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Don’t leave your draw bridge down
How do you build a fortress-like defence system without compromising on efficiency and performance? That is one of the questions addressed in the principles of Secure by Design, a proactive approach that Nine23 and Infratech Digital are leveraging in their joint proposition. Let’s delve into what Secure by Design entails and how these industry leaders implement it to safeguard your digital assets.
What is Secure by Design?
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has championed the Secure by Design approach, a strategy that is widely adopted across Defence, Law Enforcement, and other data-sensitive environments. This methodology aligns with industry best practices that have been prevalent in defence engineering firms for the past 15 years. Originally developed to protect national security, these principles were designed to counter highly capable threat actors who could quickly exploit vulnerabilities. Concepts like “defence in depth,” “failing in a secure state,” and “strong authentication” have long been fundamental to these services.
Key principles of Secure by Design include:
- Create responsibility for cyber security risk
- Source secure technology products
- Adopt a risk-driven approach
- Design usable security controls
- Build in detect and respond security
- Design flexible architectures
- Minimise the attack surface
- Defend in depth
- Embed continuous assurance
- Make changes securely
Why should I use Secure by Design principles?
Much like the introduction of the OFFICIAL classification, Secure by Design has transitioned from rigid definitions and controls to a set of pragmatic and proportionate principles. These principles are adaptable, allowing organisations to tailor them to their specific contexts. This shift decentralises risk assessment, threat modelling, and security architecture, requiring organisations to build their internal capabilities and seek specialized support as needed.
- Proactive Security: Secure by Design emphasises the critical need to protect services at every stage of their lifecycle. Addressing security early in the development process proves to be more cost-effective and results in more robust systems. The digital transformation era, characterised by a shift away from Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions towards web-native service development, has diminished the effectiveness of retrofitting security controls.
- Cost Efficiency: Identifying and addressing security issues early in the design phase minimises costly post-development fixes. The Systems Sciences Institute at IBM reported that fixing a defect found during the testing phase can cost about 15 times more than one identified and fixed during the design phase, and up to 100 times more once the software is in production.
- Comprehensive Protection: Implementing multiple layers of defence ensures robust security against a wide range of threats.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensures systems meet industry standards and regulatory requirements.
- Operational Reliability: Secure systems are more stable, reducing downtime and maintenance efforts.
The broader adoption of Secure by Design across Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) is driven by several factors. The volume and specialisation of cyber attackers have increased, leading to a rise in opportunistic threats even for organisations that were previously considered low-risk. The diversity of services requiring protection has expanded, making uniform controls less effective. Furthermore, the impacts of system unavailability have become more significant due to digital transformation and automation. Consequently, shifting security responsibilities to the organisations directly managing these systems is more logical, except in the most critical scenarios.
How can I implement Secure by Design principles to an existing IT Infrastructure?
Using your existing IT infrastructure is cost-effective and causes less disruption and therefore a great choice compared to investing in new technology.
Firstly, it’s important to find a trusted partner to discuss your requirements before assessing your current infrastructure.
If your requirements are high-level security (OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE to SECRET), UK Sovereignty or the ability to manage your service with SC cleared staff, Nine23 is an experienced, trusted cyber security partner. We are partnered with Infratech Digital, the architects of IT infrastructure, to assess your current infrastructure with an IX assessment. This involves a detailed assessment of the five pillars, Digital Transport, Digital Machinery, Digital Control, Digital Security and Digital Intelligence.
The goal is to identify areas of improvement and potential vulnerabilities without disrupting current operations. Based on the assessment findings, whether it’s secure configurations, access control measures, or multi-layered defences, the advised solution ensures that security is embedded within the core architecture of the IT systems with the Secure by Design principles integrated from the ground up.
Continuous Improvement
Cyber security is an ongoing battle. Recognising this, Nine23 and Infratech Digital provide continuous support to maintain and enhance the security posture of organisations.
Regular reviews, updates, and improvements are part of their strategy to ensure that the security measures evolve in response to emerging threats and technological advancements.
Benefits Delivered
Infratech Digital and Nine23 have worked with highly regulated clients in public sector and Defence, gaining practical experience in the adoption of these principles and our involvement with the Secure by Design working group, offering the benefit of both the emerging policies and strategy with the hands on delivery of major IT programmes.
Conclusion
Incorporating Secure by Design principles is no longer an option but a necessity in today’s threat landscape. By embedding security at the core of service development and adapting to evolving threats, organisations can ensure robust protection and resilience in an increasingly hostile digital environment.
Nine23 and Infratech Digital’s expertise in this area ensures that organisations can build and maintain secure, resilient, and efficient IT infrastructures. By partnering with us, you can safeguard your digital architecture and focus on driving Secure by Design.
