Small businesses, corporations, governments, financial institutions, military, hospitals and many other businesses collect, process, and store a great deal of information on computers. Whether that information is public or confidential, it is transmitted across networks and to other companies. With the growing volume of the Internet and the increasing sophistication of cyber attacks, ongoing security is required to protect sensitive personal and business information, and on a larger scale, safeguarding national security.

Accept that You Will be Hacked

Regardless of the level of security you put into place or how many scenarios you have prepared for, you will be hacked. The attacks and breaches are going to occur no matter what you do. However, the rapidity to which you respond to and contain those breaches will be a direct result of how much you have put aside for cybersecurity.

A CEO’s Perspective on Cybersecurity

Your brand is the essence of your company and continuing to invest in the brand includes investing in cybersecurity. It is imperative for businesses to understand how susceptible they are to cyber attacks. Through the investment in cybersecurity, your company can be more prepared for attacks, which reduce financial losses, protect the brand, and ensures continued product and service delivery. Readiness and strategy are some of the key aspects of cybersecurity. As mentioned, at some point, someone is going to get in. By having a comprehensive crisis response plan that involves the whole company, CEOs will minimize reputational damage while saving time and money when the inevitable happens. On a very basic level, your plan should include actions for every aspect of the company, not just your tech or IP teams, a triage plan, a breach response plan, and a remediation plan. Each plan should address how the company will approach the crisis and correct vulnerabilities.

Compliance Versus Cybersecurity

Companies and organizations tend to operate in regulatory environments that require a certain level of cybersecurity risk mitigation. There are things you must do because of standard business practices or regulations. Moreover, if you look at it from a compliant standpoint, meeting all the checkmarks, mechanisms, and other standard management, theoretically, you are doing well. However, this is not the case. Compliance does not equal security. No compliance mechanism has ever stopped an intruder. Cybersecurity frameworks and models have helped to ensure stronger security. As CEO’s talk to their higher-level employees and senior leadership, they will begin to understand the cybersecurity needs of their company and make it a higher priority.

Carson Inc. Combats Cyber Threats

Carson Inc. has been helping its customers fight the battle against cyber threats for more than 22 years. Our team consists of Information Assurance (IA) experts with advanced degrees and technical certifications, including CISSP, CISA, LPT, GWASP, and ISO 27001. Our staff has in-depth knowledge of IT security statutory and regulatory guidance.