This team is often the primary interface between the technology division and the user base, they are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between the two. Through their frequent interactions with users, technical support can provide valuable ad-hoc advice on cybersecurity, promoting a proactive awareness of threats. Users often cannot differentiate between a standard incident and a cyber incident, often reporting the latter as the former. With the right training and awareness, technical support can adeptly identify, channel, and escalate potential cyber threats. Keeping in mind, that many normal looking incidents could have cyber implications.

User education is crucial together with testing how users handle things like phishing attacks or a random USB being sent in. Quite often employees who do not use computers are left out of the security education creating greater risk if they allow someone into the building either not realising it's a risk or maliciously.

An organization’s cybersecurity program has limited touchpoints with end users. Each technical support encounter represents an opportunity to do things differently and creatively, enabling continuous improvement of the organization’s security posture. For example, instead of merely responding to routine password reset requests, use these encounters to educate users about using multifactor authentication for work and personal accounts. Instead of sending a standard post-support survey, include phishing prevention guidance and links to cybersecurity awareness articles in the message. In short, don’t waste a single opportunity to proactively mitigate cybersecurity risks.

Educated users are the organization's first line of defense against cyber threats. By understanding the latest threats and attack vectors, users can be more vigilant and less likely to fall victim to phishing attacks or other social engineering scams. They can also help to identify and report suspicious activity, which can help technical support teams to investigate and respond to incidents quickly and effectively.

User training can't be a 'One size fits all' approach. It has to be designed based on multiple factors like: Awareness/Maturity of the individual, role in the organization, domain they work in and the training should help each and every one in the organization to understand cyber security purpose and potential threats to their own organization and how to become first level of defence against potential hackers and security threatd

Education and training are crucial in cybersecurity because people are often the weakest link. Technical support can help by focusing on essentials like strong passwords and recognizing phishing scams. This not only equips users to protect themselves but also adds an extra layer of security for the organization. The training shouldn't be a one-time thing either; cyber threats keep evolving, so continuous education is key. Methods like workshops, online courses, and even quick-reference cheat sheets can be effective. Ultimately, well-informed users become a proactive defense against cyber threats, making the network more secure overall.

Technical Support teams can contribute towards improving the cybersecurity posture of an organisation in the following ways - Educate users on the security policy and deny requests that may be out of line with the established policy norms - Educate users in setting up of strong password security controls and multi-factor authentication - Educate users on using the right channels to report security incidents - Educate users on using endpoints safely by following basic cybersecurity hygiene - Avoiding sharing passwords, mandating change of password on first logon, ensuring patches are applied to the software being used and ensuring endpoint security controls are applied.

One of the most effective ways technical support can improve cybersecurity is by educating and training users and employees. Many cybersecurity incidents occur due to human error or lack of awareness. Technical support can conduct regular training sessions to teach individuals about safe online practices, recognizing phishing attempts, and maintaining strong password hygiene. By equipping users with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves, technical support can significantly reduce the likelihood of successful cyberattacks.

Education is crucial BUT it has to be taken into consideration that most people just don't know what they're doing. So training: yes definitely but technical measures are at least equally important to prevent common user from making mistakes. The point that is forgotten here is training in incident respons.

Remembered the days of changing password every 45 days and you cannot reuse the last 10 passwords. The next moment, every desk or monitor has a post-it note with the passwords scribbled. No amount of education can remove the weakest link: human behavior. So, solutions must take into consideration of the worst human behavior. Big tech companies do not force their employees to change password on the reasoning no one changes their internet banking passwords every month either. So, 2FA are paired with device recognition alerting users of remote logins from unknown or never logged-in device(s). I guessed when corporates deploy cybersecurity solutions, they must consider the human factor and make reinforcements to the solution regarding that.

Cyber engineering helps to design and maintain the security of the organization's information systems and therefore should provide knowledge and contribute to ongoing training to technical support. Both teams can provide a wealth of information to each other.

