Security remediation - definition & overview

Security remediation is the process of identifying threats and taking the proper steps to resolve them. Organizations that don’t take these threats seriously and fail to implement a robust security remediation strategy, such as implementing virus prevention software, are leaving their organizations vulnerable to future cyberattacks.

To implement a threat remediation plan, IT teams should know what kind of threats to look for and prepare accordingly. Below are some of the most common threats that need to be a part of your security remediation roadmap.

• Machine-to-machine attacks are more probable as more IoT devices and endpoints gain access to networks
  
  Some of the things you can do to remediate your M2M attacks include:

  • User authentication in M2M and IoT systems.

  • Utilize machine learning to understand and discover the current network ecosystem

  • Generate and scale cryptographic keys to your networks

  • Utilize deep integration applications to control the flow of information within the network layer
    

• Malware remediation will help secure your endpoints and networks from infections and reduce malware dwell time. Malware remediation works to remove all traces of malicious code and identify/remove all threats.

• Ghostware, also known as a rootkit, didn’t get its name by accident. Ghostware tools infiltrate a network, hide within the lines of an operating system, and conceal other malicious code from detection. Remediation starts with running a full array of protective solutions to help prevent the ghostware from planting itself into your network.

• Ransomware remediation is a swift and efficient fix that, upon recognizing the ransomware, will automatically block the threat and create a backup of targeted files that will be restored after the malware is removed.

Proactive measures are the best way to implement remediation IT security practices, and having a proper security remediation roadmap will ensure you’re always prepared for whatever threats come your way. The best way to do that is to have a risk assessment remediation strategy.

Risk assessment refers to a process that IT teams employ to gather information and intelligence about vulnerabilities in their systems that leave them open to cyberattacks. The risk assessment process follows these steps.

• Gather system, business, and naturally related information.

• Identify the threats that are impacting your business by monitoring systems and running an infrastructure scan of all devices connected to your network.

• Once security threats have been identified, determine how to allocate resources and time to risk the threat’s mitigation.

• Determine the severity of the threat and define your mitigation approach so you can proceed to implement security controls for each risk.

• Integrate solutions and security tools to minimize future threats from entering your network.

There are several types of remediation IT security tools at your disposal. Utilizing these solutions in conjunction with one another is the best way to ensure you have a robust, competent, and timely security remediation strategy.

Below are some of the most common types of security remediation.

• Manual vs. automated remediation solutions
  Because scaling and customization have become an integral part of complex networks, automated remediation features are becoming more and more prevalent. Unlike manual remediation processes, which rely on users to manually begin the process, automated tools are event-triggered, allowing any deviations in the standard modes of operation to trigger the remediation process.
  

• Antivirus software
  In today’s complex cyber security landscape, antivirus is still an essential part of your security strategy but is by no means an end-all solution. What advanced antivirus software provides today is the ability to automatically begin remediation procedures or notify the endpoint user if they’d like to trigger remediation steps.
  

• Training
  Security remediation needs to be viewed as a proactive approach that utilizes several resources and approaches to mitigate vulnerability and infection. One of these ways is to train your staff and IT members across all departments. Creating a company culture where team members feel empowered against threats is an essential tool that should be a part of the overall strategy.
  

• Third-party integrations
  Utilizing your security solutions, software, and proactive tactics are all important, but utilizing third-party protective tools is also an important part of the process. This requires you to understand your software and your network’s weakness to identify where you’re vulnerable and outsource accordingly.

Sumo Logic provides an all-in-one, multi-use platform that will keep your organization safe while providing valuable information, allowing you to make data-driven decisions. Sumo Logic relies on machine learning and cloud automation to give real-time alerts, automated risk assessments, round-the-clock monitoring and troubleshooting, and more.

Minimize risks, identify threats, and create a thorough and complete security remediation strategy with Sumo Logic today.

What is the difference between security remediation and incident response?

Security remediation focuses on identifying and addressing threats and vulnerabilities to prevent further security breaches and limit the blast radius of an attack. Incident response is the entire process of handling security incidents after they have occurred. Remediation is about fixing underlying issues to strengthen security posture, whereas incident response deals with containing, investigating, and recovering from security breaches or incidents.

How can a security team enhance their remediation efforts?

Security teams can enhance their remediation efforts by implementing automation tools for faster identification and patching of vulnerabilities, conducting regular training on the latest security trends, collaborating with other departments, utilizing threat intelligence and risk scoring for proactive risk identification and prioritization, conducting post-incident reviews for learning, engaging with external security experts and implementing continuous monitoring systems for real-time threat detection, investigation and response.

What are the key steps of the remediation process?

• Identifying threats and vulnerabilities through assessments

• Prioritizing threats and vulnerabilities based on risk

• Developing a remediation plan

• Implementing patches or fixes

• Testing to ensure the effectiveness of remediation

• Communicating progress to relevant stakeholders

• Continuously monitoring for new threats and vulnerabilities.