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

The remaining safeguards under Control 13 enhance monitoring precision, response efficiency, and overall situational awareness. They include collecting network traffic flow logs, enforcing port-level access control, and tuning alert thresholds regularly. Collecting flow logs provides visibility into data movement and communication patterns, supporting both security analysis and capacity planning. Port-level access control—using technologies such as 802.1X—verifies the identity of devices before allowing them to connect, preventing unauthorized hardware from entering the network. Finally, continuous tuning of detection thresholds ensures that monitoring remains effective as network usage and attacker tactics evolve. These measures ensure that defenses remain not only active but intelligent, capable of adapting to shifting operational realities without overwhelming analysts with noise.

Implementing these safeguards requires coordination between security operations, network management, and endpoint administration. Automated systems should collect, store, and analyze flow logs, correlating them with asset and vulnerability data for context. Port-level controls integrate with directory services, ensuring that access is granted only to compliant, authenticated devices. Regularly reviewing detection thresholds prevents alert fatigue and ensures meaningful coverage of emerging risks. Mature programs document and test these processes within an overarching detection engineering strategy, where lessons from incident investigations feed back into improved monitoring logic. Collectively, these safeguards transform network monitoring from passive observation into active defense. Control 13’s remaining elements close the visibility gaps that attackers exploit, reinforcing an enterprise’s ability to see, understand, and respond to threats faster and more effectively.
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