With the cyber threat growing exponentially, and virtually no enterprise left untouched at this point – cybersecurity has quickly evolved from a necessary yet bothersome evil, to a company-wide mandate. From the board of directors to the end user, cybersecurity visibility is a critical piece of your operations, and is necessary not only to remain safe but to make strategic go-forward decisions which best protect and benefit the business.
Cybersecurity Visibility – Who Does it Affect?
Risk management protocols should now be designed not only to provide IT with information regarding security threats, but to provide a wide range of users with valuable information about the company’s cybersecurity risk management program. Some of the players involved in today’s cybersecurity visibility standards include:
- Boards, internal and external audit committees, and all levels of senior management have a critical oversight role relative to cybersecurity. They are required to comprehend fully the business cybersecurity risk posture, to continuously monitor compliance with internal and external regulations, and gauge the effectiveness of cybersecurity controls which have been implemented company wide.
- Organizations are often required to prove to regulators and federal agencies that they’re complying with all applicable cybersecurity laws, regulations, and guidance. As the complexity of the problem grows, regulations and rules are likely to increase to protect data and privacy.
- The financial impact of cyberattacks on both organizations and their customers; as well as the public perception of how well executives are managing cybersecurity threats may influence investor and analyst behavior and confidence in the value and viability of the business.
- Business partners and vendors need to have the ability to assess and manage the risk to their own business operations as it pertains to your cybersecurity visibility and protections. This requires ongoing in-depth information about a specific organization’s cybersecurity risk management processes, protocols and controls.
- Both legacy and prospective customers are increasingly demanding to be reassured that the organization with which they are doing business takes cybersecurity seriously. Cybersecurity visibility – how you are identifying and dealing with ongoing threats which may impact their personal data and financial security – is important to keeping your current base as well as growing your business. Keep in mind that if you deal with third parties, your clients see these partners as an extension of your business, so if the breach occurs in area which you outsource, your customers will put the blame with you.
- Cyberattacks, malware threats, ransomware attacks – these are high-profile events; both costly for companies and attractive to the media. A breach is unlikely to remain private in today’s environment, and will be spread like wildfire across social media sites and traditional media alike. The media and the public both are asking tough questions about organizational cybersecurity environments, including any history of breaches, the level of preparedness and capability to respond to the current risky environment, and potential impacts upon customers should an attack be successfully executed.
You cannot protect yourself against what you cannot see, monitor, and evaluate. Today’s cybersecurity plans must include tools which monitor and track activity, flagging suspicious behaviors and appropriately responding. However, the data analysis which results from these tools is also becoming a critical piece of the puzzle, giving everyone – from the board of directors to the media – assurances that your organization is proactively taking on these risks and threats.
At Alliance IT, we understand that the pace at which these threats evolve can be overwhelming for many organizations to wrap their heads around – let alone assign the personnel and budget needed to properly protect themselves. Call us today to schedule an appointment to discuss how we can help to take the pressure off your business, providing the cybersecurity visibility your customers and partners demand, while allowing you to concentrate on growing your Sarasota business.
