OPSEC in Cyber Defense

 

 

Hi everyone. Today I would like to share with you about OPSEC. OPSEC, short for Operational Security, is a terminology originating from the US Military. Since its inception, Operational Security (OPSEC) has been widely embraced by numerous organizations and sectors as a means of protecting confidential information in diverse circumstances that extend beyond the military domain. The primary goal of Operations Security (OPSEC) is to impede the acquisition of sensitive information by adversaries through the denial of data access. 

OPSEC in Cybersecurity

In cybersecurity, OPSEC is crucial because it drives organizations to evaluate the threats they face and identify flaws that a more traditional data security strategy could miss. IT and security teams may minimize cyber risk and protect themselves from cyberattacks with the help of OPSEC, which allows for the fine-tuning of technical and non-technical procedures. 

OPSEC Cycle

The OPSEC cycle demonstrates its highest level of effectiveness when it is seamlessly incorporated into all stages of planning and operational procedures. The process comprises five steps:

1. Identify critical information: the information about organization intentions and capabilities that an adversary can exploit to compromise or interrupt organization.
2. Analyze threat: An adversary with the intent and capabilities to compromise organization mission or sensitive activities.
3. Analyze vulnerabilities: Vulnerabilities are weakness that an adversary can exploit to get  critical information.
4. Assess risk: this involves a bit of math – it is the probability that an adversary will compromise organization critical information or exploit a vulnerability and the potential impact of the adversary’s success.
5. Countermeasures are things that we as cyberdefenders can do to minimize the risks
   

OPSEC Best Practices

Following is a list of some of the best practices that organizations may employ regarding OPSEC:

1. When making changes to the network or systems, organizations should make sure that such changes are logged and monitored so that they may be audited later.
2. Provide the personnel with the least privileged access they require to perform their tasks effectively. Organizations should grant them privileges according to the things that are required for them to work.
3. Put in place dual control approach. Be certain that the individuals who work on the networks, such as the IT team and the security department, are not in charge of the responsibilities that belong to the other department.
4. By automating certain tasks, organizations can reduce the need for human intervention. Humans are the most fallible component of any organization since they are prone to making errors, missing important facts, and sidestepping procedures.
5. It is imperative that organizations always make preparations for the worst-case situation, even if they have an excellent security system.