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It is springtime, which means that Major League Baseball is back in season.

Just like countless other baseball fans, I enjoy hearing the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd — but as a cybersecurity professional, I cannot help but draw some parallels between this great sport and my own profession.

Consider this: every time a baseball player steps into the batter’s box, they are trying to penetrate the defenses of the team out in the field. That is similar to the way that cyber criminals try to hack into a business’ digital assets. In both cases, a team scores when it outfoxes the opposition.

And think about when a player is at bat and takes three strikes: they are called out and must exit the batting box. But they continue to be a factor since, in most cases, they will still be in the lineup. Similarly, a cybercriminal may strike out three times, but they are definitely not out of the game and will return for more swings at their victim.

Then, think of the players in the field, working as a team to support each other. The first baseman, for example, is responsible not only for fielding ground balls hit in his vicinity but also for catching throws from other players to force a runner out at first base. Meanwhile, in a double play situation, a shortstop may try to snag a throw from the first baseman and make a relay throw to second. You could call these and other moves a kind of layered defense.

Businesses may not field shortstops, outfielders and others, but they do have, or should have, defensive layers that work with each other to repel attackers. Passwords, for example, are one line of defense. Before someone can access certain files or applications, they must enter a string of letters and/or numbers and other characters.

But what if a hacker somehow obtained your password? Then, like a shortstop, multifactor authentication or MFA – a method of login verification that adds a layer of security beyond just a simple username and password – can step in to guard the open spot.

A layered cybersecurity approach will typically address multiple areas, including: 

Perimeter Security: Or using technology systems to protect digital assets from unauthorized access and intrusion. Firewalls are part of this solution, but Zero Trust security can further reinforce your perimeter, by requiring authentication for every transaction, providing greater visibility and threat mitigation.

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Endpoint Security: Or using tools and policies to protect and support each device that connects to an organization’s network. The move to a mobile and remote workforce means that the attack surface has broadened exponentially. Combining zero trust security with improved device management solutions, including automated patches or updates, MFA, managing remote access, enforcing password policies, and monitoring devices for possible threats can improve endpoint security.

Backup and Disaster Recovery: In the event of a natural disaster, successful ransomware, or other cyber attack, a business may lose access to its records. That is why it is critical to keep copies in the cloud or other off-site locations. Data backups should be automated to ensure they are done regularly, and both backup and restore plans should be mapped out and tested periodically. 

Employee Awareness Training: Just as baseball players train during the off-season to keep their edge, businesses need to keep employees up to date on cybersecurity best practices throughout the year. A targeted approach to employee awareness training will consider the types of attacks that may be mounted against your organization and will map out programs for the appropriate personnel. The training content should be engaging, actionable, and updated periodically. It should also be tailored to a variety of learning styles, with interactive and game-based formats.

Unfortunately, although baseball season sunsets each year, cyber criminals never take a break. But businesses that work closely with a cybersecurity professional can reduce their threat profile and move closer to batting 1,000 in their cybersecurity wins. Go Yankees!

Carl Mazzanti is president of eMazzanti Technologies in Hoboken, providing IT consulting and cybersecurity services for businesses ranging from home offices to multinational corporations.