Although I do not agree with these A.I powered articles... Here are my two cents: Tech support can enhance security by helping in the implementation of advanced measures like Endpoint detection and response, (EDR), intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and SIEM systems with their insights. These solutions are real-time threat detection and response, making technical support a crucial safeguard as first line for users and organizations against cyber threats.

Effective & timely rollout of cybersecurity capabilities is key to reducing vulnerability exposure for enterprises. Cybersecurity engineering, operations & governance play an important role in enabling technical support ro successfully complete such implementations. In my experience , complex cybersecurity initiatives take substantial time to be implemented because of large user base, geographic constraints and business priorities. Another drawback of long drawn implementations is the risk of implemented solutions being obsolete due to rapid developing security threats. A well crafted implementation framework that relies on full automation , tool orchestration and safety first business prioritization policy can reap rich rewards.

Tech support is a linchpin in the defense against cyber threats. By implementing and maintaining security solutions, conducting regular audits and tests, and staying proactive in addressing vulnerabilities, they plays a pivotal role in bolstering an organization's cybersecurity posture.

Technical support can bolster cybersecurity by promptly addressing vulnerabilities and implementing patches. They play a pivotal role in educating users about potential risks, fostering a security-aware culture. Monitoring systems and network health, they can detect and respond to threats swiftly. Ultimately, their proactive measures and vigilance enhance overall protection against cyber threats.

Tech support is often hungry to learn more and get involved in more complex operations. Getting them involved in implementations can give you valuable real life examples of issues you currently face and also give them a deeper understanding of what they’re doing and why. It’s a win-win solution all around.

Early in my career, I was working on a client's e-commerce platform that was experiencing frequent downtime due to DDoS attacks. We implemented basic protections like a web application firewall, but the attacks persisted. I proposed a multi-layered strategy involving DDoS mitigation at the network edge, regular security audits, and a bug bounty program. Though hesitant about the costs initially, the client agreed. Over the next year, we optimized and fine-tuned the protections. The result was a dramatic decrease in downtime and a more resilient and secure platform.

Technical support can enhance cybersecurity by fostering a proactive security culture within the organization. This involves promoting security awareness, encouraging a "security-first" mindset, and educating employees on safe computing practices. By creating a culture of vigilance and emphasizing the importance of individual responsibility in safeguarding digital assets, technical support can create an additional layer of defense against cyber threats.

The section well articulates the hands-on role of technical support in enhancing cybersecurity. It could be enriched by mentioning the collaboration with cybersecurity teams or vendors for a holistic approach. Highlighting adherence to industry standards during implementation and the importance of a feedback loop from regular audits and tests to improve security measures could provide a practical and continuous improvement angle.

Smart monitoring is required to effectively safeguard against cyber threats. This means event correlation and simultaneously automated first response become essential.

Cybersecurity relies on vigilant system monitoring, primarily managed by technical support. Their continuous oversight of network traffic, system logs, and security alerts swiftly identifies deviations and vulnerabilities, preventing minor issues from becoming major breaches. This proactive approach fortifies defenses, preserves data integrity, and upholds confidentiality. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration tests further enhance resilience, reduce susceptibility to emerging threats, and ensure operational continuity, making technical support's role pivotal in defending against evolving risks and securing digital assets.

In the realm of cybersecurity, technical support plays a role similar to a vigilant guardian employing surveillance systems to safeguard a community. Using tools and methods, they actively monitor the network, devices, applications, and data. Similar to security cameras tracking activities. These tools help detect anomalies, incidents, and vulnerabilities, acting as a watchful eye alerting them to potential threats. Just as a guardian responds promptly to unusual activities, technical support utilizes logs, alerts, scans, and patches to swiftly address and neutralize cybersecurity risks, ensuring the digital environment remains secure and resilient.

Technical support ensures that software upgrades, including the most recent security patches, are applied on a regular basis. By fortifying the infrastructure, this method effectively prevents weaknesses that cybercriminals could exploit for malicious objectives. Security Configurations: Setting up firewalls, access controls, and other security measures is one of their main duties. By erecting hurdles to dissuade bad actors, this proactive strategy helps protect the network from outside threats. Monitoring and Alerts: To quickly detect unusual activity or security breaches, technical assistance makes use of monitoring tools. They can minimize potential harm by identifying and addressing new hazards quickly by being proactive and watchful.

