Strategies for fostering a cybersecurity-focused mindset within your business entity
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the importance of cybersecurity has never been more crucial. Over the past 13 years, the United States has consistently recorded the highest average data breach costs, with this year's cost reaching a staggering $9.48 million [1]. This underscores the urgent need for organizations to protect their critical data by fostering a culture of security awareness from within.
To aid in this endeavour, several resources are available. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) both provide free and publicly available resources to help organizations improve their cybersecurity posture [2]. Partnering with a risk management platform that identifies leading indicators and tracks the annually increasing trends of importance placed on cyber risk is also recommended [3].
Building a resilient security culture is a multi-faceted process. Leadership Commitment and Accountability are key. Security culture must be driven from the top with executives visibly prioritizing cybersecurity, demonstrating compliance themselves, and integrating security into strategic business decisions [4][5].
Customized Security Awareness Training is another essential element. Provide regular, role-specific training that addresses the particular threats different employees face. Use realistic scenarios and interactive methods to engage employees effectively [2].
Effective Communication and Policy Dissemination are also crucial. Clearly communicate information security policies across multiple channels, promote security best practices continually, and foster an environment where employees feel comfortable raising security issues [1].
Security Champions and Peer Influence can also play a significant role. Identify and empower security champions within departments who model good practices and encourage responsible behaviour among peers [4].
Monitoring, Feedback, and Continuous Improvement are also vital. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) such as incident response times and awareness levels. Conduct regular audits and assessments to identify gaps and update policies accordingly [1][4].
Incentives and Recognition can reinforce security behaviours. Recognize and reward employees who exemplify good security practices, and foster trust and psychological safety to sustain long-term behavioural change [2][5].
In addition, continuous analysis of internal and external data is important in mitigating cybersecurity incidents. Organizations should also consider requiring a base level of Security Awareness Training (SAT), ensuring employees understand security is a shared responsibility, making cybersecurity topics engaging, providing rewards or incentives, and prioritizing concerns like Social Engineering, Malware, and Hacking [6].
For organizations seeking a comprehensive supplier management system to help reach their cybersecurity goals, ISN offers a solution. ISN helps standardize a tiered, third-party risk management program across all supply chain participants that pose a cybersecurity risk [7]. As a supplier's risk level increases, ISN can verify internal cybersecurity policies through Document Collection and assess a supplier's internal security posture with Cyber Plus [8].
Security culture, defined as a group of security-related values, attitudes, assumptions, and norms that can be seen in the actions and behaviours of all personnel within an organization, is a crucial component in the fight against cyber threats. By implementing these strategies, organizations can create an environment where security awareness and proactive behaviours are integral to daily operations.
[1] Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute. (2021). Verizon 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report. [2] National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (n.d.). Cybersecurity Training Resources. [3] Forrester Consulting. (2020). The Total Economic Impact™ Of The ServiceNow Security Operations. [4] Centre for Internet Security (CIS). (2019). Cybersecurity Framework V7.0. [5] Protiviti. (2020). The Human Factor: A Comprehensive Approach to Employee Cybersecurity Awareness Training. [6] Statista. (2021). Most Common Types of Cyberattacks Worldwide. [7] ISN. (n.d.). Supplier Risk Management. [8] ISN. (n.d.). Cyber Risk Management.
- Enhancing cybersecurity in the evolving technology landscape necessitates a focus on cyber risk management within organizations.
- To strengthen cybersecurity posture, resources from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) can be utilized.
- Effective communication and continuous improvement, along with customized security awareness training, are essential elements in fostering a resilient security culture.
- In line with mitigating cybersecurity incidents, organizations should analyze internal and external data, require a base level of Security Awareness Training (SAT), and prioritize concerns like Social Engineering, Malware, and Hacking.
