Proactively Defending Enterprise Computer Systems Against Threats and Vulnerabilities

Abstract

Cybersecurity remains a critical concern, even amidst global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise of COVID-19 has deepened cybersecurity threats, with phishing emails and phone scams attempting to exploit the situation. This paper focuses on proactive strategies to protect enterprise environments against threats and vulnerabilities, specifically in Windows-based systems. Tracing threats and vulnerabilities to their source aims to address them in their early stages rather than after an attack has occurred. This research tackles three prevalent issues: phishing emails, vulnerability patching, and industrial internet-connected devices. Through analyzing various cyber defense models and vulnerability databases, this paper proposes frameworks to mitigate these issues effectively. The study includes a detailed examination of sources of threats and vulnerabilities, aiming to develop methodologies for practical implementation. Ultimately, the goal is to summarize best practices to enhance tool utilization and process improvement and propose new proactive defense methods. The research emphasizes the shift from reactive to proactive defense strategies to better protect enterprise networks.