In the case of #SAPCybersecurity, you must monitor the SAP systems with a specialized product that is created for the SAP environment in the application layer of SAP. I recommend #SecurityBridge Platform, for example. This product (and other similar products) will monitor the SAP Logs for activity that meets the criteria for Threat Detection. At this point, an Event in created and can have Action Rules associated to the Event for notification, alerting, or even other automated blocking actions in extreme cases. Similar products exist to support monitoring throughout the Technology Stacks. Use the tools! Don't rely on human/manual monitoring!!

Continuous Monitoring systems is Crucial for detecting and responding to security threats effectively. and minimizing the impact of security incidents and protecting sensitive data and assets. Here are some fundamental aspects of a system monitoring: 1. Real-Time Monitoring. 2. Event Logging. 3. Intrusion Detection systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS). 4. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). 5. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM). 6. Regular Audit and Assessment.

Developing easy to follow processes and procedures can give you a huge edge. The more nurses a doctor has around him the easier his life gets. Train technical support to use the tools you have.

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, technical support teams will need to adopt new tools and techniques to protect organizations. This includes using artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and respond to threats more effectively. Technical support teams will also need to work more closely with security teams to develop and implement comprehensive cybersecurity strategies.

More than monitoring, it is about observability. The huge complexity of cloud native applications needs to take monitoring to a new level producing smart ways to show the insights, root cause and possible solutions other than dashboards and charts. Technical support is critical to use new AI powered tools, mature DevOps pipeline and continuous hardening of their toolbox. Continuous improvement is crucial also, the systems will constantly change, the cyber threats do change, so the strategy needs agility and adaptiveness to adjust or even predict attacks.

Not Technical teams are communicating results. They are provide only the KPI result. The rest is fine by the Senior leadership teams to mitigate the risk of communicating something in an improper way which could result faulty point of view about the organization' security Asis.

Enriching the narrative by mentioning the tailoring of communication to the technical acumen of the audience, alongside introducing a feedback mechanism for refining the communication process, could lend more practical insight and depth to the discourse.

Effectively addressesing the 'how' and 'what' of communication within technical support roles is important, but the article misses out on the crucial element of timing. Knowing 'when' to communicate can be as vital as 'what' to communicate. Immediate reporting of a vulnerability might not always be the best course of action if it compromises larger security initiatives. Additionally, adopting a storytelling approach can make complex technical issues more understandable for non-technical stakeholders. This not only makes the information digestible but also elevates the role of technical support within an organisation.

Communicating the results is a crucial element in the cybersecurity-technical support partnership. It ensures transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making, ultimately strengthening an organization's defense against cyber threats.

Technical teams are not always the best communicators. They need training and understanding of what is expected from them, and how to react and communicate to technical and non-technical stakeholders. There is a lot at stake, so you can't leave it to chance that people at all levels understand and will comply with expectations. Leadership over technical teams need to emphasize the importance of good communication skills, and organizations need to facilitate and support appropriate forums, channels and protocols for communicating important findings. It is also important to support people reporting and communicating these things, and encourage them, even when it may seem embarrassing or inconvenient to admit fault.

Should know the stakeholder audience when communicating results. Not all stakeholders may be technologically savvy and some information may be misunderstood or completely disregarded. Properly worded reports can have a far greater effect than a report that is not written for the audience. For example, I wouldn't want to express results to strong financial stakeholders with a lot of technical jargon. I would want to be able to explain the communication using common similarities or examples so the information is understood and relatable. Another important aspect is understanding the other areas of operations and provide, if possible, best solutions in respect to areas non-technical areas.

