Framework: The Center for Internet Security (CIS) Top 18 Controls

The remaining safeguards under Control 9 expand email and web browser protection into a comprehensive strategy against social engineering and content-based attacks. They include implementing DNS filtering services, maintaining URL filters, restricting unauthorized extensions, deploying DMARC authentication, blocking unnecessary file types, and maintaining email server anti-malware defenses. Each of these measures targets a specific weakness in the content-delivery chain. DNS and URL filtering prevent access to known malicious domains, while restrictions on file types—such as executables or scripts—eliminate the risk of users opening infected attachments. Network-based malware detection at the email gateway adds an additional inspection layer, quarantining suspicious content before it reaches endpoints. By combining these capabilities, organizations can stop the majority of phishing and malware campaigns before human interaction occurs.

Executing these safeguards effectively requires integration across multiple platforms. Email gateways, DNS filters, and endpoint protections should share intelligence feeds to update threat signatures automatically. Browser and email policies must be standardized across all systems, and updates applied promptly to maintain compatibility with current security features. For cloud-hosted mail environments, administrators must ensure that security settings—like attachment scanning and link protection—are fully enabled and properly configured. Metrics such as blocked phishing attempts, sandboxed attachments, and user reporting rates help measure the program’s effectiveness. Together, these safeguards embody the concept of defense in depth—layering controls so that if one fails, others still provide protection. Control 9 ultimately reinforces that human-facing systems require constant attention, combining technology, process, and education to reduce risk from the single most exploited vector in cybersecurity: the inbox and the browser window.
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