Layer 8 Security’s 12 Cybersecurity Checks for a Safer Season
The end of the year is more than a time for reflection; it’s a critical opportunity to strengthen your organization’s security posture. To help close the year with confidence, our experts have gathered 12 essential cybersecurity checks every organization should prioritize before the New Year.
1.Ensure a Comprehensive Strategy
Security teams face unprecedented challenges. The expanding attack surface, sophisticated AI-enhanced threats, operational complexities, regulatory demands, and resource constraints all contribute to a reactive security posture that often misses critical exposures.
2.Audit User Access
Review all employee, contractor, and vendor accounts to ensure access aligns with job roles. Remove dormant or unnecessary accounts to reduce insider and external threat risk.
3.Revisit Compliance Requirements
If you align with NIST CSF 2.0, CMMC, SOC 2, or other frameworks, review your controls, close gaps, and update your SSP and POA&M.
4.Update Your Incident Response Team
Make sure contact lists, roles, and recovery plans are current. If it’s been a while, schedule a tabletop exercise for early next year.
5.Verify Log Monitoring and Alerting
Confirm that logs from critical systems are properly collected, retained, and actively monitored.
6.Endpoint and Device Review
Verify all laptops, desktops, and mobile devices are encrypted, protected with endpoint security, and fully managed. Retire outdated hardware that no longer meets security standards.
7.Backup & Recovery Readiness
Run tests to ensure you can successfully restore from backups. Verify offline or immutable backups exist to protect against ransomware.
8.Continuous Penetration Testing
Run internal and external scans to identify exploitable weaknesses. Prioritize remediation based on severity and known exploited vulnerabilities.
9.Update Policies and Documentation
Ensure your information security policies, incident response plans, and business continuity documentation reflect your current environment and risk profile.
10.Review Network Security Controls
Clean up outdated firewall rules, validate segmentation, and confirm VPN settings align with current security best practices.
11.Refresh Security Awareness Training
Human error remains the #1 cause of breaches. A year-end phishing simulation and training refresh keeps employees alert to modern threats.
12.Assess Third-Part Risk
Vendors often introduce hidden exposure. Reevaluate critical suppliers, remove unused vendors, and confirm security expectations remain enforced.
Cybersecurity is not a one-and-done project. It’s an ongoing process that demands consistent attention, informed decision-making, and proactive risk management. By prioritizing these safeguards now, you’re not only closing out the year with confidence but also setting the stage for a stronger, more secure year ahead.
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