Security Best Practices and Mechanisms

No, security best practices cannot work effectively without known and proven security mechanisms. Security best practices are guidelines and policies, but they require underlying technical or procedural mechanisms to be implemented and to be effective.

For example, a best practice might be to enforce strong access control. This practice relies on mechanisms such as user authentication protocols, authorization systems (like Role-Based Access Control), and encryption to protect credentials and data in transit. Without these proven mechanisms, the best practice remains a concept without practical application or verifiable security benefits.

These mechanisms are foundational. As discussed in sources like the Guide to Computer Network Security by Joseph Migga Kizza, security policies and best practices describe what needs to be achieved, while security mechanisms are the concrete tools and techniques used to achieve those objectives. Implementing best practices, such as those described by Putvinski in IT security best practices, necessitates the use of established security controls and technologies.