Effectively communicating cybersecurity results is paramount for informed decision-making. Regular reports detailing threat detections, incident response effectiveness, and system vulnerabilities should be shared with stakeholders. Transparent communication fosters awareness and understanding of the organization's security posture. Emphasizing key metrics, such as response times and risk reduction, ensures that leadership is informed about the impact of security measures. This open communication loop ensures all stakeholders are aligned, enabling the organization to adapt and strengthen its cybersecurity strategy based on real-time results and emerging challenges.

Tech support should understand the goals and efforts of their cyber security team. The cyber team can't afford to exist in a vacuum. Typically, tech support is the first line of touch for end users. Understanding this, tech support has an opportunity to engage with users helping make them more cyber aware. When tech support is engaged by the cyber team, they can reinforce the fundamentals to end users at a level cyber security may not be afforded. The cyber team, in some instances, may not engage with users until a situation has been escalated. Tech support can be that bridge between the end user and cyber, if they (tech support) understand the goals and ambitions of their cyber team.

Cybersecurity is not a task of technical support. Cypersecurity has to be a departement of its own reporting directly to the CIO. They develop and control the guidelines and rules to be followed by the suppliers, the internal IT teams and the users. They decide which tools have to be put in place to supervise cypersecurity and monitor the results accordingly. Senior and executive managment can not be excluded from those guidelines and rules including corporate smartphones.

Hacking and cyber crimes are big business. They are constantly innovating and evolving. New threats appear every minute of every day. To stay abreast of these criminals, cyber security professionals must keep their skills sharp and current, not merely through certifications and degrees, but through continual networking, knowledge exchanges with other professionals and peers in the field, conferences and periodic re-certification and training as things evolve. It is also important to note that cyber security professionals need to be compensated well to keep them motivated to put on their armor every day and go to war with the cyber criminals, who are very well funded and often have state level backing.

Cybersecurity is a critical skill for technical support and many other teams and users. Different levels of knowledge are available to specific areas of security. Final users need capabilities of understanding the risks but also ability to use the tools that help protect their daily work. Technical support needs a deeper understanding of the threats, communication skills, tools expertise, risk analysis, etc. Cybersecurity expert teams need expertise in the technical deep dive of the assets, attacks and technology development required to keep tools and defense continuously adaptive.

The article rightly emphasises the importance of certifications and mentorship for technical support teams in cybersecurity. However, an overlooked aspect is 'empathetic cybersecurity.' Tech support needs to understand end-users, often the weakest link in cybersecurity, to provide tailored advice that's more likely to be implemented. Additionally, integrating AI and machine learning tools can enhance real-time learning and threat identification. These augment human skills, allowing for a more dynamic and resilient cybersecurity framework.

In my view cyber security is a very specialized task - it is ok up to monitoring and reporting alerts generated by monitoring applications but having specialized knowledge of cyber Security for a Tech support is overkill. Generally the organizations have a general tech support staff that mange application and system monitoring and support. If we have a specialized Cyber Security monitoring support function - it might be good for those to have proper technical skills in security domain.

Security+ is a great certification for technical support staff looking to improve their cybersecurity knowledge, help educate users, and help prevent incidents or intrusions. It’s everyone’s job to help protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer systems, networks and data against cyber-attacks or unauthorized access.

Developing skills in cybersecurity is essential for technical support professionals to effectively enhance cybersecurity and protect against cyber threats. Continuous learning, certifications, and seeking guidance from experts are crucial steps in staying updated and competent in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity. This commitment to skill development ensures technical support can provide robust solutions and proactive support to safeguard organizations against potential cyber risks.

Continuous skill development is necessary. Cybersecurity is an ever evolving field and most likely will not change for the foreseeable future. Understanding or using a skill map/matrix can help to build, diversify, and develop learned/acquired skills. Certifications, education, and experience are strong foundations but should not be the extent of the development. Technical support specialists shouldn't 'stovepipe' skills. Skills should be seen holistically in regards to the cybersecurity domains. Explore, learn, create own labs, etc. to broaden skill sets and knowledge. All skills don't have to be learned in the work environment. Often, it is what is learned from one's own curiosity or personal development that stands out.

