Upgrading information technology (IT) infrastructure is always necessary eventually, but it is often risky. During this transition, professionals who want to maintain their cybersecurity posture should follow these eight tips.
1. Conduct a Comprehensive Security Audit
A security audit assesses an organization’s cybersecurity posture. If IT professionals know how secure their systems are, they can determine where to fortify their defenses before upgrading.
Teams should start by inventorying all physical, digital and information assets — the hardware, software and data in their tech stack. After all, they can only fix the problems they can see.
They can use the security audit results to assess risk. A comprehensive risk assessment can help them maintain their cybersecurity posture during the upgrades. Considering cyberthreats’ likelihood and potential impact will help them prioritize resource allocation.
Identifying which assets are the most critical — and which threats are the worst — enables effective prioritization. This way, they can develop robust security measures without over- or undercommitting resources.
2. Make the Transition Seamless for End Users
Staggering implementation is not always ideal when upgrading IT infrastructure. Incremental upgrades may be easier to manage from a technical standpoint, but mismatches between legacy and new systems can create security gaps.
However, rushing to adopt new features is not ideal, either. Focusing on features over function is often the cause of failed implementation — overlooking practicality in favor of exciting, new tools defeats the purpose of upgrading.
Decision-makers must understand their end users’ needs. Unsuccessful implementation means reverting to old systems or finding new alternatives, forcing departments to spend more time in a vulnerable transition state.
3. Revisit Old Security Policies and Procedures
Policies and procedures should evolve as the tech stack does. Anything from new vendor integrations to new software behaviors can radically change a company’s cybersecurity posture. Decision-makers should make minimal, impactful updates so the transition is seamless.
4. Extensively Evaluate Third-Party Vendors
Many organizations rely on third-party vendors for IT operations. They outsource network monitoring, use cloud storage or share data with a hardware supplier. It isn’t uncommon for them to contract out additional work when upgrading since their security needs change.
Senior IT professionals who plan on using a new vendor post-upgrade should conduct a thorough cybersecurity evaluation.
Whenever an organization works with a third party, it opens itself to security risks. It can raise the chances of experiencing a data breach or becoming the target of an insider threat. In 2022, nearly 50% of companies were compromised because of a vendor, up 7% from 2021.
Even if leaders don’t plan on utilizing new services, platforms or suppliers, they should evaluate their third parties. A transition is a high-risk period, so it pays to be safe.
5. Create Backups of Critical Systems and Data
A backup is a copy of data stored in a separate, safe location. In the event of a cyberattack, it is like a get-out-of-jail-free card. For example, after being hit by ransomware, IT staff can delete the affected system and restore it from a backup instead of paying the ransom.
A full backup requires a lot of storage space. This is especially true if the copy is updated periodically, incrementally adding new data.
Managing and maintaining backups can be time-consuming. Since they are the last line of defense, professionals must ensure they stay accurate and up to date. As a result, full or incremental backups may not be feasible solutions for some.
The solution is to create partial backups of critical systems and data only. This way, they protect the most valuable information assets without inconveniencing overworked IT staff.
6. Inform Workers of Heightened Security Risks
Everyone should be on guard during transition periods. A good rule of thumb is to assume the worst has happened — that a hacker has infiltrated the network and is spying on the workplace.
Managers and employees who operate under the assumption that a threat actor knows they are upgrading their IT infrastructure will be more wary of suspicious activity like unsolicited emails or abnormal network activity.
Although this approach may seem unnecessary, reports suggest it is. Human error was responsible for 64% of all security incidents from 2021 to 2023. Surprisingly, IT staff — both junior and senior professionals — collectively contributed almost 30%.
Training and awareness can go a long way toward preserving security. Even workers who are well-versed in cybersecurity and software should occasionally brush up on the fundamentals.
7. Fill the Security Gaps With Automation Tools
IT teams are overloaded as it is — adding to their workload with a larger tech stack and additional security requirements may be asking too much. Whether they are overworked or understaffed, automation may be able to help.
Tools like workflow automation, artificial intelligence and robotic process automation can do the jobs humans normally would, saving them time without sacrificing performance.
These technologies can hunt for threats, monitor networks or create backups. Numerous out-of-the-box solutions exist for all kinds of problems. They can also complete repetitive, tedious tasks so workers can focus on more value-adding duties.
Automation may help fill in the gaps where workers can’t. A bonus is that companies may see a return on investment after deployment — overtime can’t offer such a benefit.
8. Thoroughly Test the Upgraded IT Infrastructure
Testing new systems in a controlled environment allows teams to identify and address potential security issues in a risk-free environment. Even if they believe everything will go according to plan, there’s a non-zero chance they will overlook weak spots.
Misconfigurations were responsible for roughly 21% of data breaches in 2023. These configuration errors occur when settings are implemented incorrectly — or not at all. Most are caused by system administrators forgetting to update default settings.
Upgrading IT Infrastructure Without Risking Security
While no defense guarantees 100% security, professionals can use these tips to keep out most cyberthreats while they upgrade their network and computing infrastructure. This approach will be time-consuming, but protecting physical and digital assets is worth the effort.
As the Features Editor at ReHack, Zac Amos writes about cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other tech topics. He is a frequent contributor to Brilliance Security Magazine.
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