Cybersecurity protocols that you should activate in your company

There are a series of cybersecurity protocols that every organization should have implemented and activated to protect both the internal and external security of the company. This is a way to safeguard data from the clutches of cybercriminals, thus avoiding both economic damage and harm to the company's image and brand reputation.

However, let's start with the basics first: their definition and why we should not ignore them.

What are cybersecurity protocols?

Cybersecurity protocols are a set of rules and procedures designed and developed to protect the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of digital information on the Internet.

And...

What are they for?

The function of cybersecurity protocols is to establish the foundations for user authentication, data encryption, and secure communication between systems, as well as to protect them against threats and cyberattacks.

Their main function is to protect a computer system and infrastructure against multivector cyber threats. When we talk about this type of threat, we refer to those where cybercriminals exploit different avenues to launch their attacks, such as emails, malicious websites, software downloads, network vulnerabilities, etc.

Tipos de protocolos de ciberseguridad que puedes implementar en tu empresa

Protocolo HTTP para webs

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the protocol used for data transmission on the World Wide Web. This protocol was exclusively designed for web pages, which is why a few years later, a version with added security, HTTPS, was also created.

The HTTPS protocol is based on HTTP and simply adds 'security.' It ensures that the data we send or receive is not intercepted by unwanted agents between our browser (client) and the web application (server), commonly known as sniffing or Man in the Middle attacks. Data handled by an application with HTTPS is encrypted with a cryptographic system based on a public key and a private key (key pair). These keys must be generated by globally recognized certification authorities. Otherwise, the browser cannot confirm that the connection is secure.

In summary, HTTPS encrypts the communication session between the browser and the web server, protecting the integrity and confidentiality of the exchanged data.

Configuring the HTTP protocolhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/iis/configuration/system.webserver/httpprotocol/

Protocolo DNS

The Domain Name System (DNS) is an Internet protocol responsible for domain name resolution, translating these names into IP addresses.

Each domain is assigned DNS (Nameservers), allowing translation of the domain name to the corresponding IP address.

While not a security protocol per se, it is crucial to have DNS properly configured and activated, as it can be targeted by cybercriminals for launching cyberattacks.

Enabling DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions) adds a layer of security to DNS by providing authentication of the origin of DNS data and data integrity, protecting against cache poisoning and spoofing attacks.

Changing or configuring DNS:
https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/6274141?hl=en

FTP Protocol

The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used for transferring files between a client and a server on a network. However, FTP itself is not secure, which is why it's important to activate versions like FTPS, which uses SSL or TLS to encrypt the connection, and SFTP, which uses the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol for file transfer.

Configuring the FTP protocol: 
https://www.crazydomains.com.au/help/article/how-to-set-up-an-ftp-connection

TCP/IP Protocol

The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is the foundational set of Internet communication protocols that provides the basis for most network communications. To add security features to this protocol, additional protocols like IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) should be added to encrypt and authenticate data packets at the network level.

Configuring TCP/IP protocol:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/change-tcp-ip-settings-bd0a07af-15f5-cd6a-363f-ca2b6f391ace

SSH Protocol

The Secure Shell protocol is used to securely access a computer remotely through a channel.

To achieve this, the protocol encrypts data from devices connected to the internet, ensuring that unauthorized third parties cannot access this information.

Configuring SSH protocol:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/security-vpn/secure-shell-ssh/4145-ssh.html?dtid=osscdc000283

Activating these protocols does not guarantee the security of your system or IT infrastructure; rather, they are preventive measures necessary to maximize security and complement your already implemented cybersecurity solutions.

Having a firewall, endpoints, backup solutions, password managers, anti-phishing solutions, etc., is crucial to ensuring the security of your system.