In today's digital age, a business's cybersecurity posture is critical to its daily operations. Companies are exposed to greater cyber risk thanks to the ceaseless exchange of large volumes of sensitive data and the storage of private information with third-party service providers. In addition, hackers are becoming more sophisticated and innovative in their infiltration methods. By critically evaluating your company's cybersecurity posture, you can determine the gaps in your current strategy and take action to prepare your organization for future threats.
What is cybersecurity posture?
Cybersecurity posture refers to the overall strength and effectiveness of a company's security measures. It encompasses all the policies, procedures, tools, and technologies an organization has to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats. It also entails the behaviors and attitudes of everyone in the organization, from the executive team to the front-line employees. Cybersecurity posture is critical because it determines how well a company can protect its assets -- including sensitive data, intellectual property, infrastructure, and profits -- from cyber attacks. Every company has a cybersecurity posture, but the goal is to have a strong, effective one. The more aware and prepared a company is, technologically and organizationally, the better it can mitigate and recover from an attack.Assessing your cybersecurity posture
The first step in improving your company's cybersecurity posture is to assess your current security measures. That means determining the strengths and weaknesses of your current strategy to identify areas that require improvement. Some essential components of a cybersecurity posture assessment include:- Auditing your current tools: Take stock of all the security tools you have in place, including firewalls, antivirus software, intrusion detection systems, and data encryption tools. Determine whether employees are actively and effectively using these tools, if updates or patches are needed, and whether they provide the level of protection your organization requires.
- Policies and training: Review your current security policies and training programs. Note who maintains and updates security policies and where employees can reference them. Evaluate new hire training for security policies and technology. Do employees understand the importance of cybersecurity? Do they demonstrate that awareness in their actions and behaviors? Do employees receive periodic training on how to identify and report suspicious activities?
- Risk assessment: Conduct a formal risk assessment to identify potential vulnerabilities in your network and infrastructure. An evaluation may include a penetration test or other security review by a reputable third party. Determine the most likely types of cyber attacks in your industry and the potential impact of an attack or successful data breach on your organization.
Improving your cybersecurity posture
Once you have assessed your company's cybersecurity posture, it's time to implement measures to improve it. Some essential steps you can take to improve your cybersecurity posture include:- Improved training: Provide ongoing cybersecurity training to your employees. Conduct thorough training for new hires and periodic re-training for all employees. Update training to reflect the latest threats and security best practices. For example, training should cover common phishing scams, social engineering tactics, and malware prevention. Mock exercises that walk employees through real-world attacks can help increase cybersecurity awareness.
- Password management tools: When possible, leverage technology to help employees follow best practices, like implementing a password management tool to help employees securely create and store strong passwords. Password management tools can help reduce human error and prevent password-related breaches, among the most common cyber-attacks.
- Expanding policies: Develop and enforce security policies that cover all aspects of cybersecurity, including data protection, access control, and incident response. Align your policies with current best practices promoted by organizations like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Designate a team to regularly review and update these policies to reflect changes in the threat landscape. Ensure security policies are clear, concise, comprehensive, and easy to find, such as in an employee handbook or company intranet.
