EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Strengthening cyber security is an endurance event. As with a marathon, strengthening security requires the careful implementation of strategy, consistent pacing, effective training, clear communication, and an insightful evaluation of overall performance. How can your organization win the race?
Strategy
Ahead of implementing a cyber security roadmap, organizations should ensure that their strategy is sound and dependable. Roadmaps should exhibit information concerning security policies, procedures and resolutions.
In addition, a plan should include a comprehensive assessment of the current cyber security environment, existent monitoring tools, and a deep-dive into the types of data assets on-site.
Classifying data assets based on the level of risk they present is also critical. Organizations should think about data as presenting ‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low’ levels of risk.
Lastly, organizations should determine which admins and security professionals retain access to data assets, for what reason, and for what duration of time.
Pace
Once your roadmap is ready, ensure that leaders set the right pace for the plan. If your organization takes a hasty approach, details may get lost or your organization may feel too burnt out to make it to mile twenty six.
Further, the timeline for new cyber security initiatives should complement that of your organization’s schedule. For example, CISOs of educational institutions should ensure that the timing does not disrupt academic activities. Cyber security professionals who work with businesses must ensure that new charters will not clash with internal events, conferences or the needs of employees in non-local time zones.
Training
As many as 60 percent of IT professionals report that new hires are at high risk of falling victim to social engineering threats. As a result, user awareness trainings are critical in protecting a business.
Organizations should build trainings to reflect an organization’s unique business challenges. For example, a food-services group may wish to highlight social engineering attempts that impersonate key food suppliers or client groups.
Innovative and entertaining trainings are the ones that are most likely to ‘stick’ in the minds of employees. Informative and fun video segments can help.
Regardless of your approach to cyber security training, it’s neither a one-size-fits-all nor a ‘one-and-done’ agenda item. Organizations that successfully prevent threats recognize that cyber security awareness training is an ongoing process.
Communications
In delivering cyber security communications to employees, consider utilizing a variety of email-based approaches. Monitor the efficacy of these approaches via robust analytics tools. Organizations should know whether or not cyber security communications are reaching the intended audience and whether or not they can be tied to outcomes.
The use of varied social media conduits can also expand the reach of an organization’s cyber security messaging.
Success
As organizations reach the finish line when it comes to execution of their plans, organizations should be sure to measure outcomes. This information can assist in determining an organization’s future cyber security path.
The cost of cyber attacks is increasing. Preparation can help your organization hit the ground running and can enable you to achieve the micro-successes that can help organizations win against the hackers.
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