So how does this strategic asset-based approach keep attackers away from your intellectual property? Tactically speaking, asset-based security allows you to better manage operational workflow by pointing out which security efforts would reduce the most risk. It differentiates assets based on their criticality to your business, allowing for you to make faster and better decisions in response to threats. For example, say an attacker wants to gain access to your primary research and development database server. A few days before, several vulnerabilities were publicly disclosed detailing exploitable flaws in your databases. During peak business hours, your IDS detects many possible incidents including a buffer overflow attack directed at your R&D database server. Because your security program is integrated around your assets, the R&D database server is immediately recognized as a highly critical asset that, according to the newly disclosed vulnerability data and ongoing vulnerability scans, is vulnerable to the buffer overflow attack detected by your IDS. The incident stands out from the rest of the alerts and is escalated as the highest priority and your security team reallocates their resources to mitigate the threat immediately, maintaining the integrity of your intellectual property.

Strategically speaking, an asset-based security program keeps intruders out by ensuring that all individual security processes are focused on what matters most to your business-the risk faced by your critical assets. This allows you to quantify the deliverables each individual process using a uniform standard without comparing apples to oranges. As a result, you can accurately measure and evaluate your security program using a metric that is universally understood and directly aligned with your company's business needs. And, because accurate measurement is the foundation for continuous improvement, you now have the groundwork in place to drive change as the security of your critical assets demands it.

Implementing a strategic, asset-based security program is absolutely vital to protecting your critical assets from attacks now and in the future. Regardless of what the preferred method of attack will be in the future, the target will still remain the same. For a savvy attacker, a newly discovered exploit isn't the prize; it's only a means to an end. The information security landscape is dynamic in nature and attack vectors will continue to shift as the landscape evolves. During all of this, the one aspect that is guaranteed to remain constant is the attacker's focus on profiting from your assets. Approach your security program tactically without focusing on the assets it is meant to protect and you might as well let attackers drive, because they're going to choose which direction you'll be heading in anyway. Approach your security program strategically by focusing on your assets so that security decisions are driven by real business risk, and you will be able to efficiently address threats regardless of how they evolve.




Steven Drew is Chief Operating Officer of LURHQ Corporation, a trusted provider of Managed Security Services. Founded in 1996, LURHQ protects the critical information assets of more than 400 customers by offering integrated Threat Management services.