Times are tough for the good guys, but a recession is always an opportunity for criminals. Threats to your sensitive data, your customers and your infrastructure are increasing dramatically, from compromised and malicious Web sites to unhappy employees to poorly controlled partners.

The good news is that you can tighten your security and tighten your belt at the same time. Quick-payoff strategies can help you stay on top of evolving security threats without neglecting your network infrastructure.

There are many clever ways to do this. In this article in this month’s Information Security magazine, I’ll look at 10 steps you can take to improve your threat management posture that require minimum investment, manpower and give you a fast return on your investment.