Making Smart Compromises in Cyber Security
Hello Freinds,
Hope this message finds you all thriving in your various roles! Today, I want to chat about something that's been on my mind lately - making smart compromises in cyber security. It's about aligning our security strategies not just as a support function but as a core component of our businesses. Regular readers know how I feel about this topic.
First off, it’s crucial for us as security professionals to understand the broader business context we operate in. Regular training or dialogue that ties security actions to the company's strategic goals can be a game changer. Imagine a scenario where the entire security team understands how their day-to-day decisions impact the company’s bottom line. It’s not just about defending against threats but also about supporting the company’s growth and stability.
Cross-functional collaboration is something I cannot stress enough. When we work closely with other departments - be it marketing, sales, or operations - we begin to see our role from their perspective. For instance, by working with the finance team, a security manager might realize how an increase in security budget could mean less budget for marketing campaigns, directly affecting revenue generation. These insights are vital for making informed decisions.
What about different scenarios? What happens if we cut down on our cyber security budget? Or what if we invest more - what are the tangible benefits? Discussing these scenarios openly can lead to better prioritization and smarter compromises.
We should also look at tying our security metrics directly to business outcomes. For example, improving our secure transaction processes might lead to a measurable decrease in customer complaints about security, which in turn boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty. This shows clearly how integral our role is to building and maintaining customer trust, directly contributing to business success.
Achieving leadership buy-in is critical. As security leaders, we need to ensure we’re part of the strategic discussions at the highest level, advocating for balanced security spending that supports both security needs and business growth.
Lastly, fostering a culture of continuous improvement is vital. We must keep learning and adapting, not just to keep up with cyber threats, but also to ensure that our practices are sustainable and support the company’s overall health. This could be through adopting new technologies, streamlining processes, or finding innovative ways to enhance security without excessive spending.
In closing, remember, our role as cyber security professionals is to make informed, smart compromises that safeguard our company’s assets while supporting its growth. By understanding and integrating with the broader business, we position ourselves not just as defenders but as key players in our company’s success story.
That’s all for this week!
Warm regards,
Sivanathan
Makes a lot of sense. Years ago, the ISM3 (Information Security Management Maturity Model) prescribed a similar approach to align Business Goals with Security Goals and ultimately Security Targets. This provided a model for cyber security managers and CISOs to demonstrate the value of cyber security in the boardroom.
This approach helps to develop metrics that clearly show how cyber security actions directly connect with higher-level business goals (for example, higher customer satisfaction/ lesser complaints that you mentioned).
This is the logical representation:
Business Goals --> Security Goals --> Security Targets.
Anup