01.26.2021
Forging Forward With Cybersecurity
Cyber threats are on the rise, and we have all seen countless stories in the news ranging from ransomware to data breaches. Companies are faced with many challenges on how to progress key aspects of a cybersecurity program such as security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy.
Within Faith Technologies, cybersecurity focuses on guiding principles which allow our cyber program to align closely with business needs and for strategic planning to occur with input from executive leadership. See if the guiding principles noted below are worth considering for your organization.
Focus on Business and Customer Relationships
When business and cyber teams partner to drive organizational goals, relationships can be established and fostered. Cyber teams can be exposed to business plans and then participate on projects to define threat models and security requirements. Our customers and their data are top priority, and we approach our relationships based on one of our core values: “Build TRUST in everything we do.” The integration of cyber into key processes such as Project Portfolio Management allows for continuous business relationships to be established and for cyber to act as a trusted business advisor.
Invest in People, Process and Technology
At Faith Technologies, we have a commitment to invest in our people. This starts with security awareness training and education. Technology also plays a critical role in cyber, but first we must look at our processes. For example, having a well-defined vulnerability management and patch management process defines how we should move forward. It helps us identify what vulnerabilities pose the most risk and outlines our remediation plans. Another example is how cyber processes integrate into software development to help identify and eliminate security risks. As processes are defined, we supplement those with technology. Faith continues to invest in state-of-the-art cyber technology while also partnering with managed security service providers to deliver on those technologies.
Adopt a Risk-Based Approach
Governance, risk management and compliances (GRC) should be key focus areas for any cyber program. Knowing where your crown jewels are and recognizing your top business risks are crucial. The establishment of a risk register allows for executive leadership to have visibility and provide guidance on how cyber risks should be mitigated. GRC is also critical in establishing third-party vendor risk management. Understanding vendor risk and having a process and platform should be incorporated into overall enterprise risk management practices. GRC platforms can also help organizations progress toward compliance with regulations such as California Consumer Privacy Act or Global Data Protection Regulation.
Foster a Culture That Places Value on Cyber Security
Companies need to champion the importance of cyber and the need for adherence starting with the executive leadership team. When leadership is involved, it is easier for a company to rally behind that direction. Within Faith Technologies, we have already seen the culture changing, partnerships being developed and additional value being placed on cybersecurity.
As new cyber threats are constantly introduced one thing is for sure: it takes each of us within an organization to build a security-minded culture! What is your organization doing to ensure security and protect your data?
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