Cybersecurity Strategy: Building Security Beyond Technology

Introduction

When people talk about cybersecurity strategy mostly they discuss the technical side-like firewalls, encryption, and other threat detection systems. But people explore the least area when it comes to cyber security strategy: people, culture and the decision-making process. In fact, people make a robust security strategy not by tools. The people, the processes and over the time make it. If not, then companies would never have to worry even if they invest millions in security tools.

Cybersecurity Strategy: Identifying Critical Assets

Organizations often fail to consider which systems and data it is they actually need to protect when designing cybersecurity measures. The most common failure in planning is treating everything with the same level of importance. When in reality it’s crucial to first establish what is the organization’s most valued assets. For example, customer data, financial data, intellectual property and core systems of the business.

By considering which information is most vital, the organization can dedicate resources and attention appropriately. It can develop a more directed approach to security instead of scattering resources throughout the business in an attempt to secure it all.

Cybersecurity Strategy and Building a Security-Aware Workplace Culture

The element of workplace culture is arguably the most overlooked factor in the realm of cybersecurity. Because the employee is interacting with the digital world on a daily basis, he or she is essential. He or she is essential to the development of a security framework. By looking beyond security only to the IT realm and building up a workplace-oriented sense of security, organizations can benefit. They can benefit in numerous ways. Through employee training, consistent communications and realistic instruction, training better equips employees. Training better equips them to identify phished messages, links and social engineering attacks. It is this culture of awareness that builds a more secure business.

Cybersecurity Strategy for Better Decision-Making During Cyber Attacks

It appears from this incident that many cybersecurity breaches are more about the quality of decisions. They are most about the quality of decision than the sophistication of the technology. Lack of role understanding during a cyberattack leads to delayed reaction and exacerbated consequences.

Good cybersecurity policy will encompass clearly designated roles, procedures for incident response and a method of communication. Staff should know who in the organization is responsible for what decision-making during such an attack, and information must be disseminated. Such procedures can be practiced by holding simulations

Third-party risks Management

Organizations seem more willing to secure their own system than to take in consideration risks that could be introduced by vendors, suppliers, or any other external partners. In most of the cases cyber-criminals will take advantage of vulnerabilities in third party network to attack the organization that they collaborate with.

A cyber security plan should be in charge of auditing third-party security measures and organizations should evaluate their vendors and their data sharing agreements prior to engage business relationships and dictate specific security requirements.

Recovery, not just prevention

It is a commonly overlooked aspect of cybersecurity that there is just as much effort required on a post-attack basis as there is in pre-attack preparation. Every system is susceptible to a cyber-attack. Because of this, an organization must prepare, or “plan” for backup procedures, recovery processes and business continuity. The ability to perform rapid recovery from a system event will lessen the time that a business has its systems down.

Conclusion

There is more to having a solid cybersecurity strategy than purchasing advanced technologies. Developing a security strategy requires understanding your essential assets, building security awareness throughout the organization, creating better decision-making processes, handling third-party risks and preparing to recover. Technical solutions continue to be a core part of any cybersecurity strategy, however, often the human and organizational aspect determines the success or failure of a given cybersecurity strategy. Organizations that invest more in the aspects of security mentioned above rather than just the readily available technologies will find their operations better protected as threats evolve.