The security of your data is an issue that should concern every business owner. It will be up to you to make sure that your cyber security system is fully up to date. This will be mandatory if you want your business to operate at the maximum level of efficiency. Here are some tips on how to plan for your cyber security.
Use the NIST Cyber Security Framework
If you are wondering, “What is NIST cyber security framework?“, the answer is clear. NIST stands for National Institute of Standards. The program was first developed in 2014 in order to supply guidance to businesses and other organizations that needed to upgrade security standards. Since that time, NIST has become the standard authority for cyber security.
Before you can begin to use this framework, you need to understand what it can and can’t do. You should begin by clearly framing the goals that you have in mind for your cyber security network. You need to define the level to which your risk tolerance can go as well as the lowest bar of efficiency you can accept.
Once you identify your own personal level of risk, you need to share this info with your IT department. These are the experts who are there to advise you on these crucial matters. The goal should be to formulate a cyber security policy that allows you to operate at peak levels of efficiency as well as safety.
You Need to Create a Detailed Profile
The next thing you will need to do is create a fully detailed cyber security profile for your system. You can use the system of Framework Integration Tiers pioneered by NIST to help you in this regard. The three regions of the program include the following:
- Risk Management Process
- Integrated Risk Management Program
- External Participation
There are 4 tiers to each region. These will be Partial, Risk-Informed, Repeatable, and Adaptive. Each successive tier represents a further step of the cyber security process. As you cycle through each tier, your system will identify issues, remove them, and immunize your system against further threats.
Take Stock of Your Present Position
Now that you have analyzed your threat level, you need to take stock of where you stand. You are now aware of the risks that you face. The goal will be to use this knowledge to plan for future developments. You know what to look forward to as well as what to avoid. You should be focused on the strength you have gained.
It’s a very good idea to perform a highly detailed risk assessment. This will let you know exactly how far you have come as well as how far you still need to advance. A security specialist can come in at this point to help with this ongoing analysis. Once things are in the clear, you can proceed with your plans.
Fill in Any Gaps in the System
There is the last thing you will need to do once you engage in your initial cyber security program. This will be to fill in any gaps that you may spot in the system. This is crucial since you want this system to run as smoothly, efficiently, and independently as possible. You don’t want to micromanage the entire thing.
The idea is to compare the ideal scores of a perfectly working system with the actual scores that your system received after undergoing the NIST analysis. If there are any gaps between the ideal and the reality, you need to fill them in.
You can work closely with your IT department or system management service to fix these issues. Doing so will be the key to being able to develop a new system that is fully reliable, efficient, and completely secure.
It’s Time to Raise Your Security Level
Raising the level of security for your business will be an absolute must. This is a goal that you can reach by making use of the best and most relevant cyber security programs. The idea will be to create a cybersecurity framework that is durable and flexible. The sooner you do so, the sooner your business can begin to prosper.