Elevating cybersecurity to a standalone department reporting directly to the CIO is essential for a robust defense. This dedicated unit formulates and oversees comprehensive guidelines, ensuring compliance across suppliers, internal IT teams, and users. They determine the strategic deployment of cybersecurity tools and monitor outcomes systematically. Inclusive governance extends to senior and executive management, encompassing corporate smartphones. This structural enhancement enhances accountability, strategic alignment, and the organization's overall cyber resilience.

Break Silos & Collaborate : In modern enterprises, tech support and cybersecurity teams can't operate in silos. While cybersecurity teams are skilled to proactively monitor threats, and strategize to prevent or recover from cyber attacks, implementation of cyber strategies is best done by the Tech Support teams. Both teams must collaborate in real time to validate threat intel, swiftly react and remediate against any cyber security flaws. It's pertinent to build necessary skills in the Tech Support function to unambiguously actionize cyber recommendations, when asked for. Hence it's extremely important for both teams to work-in-tandem and share knowledge in peace-time to avoid chaos in cyber war-time !

What I see nowadays is that the world of information security increasingly separates Cybersecurity as something purely technical, when it is forgotten that much of Cybersecurity is due to the fact of processes, procedures and people. Without understanding the environment in which one is situated, the pure use of technology, or more precisely technical support, will lead to a gap between the real world and the ideal. By understanding the environment that is being protected, we can then list the best technologies to protect it, remembering that we will always need motivated, trained and experienced people to get the best that any technology can offer.

So, the first thing I truly learned about technical support, is that it is overhead, it is a drain on the bottom line and is looked upon as an evil necessity. Giving been a leader of Technical Support, I realized that we needed to take a Customer Service approach and bring something of value to the company. Making Tech Support a friend to the business and not a road block. Tech Support should never just say No, it needs to be we can't do it that way, but let's see if.... keeping this in mind, they need to be the front line to the user community and build trust within the organization. With this approach, the biggest threat to a company, the end user, can now be trained to look for the bad actors threats, the social engineering.

Don't forget the importance of a well defined, understood and tested business continuity / disaster recovery plan. Technical recovery is one thing, business recovery is another.

Cybersecurity for technical support teams involves controlling access, ensuring strong authentication, and educating team members about security practices. It's crucial to use secure channels for communication, keep software and systems updated, and protect data through encryption and regular backups. Having an incident response plan and utilizing secure remote support connections are essential. Vendor management, phishing awareness, and robust logging and monitoring contribute to a comprehensive security strategy. Regular audits, well-defined security policies, secure file sharing, and attention to physical security and equipment disposal are key practices and employ security tools like antivirus, firewalls, VPNs, and encryption.

Assume your company is going to be compromised - are you able to restore it? Does everyone in the know what they will need to do. Do they have access to systems and products that are independant and will not be taken down when the rest of the company is compromised? Are your suppliers as security concious as you are? How about customers, could you accidently be the source of malware in their environment? Nothing is off the table - make sure you are confident that the impact of any cyber security incident is manageble.

Technical support also needs to be aware of phishing (email based fraud) and vishing (voice based fraud) so they can protect themselves and their users against these techniques. Especially important is a process to be able to verify someone’s identity over the phone, so that sensitive data is not inadvertently disclosed to a malicious party. If these risks aren’t properly understood, inappropriate access to systems or networks might be given, or confidential data disclosure may be the resulting impact.

Technical support teams must evolve to meet the ever-changing landscape of cyber threats. They should continuously update their training, focus on user education, implement robust security solutions, monitor systems, and communicate effectively with stakeholders. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, technical support will be at the forefront, defending against them. Their ability to adapt, learn, and protect will be pivotal in shaping the future of cybersecurity.

In my experience, every organization should ramp up on training their staff to combat social engineering. This is the path of least resistance for those looking to manipulate, deceive, and influence individuals to: -divulge sensitive information -exploit human error -allow access to computer systems and networks -facilitate the theft of personal or financial information