As cyber threats evolve at a rate faster than ever, any outdated framework can put your systems at risk and leave your company vulnerable. Your business, like many SMBs, may not realize that your cybersecurity plan is no longer efficient enough to prevent cyber threats until it is too late.
In this article, we’ll share the warning signs to consider and explain what actions to take if you need to rebuild your cybersecurity framework. We will also answer common questions about the best way to rebuild it.
What is the Key Sign Your Cybersecurity Framework Needs Rebuilding?
If you’ve noticed frequent security incidents resurfacing or have experienced close calls related to the security of your systems and data, these are some of the significant signs your cybersecurity framework needs rebuilding. But there are additional indicators too, which include:
- Repeated phishing successes: If malicious actors have consistently been tricking your employees into downloading malware or sharing their credentials, this is a sign that your security training is ineffective or that the cybersecurity framework is not working.
- Delayed patching cycles: When you notice that it’s taking too long to implement security updates to systems and software, this may indicate that your systems are vulnerable to cyberattacks. The same is true if the patch management takes a manual process.
- Lack of response plans: If you lack a response plan, when there is a cybersecurity incident, you will find that recovery takes longer because employees do not know who needs to take specific actions to resolve it. It indicates that your framework needs rebuilding with a focus on the right response plan.
Additionally, if you consider that your team is constantly in a “damage control” mode, it’s important to know that this is a reactive strategy that may not keep your systems or data fully secure in the long term.
What’s the Best Approach to Rebuilding a Cybersecurity Framework?
A more reliable approach would be to rebuild the cybersecurity framework, which begins with a comprehensive cybersecurity risk assessment. During the assessment you need to identify the following elements:
- Critical assets: When you identify critical assets such as sensitive data, core company systems such as a CRM or production system, or third-party connections, you can turn your attention to these most important elements first when rebuilding the framework. These should be your first priority in the cybersecurity framework process.
- Current vulnerabilities: If there are weaknesses in the current system, such as unpatched software, exploitable access controls, monitoring gaps, or misconfigured networks, you need to understand these issues first. You can then incorporate steps into your framework, such as adjusting the access controls or reconfiguring networks to secure them.
- Regulatory requirements: Your framework needs to align with compliance obligations such as PIPEDA, which means you need to protect data with the right cybersecurity steps to avoid legal risk. When you create the framework, make sure it reflects data protection laws.
- Follow a standard framework: You’ll need to adhere to a recognized framework, such as the NIST, CIS Controls, or ISO/IEC 27001. These are the high-standard frameworks that are specifically designed to identify, protect, detect, respond to, and recover systems, data, and devices.
How Often Should You Analyze Your Cybersecurity Framework?
But how frequently does your framework need analyzing? At the least, you should review this once per year to make the required updates. Yet it’s also important to re-assess the framework at specific stages and complete IT security assessments.
If your company undergoes major system changes, experiences a significant incident, adds remote teams, incorporates new tools, or adds cloud systems to its stack, these are all moments when analysis is important.
Ideally, continuous monitoring is crucial, especially if you operate a business that belongs to a high-risk industry, such as finance or healthcare, in which data can be vulnerable.
Should You Rebuild Internally or Work with a Security Expert?
Whether you work with an expert or choose to rebuild internally will depend on the expertise of your IT department and your risk profile. But there are specific circumstances when you should outsource these processes to a managed security provider who offers managed cybersecurity services:
- Your in-house team lacks experience and specialization: If your in-house team lacks specialized knowledge of frameworks like NIST or ISO 27001, you should avoid security gaps by requesting the support of an expert.
- You require third-party validation: When your framework needs assessing to ensure it is compliant and effective, this will require an objective expert who offers managed security expertise, outside of your team, to build a thorough framework.
- You need to comply with PIPEDA: Since complying with regulations like PIPEDA is about implementing the right policies, it’s worth getting the help of an expert to avoid non-compliance.
Mistakes to Avoid when Rebuilding a Security Framework
One of the key mistakes to avoid when rebuilding a cybersecurity framework is to focus entirely on technology. Your security framework needs to align technology with people and processes to ensure employees can spot the signs of a cyber threat and have the right processes to avoid it. Additionally, there are other missteps to consider and avoid, including:
- Forgetting to offer phishing and password hygiene training to employees
- Rebuilding the framework without enforcing clear policies
- Failing to align the framework with the real needs of the business
- Not acknowledging that the framework should be an ongoing process
Rebuild and Continuously Adjust Your Framework to Protect Systems and Data
Your cybersecurity framework shouldn’t just involve setting one up and then forgetting about it. You’ll need to continuously adjust it or rebuild the framework when your business experiences system changes or teams grow.
Rebuilding allows your SMB to significantly reduce risk and ensure all vulnerabilities and security risk management actions are covered. To keep your systems and data protected, act now. Work with Canadian cybersecurity experts to review the current framework you use and then build a new one that’s ready to mitigate risks.
FAQs
What Are the 5 Pillars of the Cybersecurity Framework?
Cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST have five essential pillars, which are the foundation of successful cybersecurity measures. Those pillars are:
- Identifying the critical functions and cybersecurity risks.
- Protecting systems from cyber threats by limiting access to compromised assets, using security procedures, completing maintenance and repairs, and additional strategies.
- Detecting any compromised systems to determine if a breach occurred.
- Responding to the breach with outlined actions.
- Recovering data that may have been lost and restoring services to critical systems.
Is ISO 27001 a Security Framework?
Absolutely. ISO 27001 is a security framework that can strengthen the security of your systems and data. This framework tends to complement the NIST cybersecurity framework and is often implemented alongside it. It’s one of the most effective methods to maintain IT security, setting the standard for improving an information security management system.
What Are Cybersecurity Frameworks?
Such frameworks refer to the well-recorded, documented standards that are needed to boost your business’s security. They include policies, procedures, and best practices that minimize the risk of security breaches.