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Cybersecurity Readiness What It Means and How ISO Certification Helps You Achieve It

Is your business ready enough to counter its next cybersecurity attack?

As absurd as the question may sound, taking cybersecurity readiness for granted when most of your day-to-day operations occur digitally exposes you to a new world of cyber threats. 

From unlawful infiltrations to phishing and data breaches, an army of sophisticated cyber criminals is waiting to prey upon new targets. A recent IBM report shows that the average cost of a data breach has risen by 2.6% in 2022, at a whopping USD 4.35 million. 

Besides, another IBM-Blumira report has revealed that, on average, companies take 212 days to detect a data breach, with an additional 75 days to contain or neutralize such threats. 

These statistics clearly show why the need for cybersecurity readiness is higher now, more than ever.

Key considerations for a CISO to enhance preparedness

With limited budgets, the difficulties in clearing investment agreements for high-quality security tools and software and more, the every day challenges whilst transitioning into a threat-ready organization are innumerable. Here are some imperative aspects for CISOs to consider while preparing for cybersecurity readiness:

Making data-driven security decisions

Using big data for decision-making helps in strategic planning and preventing data theft and other cybercrime threats. Data-driven security decisions also help in anticipating threats and upgrading your existing security architecture

Evaluating current threat tolerance levels

Risk tolerance levels vary from company to company, mostly differentiated by industries, locations, and also how risk-averse the security architecture was designed to be. CISOs can use these metrics to support their urgent security claims in front of Investment Board authorities.

Enhancing visibility in company systems

Increasing your security infrastructure’s visibility through unwavering vigilance helps in safeguarding your company data from spear phishing and breaching attempts. These tasks, although tedious, can be automated to an extent through tools and software.

Risk-rating (by using relevant metrics)

Risk rating helps recognize, analyze and prioritize any underlying vulnerability to the company’s IT assets, preferably hardware, apps, data, and systems. 

Apart from identifying security gaps, these processes also help cut down costs and boost employee security awareness. 

Here’s a tip: begin by carefully selecting metrics that analyze the security control performance the best.

Having a testing strategy

Most security flaws become visible once CISOs and teams implement risk testing strategies. Your assessment strategy must be efficient at finding whether your defenses are capable of detecting threats, your security controls work properly, and is ready enough to respond immediately in case of an unprecedented breach,

Becoming a security-first organization

Being security-first means prioritizing cybersecurity from the ground-up, rather than creating applications and then making them secure. As a CISO, it’s important to communicate the necessity of initiating robust security programs and driving strategic initiatives.

Different Levels of Cybersecurity Readiness

At its core, cybersecurity is all about being self-sufficient in recognizing and responding to data breaches, malware threats, phishing attempts, intrusions, and data theft. 

In the journey of optimizing their capabilities of responding to and nullifying cybersecurity threats, every organization undergoes a couple of levels of readiness. Which level are you at currently?

Level 1: Initial stage

Companies that have incipient security protocols fall under this level; it’s often addressed as the “infant stage” of cybersecurity maturity. Such organizations are usually more focused on responding to security threats as they come, with less to zero ideas about what’s next. 

Here, the firm takes its first step toward security by installing much-needed antivirus programs, developing a map of its IT infrastructure through configuration management databases, etc.

Level 2: Managed stage

At this stage, companies become more serious about cybersecurity by shifting their focus toward vulnerability management. Incorporating Indicators of Compromise (IoC) helps recognize any active threat such as hidden phishing sites, pugnacious domains, threatening IP, etc. 

Further, Indicators of Attacks (IoA) assist in understanding the attacker’s key intent more clearly. Security teams at this level keep themselves updated about cyber threats, best practices, and more through web forums, newsletters, ISACS, etc.

Level 3: Intermediate stage

Cybersecurity teams, by this point, have successfully implemented a security culture within the organization. With an enhanced security posture onboard, security champions track and end all detected threats at entry level. 

At the intermediate level, companies also upgrade their security stack by introducing Security Information Event Management (SIEM), endpoints detection and tracking models, etc.

Level 4: Optimized stage

As the name implies, companies at this level possess a sustainable and fully-optimized security infrastructure with continuous threat detection and response features. However, it is still not viewed as sufficient as cybercriminals can enter through third-party networks. Thus, companies also analyze their external supply chains thoroughly to safeguard their information systems

Where Does An ISO Certification Figure In Enhancing Readiness?

Based on the PDCA model, the ISO certification procedure ensures the sustainability of any ISMS policy that companies implement and act upon for enhanced security. ISO 27001 certification is currently the #1 standard for ISMS, which offers an error-proof model to decrease information assets and communication technology threats that companies face.

Here’s how an official ISO 27001 Certification helps in cybersecurity preparedness:

  • Enables continuous analysis of the organization’s readiness among all levels
  • Ensures your security programs are well-aligned with all mandatory compliance standards and practices
  • Establishes a centralized security management model that ensures 360-degree protection and responds to ever-evolving cybersecurity threats
  • Educates the staff about the importance of security awareness and encourages them to take hands-on responsibility

In the end, cybersecurity preparedness only comes full circle when the people, processes, and tech are in sync. ISO 27001 certifications usually contain multiple rigorous standards that prepare all these aspects for any cybersecurity threat that may arise.


How StackCyber Can Help

StackCyber, a one-stop solution for all things security certification-related, helps companies achieve their ISO 27001 certification end-to-end by providing expert support and assistance. Become a partner and benefit from our experienced team of certification management professionals, expert auditors, and a personalized, hassle-free experience. Get in touch with us – via hello@gostack.co.uk.