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Taverne Tech
Taverne Tech

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Don't Let Cyber Risks Sink Your Business: A Survival Guide for the Digital Age 🚀

#security #beginners #career #cybersecurity

Ever wondered why some companies survive cyber attacks while others sink? It's not luck - it's smart risk management! Let's break down this complex topic into bite-sized, digestible pieces that'll help you understand how to protect your digital kingdom. 👑

The Big Three: Risk, Breach, and Impact 🎯

Imagine you're protecting a castle (your business) from dragons (cyber threats). Here's what you need to know:

Risk: The "What If?" Game

Think of risk as the chance of a dragon attacking your castle. Some dragons are small (like forgetting to log out), while others breathe serious fire (like ransomware attacks)!

Breach: The "Uh-Oh" Moment

A breach is when a dragon actually gets inside your castle - whether it's through the front gate (obvious attack) or a tiny crack in the wall (subtle vulnerability).

Impact: The "Damage Report"

This is how much destruction the dragon causes. Did it just singe the curtains, or burn down the whole treasury?

The Art of Dragon-Proofing (Risk Management) 🛡️

Let's look at how the pros protect their castles:

cycle chart for risk management

  1. Identify: Spot potential dragons before they arrive
  2. Evaluate: How fierce are they?
  3. Prioritize: Which dragons need immediate attention?
  4. Control: Build your defenses strategically

The Risk Matrix: Your Dragon-Threat Map 🗺️

table of severy and risk

Think of it as a "dragon danger map":

  • Red Zone: Big, angry dragons that attack often
  • Yellow Zone: Either rare but dangerous, or common but manageable
  • Green Zone: Small dragons that rarely show up

The NIST Framework: Your Castle Defense Blueprint 📋

Here's how the pros plan their castle defenses:

  1. Prepare: Get your guards ready (like planning your security strategy)
  2. Categorize: Know what you're protecting (gold vs. hay)
  3. Select: Choose your weapons (security tools)
  4. Implement: Build those walls! (deploy security measures)
  5. Evaluate: Test your defenses
  6. Authorize: Get the king's approval
  7. Monitor: Keep watch 24/7

Real-World Dragon Spotting 👀

Physical Dragons 🏰

  • Doors propped open (like leaving your castle gate unlocked)
  • Unguarded entrances (no security at checkpoints)

Human Dragons 🤦‍♂️

  • Passwords on sticky notes (like writing the castle's secret password on the wall)
  • Breaking security rules (guards sleeping on duty)

Tech Dragons 🖥️

  • Outdated systems (old, crumbling walls)
  • Misconfigurations (holes in your defense)

Your Dragon-Fighting Toolkit 🛠️

  1. Build Strong: Security from the start (don't wait for the dragon to arrive)
  2. Stay Alert: Keep watching (dragons are sneaky)
  3. Adapt: Update defenses (dragons learn new tricks)
  4. Document: Keep records (learn from past dragon attacks)
  5. Train: Teach everyone dragon-fighting basics

The Bottom Line: Stay Safe Out There! 🌟

Remember: In today's digital world, it's not about if dragons will attack, but when. The good news? With proper risk management, you can turn your business from a vulnerable village into an impenetrable fortress!

Want to level up your dragon-fighting skills? Share this guide with your team and start building your defenses today! 💪

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Top comments (2)

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clive_pullen_2c4938f7123e profile image
Clive Pullen •

you sound like the guy i should be talking to. I wont go into too many details but i have a forensic summary of some pretty nasty stuff sent to me from a retailer. in it contained files (autopsy/ftk/wire-shark) including references to fraud, malware implementation (outward facing), other file names include Black UTa Surveillance and there is tons of botnet activity, and very suspicious telecom surveillance artifacts massive call logs and plenty more - need help solving this riddle

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tavernetech profile image
Taverne Tech • • Edited

Thanks for reaching out – I’d be glad to help you unpack what you’ve found and figure out the next steps. Here’s what I recommend:

  1. Secure & Preserve Store all raw artefacts (disk images, PCAPs, logs) read-only in an isolated VM or sandbox.
  2. Record Chain of Custody Log who handled each file, when, and record hashes (SHA256/MD5) to prove integrity.
  3. Quick Triage & IOC Collection Extract key Indicators of Compromise (suspicious IPs, file hashes, domains) and metadata (timestamps, paths).
  4. Focused Analysis
    • Network: In Wireshark, filter abnormal flows and reassemble sessions.
    • Malware: Run static scans (YARA, strings) and, if safe, sandbox samples for behavior.
  5. Report & Escalate Summarize scope, impact, and methods; share hashed evidence. Alert your security lead (CISO/SOC) and, if needed, law enforcement or CERT.
  6. Remediate & Review Block malicious IPs, patch systems, enforce MFA, tune your SIEM, then run a lessons-learned session to update your IR playbook.

Let me know if you need help with any of these steps or want more details on the tools and techniques.