Operational stability requires a secure foundation if you plan to scale the ladders of success. By following these methodical steps, like safely ascending a ladder, any leadership team can progressively build a resilient operation in part with a secure and reliable foundation.
How many steps do you need to climb to address the requirements now?
Ladders are primarily intended as a means of access when a work task is out of reach. When used correctly, the ladder provides reasonable fall protection in the workspace. Just as climbing steps on a ladder requires methodical steps for safety, taking calculated cybersecurity measures for a business follows a similar progression.
Review the following eight steps to take calculated cybersecurity steps to protect your business.
Placement of the ladder (Risk Assessment)
Before climbing a ladder, carefully assess the workspace, identify the best placement, and ensure it’s on a solid foundation. This caution aligns with performing cybersecurity risk assessments in a business, where you understand the business processes that generate revenue, identify potential threats that will disrupt operations, and determine if your security measures are appropriate for your specific business needs and level of acceptable risks.
Cause of accidents (Controls)
Human error is by far the leading cause of ladder accidents as well as cybersecurity incidents. Limited prevention, detection, and mitigation controls are prime examples of how small disruption events become significant losses. Avoid tipping the ladder sideways is similar to misconfiguration issues, leading to loss events. People also misunderstand security requirements, so allocated capital does not produce results or fulfill the enterprise risk management plans.
Reducing the cost and duration of future loss events is a prioritized step-by-step process.One step at a time (Incremental Improvements)
You climb the ladder steadily, one step at a time, maintaining a solid grip and balance. Likewise, reducing the cost and duration of future loss events is a prioritized step-by-step process. Based on the earlier determination, it might involve gradually implementing better password management, establishing more controls, or improving user education about potential threats.
Checking each rung (Continuous Monitoring)
Just as you would inspect a ladder for any weak or broken steps before climbing, it’s essential to identify potential vulnerabilities in your cyber defense strategy. This process might involve regular penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, and inventory audits of your technology infrastructure.
Ladder maintenance (Regular Updates and Patching)
Over time, a ladder may weaken or become damaged, requiring regular inspection and maintenance. The discoveries inform the necessity of regular updates and patching. As software and hardware exploits are identified, manufacturers’ updates and patches repair these weaknesses, keeping your cybersecurity ladder solid and reliable.
Awareness of surroundings (Threat Intelligence)
As you climb the ladder, you stay aware of your workspace surroundings for potential hazards. In the digital world, this translates to staying updated with the latest threat intelligence, knowing what new cyber threats, malware, or hacking techniques are emerging, and adjusting your defenses accordingly.
Protective equipment (Backup and Recovery Plans)
Wear safety gear like a helmet or harness when climbing a ladder, especially in hazardous conditions. This concept parallels the importance of having backup and recovery plans in cybersecurity, which act as your safety net in case of data loss or system failures, enabling you to restore your business operations.
To keep cloud applications secure, you must know the current threats and the best procedures to ensure your data is recoverable.Descending carefully (Incident Response)
When danger presents itself, you carefully descend the ladder to safety. This concern is akin to having an incident response plan in cybersecurity. When a breach of your system or other loss event occurs, you need a well-practiced plan to manage and mitigate the incident, minimize financial and reputational damage, and guide the careful recovery of systems and data.
In summary
Ladders are easy to carry, versatile, and used in various jobs. While they can make many tasks easier, they can also be a safety hazard. By following these methodical steps, just like safely ascending a ladder, a business can progressively build a resilient operation in part with a secure cybersecurity foundation.
It is common to encounter problems while climbing, so you must ascend carefully. You could develop a scalable plan to identify and isolate issues, mitigate the damage, investigate the cause of disruptions, and implement measures to prevent similar incidents.
Whether you need to determine the height of your ladder or how many steps to climb, we stand ready to support your climb.
To make a useful plan based on business impact, visit SPOT-Beam Contain or the Shop to evaluate the cost-benefit.
As a proud supporter of American companies, Certitude Security® is working diligently to inform business and technical leaders and facilitate essential asset protection priorities for companies throughout the United States.
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