What Is Operations Security (OPSEC)? Meaning, Process, and Importance

• Operations security (OPSEC) is defined as a cybersecurity strategy for protecting sensitive data from unauthorized parties.
• OPSEC entails the analysis of IT operations and systems intending to identify potential threats and implement relevant security best practices to address them preemptively.
• This article covers the meaning, process, and importance of OPSEC.

What Is Operations Security (OPSEC)?

Operations security (OPSEC) is a cybersecurity strategy to protect sensitive data from unauthorized parties. It entails the analysis of IT operations and systems intending to identify potential threats and implement relevant security best practices to address them preemptively.

The main goal of OPSEC is to protect confidential and sensitive enterprise data. This is achieved by identifying potential cybersecurity loopholes and mitigating them through analytical and strategic methodologies. The intended result is securing sensitive information from access by maleficent entities.

OPSEC, as a concept, dates back to 1966. Amid the Vietnam War, US Navy Admiral Ulysses Sharp formed a multidisciplinary security task force to investigate operational failures — primarily how an adversary could obtain sensitive information regarding military operations before the plans were executed.

Called Operation Purple Dragon, this investigation roped in personnel from the Department of Defense and the National Security Agency. Once it was concluded, the recommendations of the Purple Dragon team were codified and called ‘Operations Security.’

Subsequently, OPSEC went from strictly military usage to finding applications in other parts of the US government and, over time, to private enterprises to protect customer data and other trade secrets. Today, OPSEC is a critical part of the data security ecosystem that encourages secure data sharing.

See More: What Is Application Security? Definition, Types, Testing, and Best Practices

Importance of OPSEC

Operations security is critical because it drives enterprises to closely analyze the shortcomings in their security posture and patch potential vulnerabilities in a way that a typical data security approach might not.

IT and security teams can leverage the OPSEC process to streamline their technical and non-technical systems while decreasing their cyber risk footprint and bolstering protection against malware-based attacks.

Effective implementation of OPSEC is vital for users looking to prevent unintended exposure of sensitive or classified information. The proper OPSEC measures allow companies to protect data regarding their current capabilities, future ventures, and other sensitive details from falling into the wrong hands.

If this data reaches malicious actors, they could use it to cause large-scale damage. For instance, a sufficiently capable cybercriminal could use leaked employee login credentials to plan a deep-penetrating cyber attack and commit identity theft, spear phishing, or fraud.

Let’s break down the importance of OPSEC into purpose, need, and threats addressed.

Purpose of OPSEC

The core purpose of OPSEC is to enable IT managers to see their cybersecurity defenses from the perspective of a malicious outsider. This approach allows for the proactive identification of weaknesses and minimizes the probability of insider attacks, espionage, and other cyber attacks.

Failing to perform adequate OPSEC can prove a costly mistake. According to the IBM Cost of a data breach 2022 report, the average cost of a data breach in the US is $9.44 million, while the global average total cost of a data breach is pegged at $4.35 million.

Also, at an individual endpoint level, OPSEC makes employees a more difficult target for crimes such as identity theft, whaling phishing, and other forms of fraud. The average user signs up for several online services, installs applications, and writes social media comments, all of which could leave bits of personal information for attackers to put together to create a comprehensive profile. An in-depth OPSEC analysis helps tie up such loose ends and secure enterprise data.

OPSEC gives organizations the confidence that their data security is robust and the assurance that they are protected against cyber attacks. Ultimately, the purpose of OPSEC is to fight weak data security, which is often responsible for critical data being stolen or lost. Such an event can lead to poor customer experience, lost business, and harm to a company’s reputation.

Need for OPSEC

The purpose of OPSEC is clear, but surely other cybersecurity solutions can address the same issues too?

Every company worth its salt considers its core business integrity and customer protections non-negotiable. While technological solutions apart from operations security exist to protect company data, OPSEC drives home the value and importance of data security by taking a more holistic approach. An organization that adopts OPSEC best practices is more likely to understand the importance of investing in cybersecurity protections rather than doing it to check off some to-do list or meet the absolute minimum regulatory requirements.

Data breaches are expensive, time-consuming, and, most importantly, bad for business. Strong OPSEC reduces the company’s risk exposure to external and internal attacks and bolsters information technology systems. Upon understanding the need for OPSEC, stakeholders are better motivated to secure sensitive data, shield systems from cyber threats, and focus on business continuity. This, in turn, cultivates peace of mind and ensures confidential data is safe from any threat.

Top threats addressed by OPSEC

Now that we know the purpose and need for operations security let’s understand the top threats OPSEC addresses.

Threats Addressed by OPSEC

1. Third-party risks

Most organizations today, regardless of size or industry, rely on third-party vendors for various reasons. As such, they need to be confident that these third parties handle the data they have access to sensitively and securely. After all, data breaches on a third-party vendor’s end are often considered to be the responsibility of the primary organization with which the consumer has a relationship. The proper OPSEC measures can help keep the vendor ecosystem secure for companies and their clients.

