For years, cybersecurity has been one of the most prevalent subjects in IT discussions, strategies, and budgets. What was once a discretionary add-on has become a basic requirement for organizations across all industries. Now, experts and enterprises are shifting their focus away from cybersecurity as a whole, drilling down into its individual subsets. Enter cyber defense.
What is cyber defense?
Cyber defense (also known as “cyber attack prevention”) is a component of cybersecurity that focuses on actively resisting attacks by quickly identifying and neutralizing threats. This area often involves the application of firewalls, network detection and response, endpoint detection and response, and key management.
Cybercriminals have continued to keep pace with cybersecurity advances, finding more cunning, sophisticated paths to infiltrate systems. Not only are attacks more frequent than ever, they’re also more destructive. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the cost of global cyberattacks is projected to hit $10.5 trillion in 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015. The goal of cyber defense is to shift the balance of power away from attackers, giving defenders a crucial edge in the fight.
Cybersecurity vs. cyber defense
Cybersecurity and cyber defense are related but not the same. Cybersecurity is the holistic set of solutions and strategies employed to protect systems and data. As explained, cyber defense is a subset that concentrates specifically on offensive resistance. Both are vital in effectively protecting organizations in today’s hostile cyber space.
Applying cyber defense tactics
- Prioritize cyber defense within your cybersecurity strategy. Educate decision-makers about the value of cyber defense and promote its integration in your overall strategy.
- Obtain and leverage threat intelligence. Threat intelligence allows IT teams to analyze attack behaviors based on evidence-based data and ultimately make more informed decisions.
- Implement cyber defense tools and solutions. There’s a full spectrum of cyber defense tools that utilize advanced technologies to thwart attacks. A managed service provider can simplify the process by connecting you with ones that best suit your objectives.
The key to cyber defense is being proactive. Enlist your trusted managed service provider or contact Pacxa to help navigate your cyber defense journey.