PREPARING FOR AND MITIGATING POTENTIAL CYBER THREATS | CISA

PREPARING FOR AND MITIGATING POTENTIAL CYBER THREATS

In the lead up to the holidays and in light of persistent and ongoing cyber threats, CISA urges critical infrastructure owners and operators to take immediate steps to strengthen their computer network defenses against potential malicious cyber attacks. Sophisticated threat actors, including nation-states and their proxies, have demonstrated capabilities to compromise networks and develop long-term persistence mechanisms. These actors have also demonstrated capability to leverage this access for targeted operations against critical infrastructure with potential to disrupt National Critical Functions.
Executives and senior leaders can proactively take steps to prepare their organizations should an incident occur. Implementing the cybersecurity best practices provided below can help guide leaders to strengthen operational resiliency by improving network defenses and rapid response capabilities.

ACTIONS FOR LEADERS

CISA strongly urges organizations to take the following immediate actions to strengthen their defenses.

Increase organizational vigilance by ensuring there are no gaps in Information Technology (IT)/Operational Technology (OT) security personnel coverage and that staff provides continual monitoring for all types of anomalous behavior. Security coverage is particularly important during the winter holiday season when organizations typically have lower staffing.
Prepare your organization for rapid response by adopting a state of heightened awareness. Create, update, or review your cyber incident response procedures and ensure your personnel are familiar with the key steps they need to take during and following an incident. Have staff check reporting processes and exercise continuity of operations plans to test your ability to operate key functions in an IT-constrained or otherwise degraded environment. Consider your organization’s cross-sector dependencies and the impact that a potential incident at your organization may have on other sectors, as well as how an incident at those sectors could affect your organization.
Ensure your network defenders implement cybersecurity best practices. Enforce multi-factor authentication and strong passwords, install software updates (prioritizing known exploited vulnerabilities), and secure accounts and credentials.
Stay informed about current cybersecurity threats and malicious techniques. Encourage your IT/OT security staff to subscribe to CISA’s mailing list and feeds to receive notifications when CISA releases information about a security topic or threat.
Lower the threshold for threat and information sharing. Immediately report cybersecurity incidents and anomalous activity to CISA and/or the FBI.

Maine Water Utilities Association