This blog was originally published by Bytagig here
5 Key Cybersecurity Questions You Need to Ask
The essential questions for enterprise leaders regarding cybersecurity
Part of forming a cohesive IT infrastructure and cybersecurity is asking the right questions. Introspection does us all a favor, and the same philosophy carries over to data safety. But it’s not enough to ask “are we secure enough?” That’s a little too basic and doesn’t address your unique enterprise needs. Every organization is different in size, scope, and services offered.
These questions are also important because they need to get in front of managers, directors, and those responsible for allocating resources to cybersecurity. Without prioritizing the right things, any cybersecurity investment can quickly become ineffective. Furthermore, cyberattacks are increasing around the world, costing billions in damages. It’s not a problem that can be ignored and every organization – no matter the size – must be prepared.
Regulatory requirements and potential legal penalties are also part of board concerns (or should be if not already). With cyberattacks and breaches gaining momentum, legislative penalties can also follow along with breach events if they are not properly reported. Therefore, let’s examine those important questions you should focus on.
Question 1: Are we properly educating our staff and IT teams?
Part of comprehensive cybersecurity and IT defense comes down to education. It’s a fallacy to believe dealing with troubleshooting or threat scenarios requires an engineer’s level of knowledge. Common problems can – and should – be resolved.
How is your enterprise deploying education for staff, IT, and cybersecurity experts? Do you have a policy in place, or is it “up in the air?” If not, you need to consider roadmaps focused on training and educating staff on healthy cybersecurity practices. Consider that phishing, human error, and social engineering are characteristics of severe breach events. These events start with the people. Therefore, it’s critical to get them ready and aware of modern threats.
Furthermore, asking questions about what your enterprise is doing to better aid and prepare cybersecurity teams is pertinent.
Question 2: How much are we investing in cybersecurity, and it is enough?
It is not enough to plan for better cybersecurity. Without the right planning and investments, no plan can lift off. Talking closely with experts and discovering their immediate needs helps set the right budget. If you aren’t investing enough in security infrastructure, you risk running afoul of costly breach events.
Even if your organization does set aside capital for cybersecurity, you also need to know if it’s enough. Simply throwing money at the problem is not sufficient. Resources need to go to the right policies, infrastructure, and solutions. Identify the critical needs of your IT and cybersecurity and go from there. Board meetings and talks with management should highlight these issues, their drawbacks, and what should be done.
Question 3: How can we plan for a breach event?
Stress tests and penetration tests are mandatory these days with the frequency of cyber attacks. If you aren’t planning for a breach event (an occurrence where the network falls prey to a third-party attack), you run the risk of losing critical data.
Question 4: Do we have sufficient IT and cybersecurity experts?
No matter how thought out a plan is, it won’t get far without the right experts. Sufficient experts also mean the appropriate specialists. Having “general” IT and cybersecurity staff will only get you so far. Without the right experts, returns on safety and troubleshooting will be middling.
Experts provide roadmaps and insight. They’re the front liners when it comes to creating plans and coming up with ideas to put in front of board members. Recall how we highlighted the need to put questions and concerns in front of decision-makers. It’s those cybersecurity experts who help create the right kind of report.
Question 5: Do we have the right BDR in place?
A backup disaster recovery plan is an essential benchmark of quality, modern cybersecurity. Coupled with that, testing and “security drills” create a strong foundation. Look at your current organization and ask whether a competent BDR is in place. In a breach event, lack of preparation is one of the worst mistakes you can make.
Conclusion
Every enterprise has to ask these critical questions to assess their cybersecurity preparedness. Furthermore, it’s these inquiries that can help focus directors and board leaders into making the best possible decision for their business model.