2. Social engineering

Social engineering attacks occur when cybercriminals manipulate victims into taking or omitting specific actions, such as disclosing sensitive data or disabling security checks. One typical example of social engineering is phishing. OPSEC assists enterprises here by spreading awareness on spotting and preventing such attacks.

3. Patch management

Cybercriminals thrive on exploiting systemic weaknesses, and patch management is one area enterprises should focus on. OPSEC constantly drives users to update to the latest software versions to minimize risks.

4. Malware and ransomware

Malware is malicious code created for the explicit purpose of disrupting company systems. It targets sensitive information and hampers the ability of an enterprise to do business. In the same vein, ransomware infects enterprise networks and takes systems hostage behind a paywall, usually until a cryptocurrency ransom is paid. OPSEC measures can help users avoid falling victim to these cyber crimes.

5. General vulnerabilities

Finally, OPSEC measures help users avoid cyber attacks that target more general weaknesses such as outdated IT infrastructure, unsecured networks, human error caused by insufficient training and awareness, and inadequate security policies. A thoughtful risk assessment plan using the OPSEC process can be beneficial for addressing these issues.

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OPSEC Process

In a nutshell, the OPSEC process is a method for data protection. It helps organizations identify the information that requires protection, actually protect it, and analyze how the failure to protect the said information could be used against them. It can also play a role in enterprise data governance.

Let’s learn more about the OPSEC process and a few best practices.

Steps in the OPSEC Process 

Step 1: Data asset identification

The first step of OPSEC is the identification of data assets and their classification based on several parameters, including sensitivity and criticality.

Most security personnel have a reasonably good pre-existing idea about their organization’s data and which parts of the data are the most sensitive. Sensitive data typically includes customer contact details, bank account information, credit card numbers, financial statements, product research, intellectual property, and employee login credentials.

Interestingly, a sound OPSEC strategy is to approach risk management as if the cyber threat analyst is a cybercriminal. A handy question to ask during data asset identification is, ‘What is the most valuable data of our enterprise?’ The goal here is to spot the information likely to be of most interest to bad actors and hypothesize how they would go about getting it.

Once critical data is identified, users can also start classifying the less critical information. It’s not possible for any organization to actively secure every single data entity; however, creating and maintaining an updated inventory of at least the reasonably important data assets is highly recommended.

Step 2: Threat identification

The second step of OPSEC is the determination of the potential threats to the asset classes identified in step one. This step ideally calls for security personnel and other stakeholders from across teams to come together and brainstorm the hypothetical threats to data security.

One suggested method is the use of ‘cybersecurity tabletop’ exercises that encourage perceiving threats as ‘opportunities from the point of view of threat actors.’ Naturally, these exercises would have to be conducted with OPSEC in focus.

In the cybersecurity context, threats typically involve malicious actions executed to destroy or siphon off critical information. The more important aim is to either earn illicit money or inflict damage at the organizational level. Common security threats include ransomware, malware, phishing, and even insider threats.

A cybersecurity exercise can be enhanced by going beyond the malicious act and accounting for the malicious actor. This is because, depending on the global standing of the organization and several other factors, threat actors can be anyone from independent hackers, disgruntled employees, and organized cybercriminal entities to even foreign governments. This step calls for stakeholders to hypothesize every relevant scenario wherein sensitive data is compromised.

At this stage, the outcome of OPSEC is a comprehensive list of all enterprise data assets and the potential threats they face. This data should ideally be captured within a data threat catalog or similar type of ‘risk register’ that can be updated as and when new threats are spotted.

Step 3: Vulnerability identification

Once the assets and the threats they face are captured, the next step is the identification of vulnerabilities in existing cybersecurity measures that threat actors could perceive as an opportunity to exploit.

Detecting and identifying vulnerabilities typically relies on penetration testing or vulnerability scanning software. Regardless of the method used, the goal is the identification of security vulnerabilities and their subsequent prioritization for remediation. Identifying known vulnerabilities can also be streamlined with the help of security information and event management (SIEM) or using the common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVE) catalog or another vulnerability database.

A crucial part of this step is assessing the technological solutions and processes already in place to detect vulnerabilities. It is important to remember that security solutions come with vulnerabilities regardless of brand or version; while some are undoubtedly better than others, none are flawless. A conversation with the service provider can be helpful here.

Finally, users must be wary of zero-day exploits, generally undiscovered or otherwise unknown vulnerabilities that can only be dealt with once the exploit is attempted.

Step 4: Risk analysis

Once the data assets, threats, and vulnerabilities are all identified, the risk analysis process can finally begin in earnest. The purpose of this OPSEC step is to prioritize the mitigation of the hypothesized security incidents based on the most significant disruption potential.

Based on the vulnerability assessment conducted in step 3, users should rank their vulnerabilities according to the probability that they will be exploited by a cybercriminal, the damage incurred in case of a successful exploit, and the money and other resources required to address the fallout.

At this point of the OPSEC process, the user would have all the data required to insert into this formula:

Threat x Vulnerability x Data Value = Risk Score

This formula will help users analyze the risk level associated with each data asset. The expected outcome is a reasonably accurate probability of a threat occurring and the theorized impact.

