EP 105 : SDP 5 Work Factor

Published: Sept. 15, 2023, 10 a.m.

https://www.yourcyberpath.com/105/

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In this episode, we are returning to the Security Design Principles series, this time with Work Factor.

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Work factor refers to how much work it\u2019s going to take an adversary to attack your assets and succeed in doing so. This is coming directly from the world of physical security that was imported into the cybersecurity realm.

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What you need to understand is you don\u2019t need perfect security. You don\u2019t have to create an impregnable system (if that even existed) to be able to protect yourself from most dangers. You just need to become a more difficult target than other organizations. And this is where work factor comes in.

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While you need to make it difficult for attackers to consider you as a target, you also need to make sure you are not spending too much time and money doing so, to the point where you are building a $1000 fence to protect a $100 horse. Balancing security and business value is a critical aspect when planning out your security posture.

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Another important aspect that a lot of people usually ignore is the anticipated resources available to the attacker. Understanding how your adversary works and what kind of resources they might be able to utilize can help you determine how much protection you need to put in.

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What You\u2019ll Learn

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0What is Work Factor?

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0Do you need perfect security?

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 How do you value how much protection you need?

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0What kind of attacks endanger small to mid-sized businesses?

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Relevant Websites For This Episode

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0Your Cyber Path\xa0

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0 IRRESISTIBLE: How to Land Your Dream Cybersecurity Position

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0The Cyber Risk Management Podcast

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Other Relevant Episodes

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0\xa0Episode 103 - SDP 4: Compromise Recording

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0 Episode 98 - SDP 2: Psychological Acceptability

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\u25cf\xa0\xa0 Episode 101 - SDP 3: Economy of Mechanism