Cybersecurity Insights with Contrast CISO David Lindner | 6/21/24

Insight #1

It’s easy to get distracted by listicles about the hottest IT security certifications that will boost your pay. But while IT security certifications can be a valuable asset, they shouldn't be seen as a shortcut to a higher salary. In today's dynamic threat landscape, employers prioritize candidates with a proven track record of securing systems. Focus on building practical skills and a strong portfolio that showcases your ability to address real-world security challenges. The certifications will likely follow, and more importantly, so will the well-deserved pay bump.

Insight #2

Legacy security solutions focused solely on signature-based detection are no longer sufficient. Organizations need to adopt a layered security approach that combines threat intelligence, user education, and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to effectively mitigate these advanced threats.

By implementing these defenses, organizations can make it more difficult for attackers to maintain persistence, even after a successful initial compromise. This will limit the damage attackers can inflict and make it easier for defenders to detect and expel them from the network.

Insight #3

Businesses are clinging to outdated Microsoft SQL servers? Color me surprised. While the cost and disruption of upgrading can be a pain, the security risks and lack of new features in unsupported versions are a ticking time bomb. In today's threat landscape, a single vulnerability can have devastating consequences. Organizations need to prioritize security and take a more proactive approach to software upgrades. The potential cost of a breach far outweighs the short-term disruption of an upgrade.