As security professionals we’re used to dealing with unknowns and unpredictability. We understand that it's impossible to always know what's around the corner. It's not just about external threats and the big breaches splashed across the news headlines. On one hand, we’re combating threat actors attempting to steal information, money or simply trying to cause havoc. On the other, we’re trying to better understand employee behaviour amidst the myriad of applications they use on a daily basis; always vigilant for any suspicious activity. And while it certainly makes our jobs interesting, unpredictability runs contrary to how the organisations we protect prefer to operate.
Predicting what’s going to happen in our cyber world is nearly impossible. A greater challenge is explaining this to stakeholders and conveying how difficult it is to get (and stay) one step ahead of threat actors. We’re paid to understand this, yet it can often feel like shooting in the dark when anticipating the next strike.
Senior leadership teams thrive on certainty and predictability. So how do you plan and manage this?
Focus on what you can control
Ultimately, you can only control what's in front of you. The tools, applications and services the business uses to operate. While this might seem obvious, many people spend a considerable amount of time and energy on things that can't influence.
Your time is best spent focusing on what’s visible and within reach. Begin by identifying the crown jewels of your organisation — understanding the scope of your environment and what exactly you’re protecting. Then, implement controls and monitor for abnormalities.
Regularly conduct comprehensive risk assessments and vulnerability scans to identify potential weaknesses in your organisation's IT infrastructure. This helps uncover existing vulnerabi ..
Support the originator by clicking the read the rest link below.
