Developing a Cyber Security Strategy

Every strategy should be custom-designed. A cybersecurity strategy that works for one company will not necessarily be effective for another. It’s different for every entity based on their specific needs and vulnerabilities. However, there are some overarching themes that you can take into account regardless of your company size, scope, or industry.

Understanding risks to critical business operations

Cybersecurity is constantly becoming more complex. Organizations must have a ‘security vision’ about what cybersecurity means to their operations. This includes generating an acceptable level of risk and prioritizing areas to target for the majority of security investments.

Integrating the strategy across departments

A good security strategy must work across all the security measures that a company already has in place. Companies should intervene smartly in crucial areas to close off backdoors and improve overall security.

Deter the threats on the inside

Many of the backdoors and vulnerabilities that doom a company to cyber victimhood begin from an internal problem. A part of every cybersecurity package should include internal monitoring to prevent insiders from using their access maliciously. Protective monitoring also helps a company to differentiate between insider attacks that are purposeful or accidental.

Plan for breaches ahead of time

Understand that hackers are always one step ahead of the curve in security. No matter how good your defenses may be, they will be breached at some point in time. Instead of waiting in fear for the inevitable, prepare for it. Boost your disaster recovery and business continuity metrics so that when something does happen, you can return to normal functionality as quickly as possible.

With the basics of cybersecurity covered, should a company now feel relaxed with their new insights into protections? Not at all. Cybersecurity means remaining eternally vigilant in a constantly moving digital ecosystem. The solutions that work today will not work tomorrow. Hackers will have figured out something else by then, and they will be at your front door with even more powerful executions.