October may be Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but finding ways to promote cybersecurity awareness is a daily necessity for organizations in every industry. Because human error is a major contributing cause in 95% of all breaches, we all share the responsibility for cybersecurity at our organizations.  

Securance has compiled this list of 10 ways to promote cybersecurity.

1. Perform a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment

A cybersecurity risk assessment sets your organization up to continually improve its security posture and thwart emerging threats. A quality assessment will identify risks, threats, vulnerabilities, and how they could impact your organization. It will also help you comply with mandatory regulations.

 

2. Get Ready for Ransomware

Ransomware attacks are ubiquitous and require multifaceted defenses. Conduct a ransomware readiness assessment to identify risks and weaknesses in your disaster recovery, backup, and endpoint security processes and technologies. You should also review and evaluate your ransomware incident response plan and playbooks.

 

3. Update IT Policies and Procedures

Clear policies and procedures about everything from strong passwords to timely software updates keep your whole IT team on the same page. Policies and procedures mapped to frameworks and regulatory requirements help make your organization as secure and compliant as possible.

 

4. Develop an Incident Response Plan

You may not be able to prevent a cyber attack, but you can take measures to minimize the business impact and expedite the recovery process. An effective incident response plan will position you to react quickly and decrease the potential for loss.

 

5. Check in on Compliance

Compliance can be an opportunity to tighten security, streamline processes, and reduce liability. It is also a legal requirement in most industries. Having an expert take a careful look at your compliance strategy could promote cybersecurity awareness while also preventing large fines and legal entanglements.

 

6. Harden Networks and Systems

The default configurations of most technologies, including network appliances, servers, applications, and databases, are meant to be convenient and user-friendly. Implementing additional controls, techniques, and tools that are specific to your environment will reduce vulnerabilities and risks.

 

7. Foster a Culture of Security Awareness

Security is an ongoing initiative, and organizations must continually evolve to keep pace with malicious actors. An effective program should provide up-to-date, real-world training, and reinforced through senior management buy-in, open communication, and consistent follow-up.

 

8. Measure Your Cybersecurity Maturity

Compile your risk profile and compare it to the cybersecurity maturity model that best fits your environment. Each stage of the assessment can reveal additional capabilities, risks, and opportunities for more effective security procedures, processes, and controls.

 

9. Perform a General Controls Review

Are your IT policies based on a security controls framework and are annual compliance tests performed? Is every layer of your network optimally configured for security? A General Controls Review can identify and document your IT control policies and examine their current state in practice. A General Controls Review will help you to align your controls to industry standards, best practices, and your business goals.

 

10. Consider a Virtual CISO

The rising cost of hiring cybersecurity experts forces many businesses to operate without the skills and expertise they need to protect data (and their reputation). A vCISO can provide executive security leadership at a fraction of the cost of a full-time resource. It is a smart solution to a difficult and expensive problem.

 

Promote Cybersecurity Awareness with Professional Services

Need a little help won your mission to promote cybersecurity awareness at your organization? Contact us today to set up a free consultation. From planning to reporting each project at Securance is personally led by executives with more than 20 years of experience in IT security, risk management, and compliance.

Want to make a big impact but keep things simple? Consider Cybersecurity as a Service (CSaaS), a flat fee package with essential annual assessments that help organizations identify security threats before they present a risk to the business, its data, or its reputation. To learn more about how CSaaS can benefit your organization, read our brochure or contact us for a free consultation.