A CISO’s Ultimate Security Validation Checklist

If you’re heading out of the office on a well-deserved vacation,
are you certain the security controls you have in place will let
you rest easy while you’re away? More importantly – do you have the
right action plan in place for a seamless return?

Whether you’re on the way out of – or back to – the office, our
Security Validation Checklist can help make sure your security
posture is in good shape.

1. Check the logs and security events of your key
critical systems. Stay up-to-date on recent activities.
Check for changes – and attempted changes – and any potential
indicators of compromise. Planning to be gone for longer than a
week? Designate a team member to perform a weekly review in your
absence, reducing the chances of a critical event going
undetected.

2. Check for any new security vulnerabilities that were
identified on your vacation. Use your preferred scanning
tool or check one of the regularly updated databases, such as
CVE Details^[1].

3. Investigate failures of critical components and the
reasons behind them. If remediation is needed, create an
action plan to address the immediate issues and prevent repeated
failures in the future.

4. Review whether there were any key changes to your
products and their corresponding security controls. While
now isn’t the time to implement major changes to your EDR, SIEM
system, or other corresponding solutions, do make sure you’re aware
of any updates that were made in your absence. Once you’re back –
and able to monitor the impact on your overall security posture –
you can make larger-scale changes to your controls.

5. Check with HR for any relevant changes. Did
any new employees join the company and therefore need access to
specific systems? Conversely, did any employees leave and need
their credentials revoked? Were there any other incidents or red
flags that require your attention?

6. Be aware of new business orientations. Did
the organization introduce any new services or products that
expanded the potential attack surface? For instance, did a new
website or mobile app go live, or was a new version of a software
product rolled out? Make sure your team is up to speed on the
latest changes.

7. Check your password
policies. Password policies shouldn’t be dependent on your
vacation status, but as you work through this security checklist,
take the opportunity to make sure policies are appropriately
protecting the organization. Consider reviewing length, complexity,
and special character requirements, as well as expiration and re-use policies^[2].

8. Review firewall configurations
. With many security experts recommending a review of
firewall configurations every three to six months^[3], now is an opportune
time for an audit. Review network traffic filtering rules,
configuration parameters, and authorized administrators – among
other configurations – to make sure you’re using the appropriate
configurations

There are plenty of tools that can help work through this
checklist – but do you have all the resources needed to make sure
everything will be addressed?

If you need help automating and standardizing your processes –
or making sure critical vulnerabilities aren’t slipping through the
cracks – Automated Security Validation^[4] can help. With real-time
visibility, complete attack surface management, and actual
exploitation measures – not just simulations – it provides what you
need to rest easy while you’re away. And when you get back?
Risk-based remediation plans help you create your roadmap for
keeping your organization protected.

When you’re back, we’ve got your back. To learn more about
protecting your security posture with Automated Security
Validation, request a demo^[5]
of the Pentera platform.