Timely and Accurate Detection and Control of Logical Threats and Vulnerabilities as a Precursor for Success in Corporate Information System Security

Organizations grapple with numerous cyber security challenges on daily basis. Many operate online with limited technical controls in place that cannot adequately detect, report and mitigate against the inherent risks. This paper postulates that timely and accurate detection and control of logical threats and vulnerabilities within a corporate information system’s environment is a precursor for success in implementing an effective information system security progrmame. Consequently, in this research, a five-level stratified vigilance structure is developed- and defined as: very low vigilance, low vigilance, moderate vigilance, high vigilance and hyper vigilance- then implemented in a next generation unified threat management (UTM) firewall deployed at the gateway of a high traffic corporate network to monitor activities on the network including threats and vulnerabilities. The UTM was initially deployed with the lowest level of vigilance, then gradually and systematically re-adjusted in a carefully calibrated manner, to represent the various successive levels of vigilance and handled logical threats and vulnerabilities at the various levels. The outcome of the study demonstrated that vigilance is a very important factor in detecting and controlling information systems threats and vulnerabilities in a timely and accurate manner, and this directly translates to the security of the infrastructure.