The higher the projected risk score for a particular data asset, the higher the resource allocation should be for mitigating the risk. Users must also compare the cost of prevention with the value of the data when prioritizing risks.

Once risk analysis is completed, a comprehensive risk analysis report should be created. This report can describe the value, risk, and vulnerability of each data asset, along with the probability of incident occurrence and recommended security controls. This report can assist management decision-making on policy, procedure, and budget matters.

Step 5: Risk mitigation

The final step here is risk mitigation. In this step, users must implement countermeasures to minimize the risk of threats. The ideal approach to risk mitigation in OPSEC calls for technological and procedural best practices.

Technological OPSEC measures for risk mitigation can include firewalls, encryption, threat hunting, antivirus software, and other automated cybersecurity solutions. On the other hand, procedural best practices can include actions such as using the latest hardware and software updates, providing employee training for cybersecurity, and implementing data protection policies.

Incident response is another important factor for optimizing risk mitigation, particularly in creating the right incident response plan. Organizational response to existing risks is essential, but so is making the right plan for responding to anticipated cybersecurity threats.

Of course, it is not feasible to arrange for the mitigation of every single security risk. The so-called ‘leftover’ risks that crop up after all feasible mitigation measures are applied is known as residual risk. The two primary ways to deal with residual risks are to accept them as is or transfer them to an insurance service provider for a fee.

OPSEC best practices

OPSEC is a broad subject, and several best practices can be followed by organizations to maximize operational security. To complement the above five steps, here are the top three best practices any enterprise can follow to enhance its OPSEC posture and bolster its overall risk management:

1. Identity and access management

Identity and access management (IAM) solutions allow enterprises to ensure that only authorized users can access company systems. IAM is useful for preventing unauthorized access, thereby reducing the risk of data breaches. It is a popular element of risk management and deserves special attention in the OPSEC process.

IAM solutions can include several specific technologies and security best practices, including the principle of least privilege, multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and zero trust. IAM has several benefits for adopting organizations, the main one being the effective protection of business interests, stakeholders, and data assets from cyber threats.

2. Business continuity and disaster recovery

Residual risk is still a risk, and even the most robustly protected enterprises are at risk of being targeted by cybercriminals or other disruptions. When disaster strikes, enterprises must be prepared to deal with the aftermath effectively or suffer financial consequences.

A business continuity plan is a collection of contingency plans outlining the measures an organization can take to keep business operations running and essential services active in the case of an unexpected event. The goal of business continuity planning is the creation of resilient backup systems that can survive an emergency or otherwise potentially disastrous event.

Speaking of disastrous, disaster recovery planning is often overlooked for more comprehensive business continuity planning. However, a well-thought-out disaster recovery plan can help enterprises bring operations back up and running swiftly and securely. Whether it’s a cyberattack or a natural disaster, a disaster recovery plan is helpful for users to regain access and functionality to their IT infrastructure.

3. AI-driven automation

Today’s corporate world can no longer afford to ignore the power of artificial intelligence (AI). AI can strengthen cybersecurity, where humans have been regularly proven the weakest link.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that most enterprise technologies would run securely if left uninterrupted by humans. And humans don’t just make mistakes — they have the potential to act maliciously, which AI does not do unless prompted.

Per the IBM Cost of a data breach 2022 report, “For 83% of companies, it’s not if a data breach will happen, but when. Usually more than once. When detecting, responding to, and recovering from threats, faster is better. Organizations using AI and automation had a 74-day shorter breach lifecycle and saved an average of $3 million more than those without.”

To reduce the effects of human error and malice, it would be prudent for an organization to drive the adoption of AI-based automation. Automated cybersecurity solutions can minimize the probability of humans disrupting critical enterprise processes, thus ensuring operations security.

See More: What Is Endpoint Security? Definition, Key Components, and Best Practices

Takeaway

As cyber threats evolve and gain sophistication, operations security today is more crucial for organizations than ever. OPSEC helps organizations identify critical data assets and adopt suitable protective measures for thwarting unauthorized access. Failure to implement OPSEC effectively will likely lead to financial loss, reputational damage, and punitive regulatory measures.

Before choosing the best OPSEC practices for their enterprise, security teams must identify critical data assets and assess potential vulnerabilities and threats. Such an assessment ideally accounts for enterprise size, industry, and regulatory obligations. Once this assessment is done, a comprehensive OPSEC plan can be created. Such a plan would ideally include employee training, measures to monitor for suspicious events, and the regular review and update of cybersecurity measures.

With these foundational steps complete, enterprises can adopt best practices to enhance their OPSEC, including implementing strong access controls, encryption of sensitive information, and regular security audits. Staying updated on the latest vulnerabilities and threats and adjusting security measures accordingly is also crucial.

To conclude, OPSEC is vital to any enterprise’s cybersecurity strategy. By proactively identifying and securing critical data assets, enterprises can better protect themselves against cybercrime and focus on hassle-free, long-term success.

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