A cybersecurity plan is the foundation for protecting your organization against cyber threats. However, creating an actionable cybersecurity implementation plan is crucial to ensuring this strategy works effectively across all teams and systems.
Leonard Snart, a supervillain in the DC Comics universe, once said, “There are only four rules you need to remember:
- make the plan
- execute the plan
- expect the plan to go off the rails
- and throw away the plan
IT professionals, especially those in cybersecurity, know that having a cyber security plan that outlines a comprehensive strategy to protect a company and executing a plan that actually protects company assets from external and internal threats in real-life scenarios are two very different things to make happen before they have the chance to go off the rails.
This is partially because 43% of cybersecurity breaches target small businesses, which have fewer IT resources to work on correct security processes and implementation. A well-rounded cybersecurity plan must be both comprehensive and adaptable, ensuring all team members are prepared for potential scenarios. By establishing a solid baseline for a company's security program, the plan can continually evolve to address emerging threats, like those outlined in our latest overview of cybersecurity trends to watch in 2024.
Staying ahead of these trends helps businesses anticipate third-party data breaches and other evolving risks. So how do you create, implement, execute, and iterate on a cybersecurity plan and policy for your company? We’re going beyond the basics of cybersecurity in this guide and diving into some tips and best practices of correct implementation, steps, and stages of the creation process, and ways to do it efficiently with some of the best tech and tools available.
Steps to create a cybersecurity plan
Putting a plan together to review cybersecurity policies and procedures and outlining who will be a part of creating your corporate cybersecurity plan, what will be encompassed within its criteria, and who will be in charge of implementing it are all important decisions to make from the start. Cyber security plans are crucial as they offer numerous benefits, including enhanced protection of sensitive data and the ability to measure and refine their effectiveness using specific metrics.
The following eight steps will help you create a comprehensive plan that works well with any size company’s current cybersecurity policies and procedures.
1. Perform a security risk analysis
If you haven’t already, it’s important to assess your company’s security risks by identifying the organization's key business objectives and recognizing the IT assets necessary for achieving those objectives. Collaboration between various parties and data owners is necessary for thorough risk assessment. This ensures that the company’s overall security posture is evaluated, identified, and modified in preparation for any type of threat or attack.
Plus, a thorough security risk analysis can help secure management’s support for resource allocation and the implementation of the proper security solutions and accompanying tech.
2. Set security objectives
Making sure a cybersecurity plan is in line with your organization’s business goals is a crucial part of a cybersecurity strategy. To begin establishing a proactive cybersecurity program for the entire organization, it makes sense to align the security objectives of the plan with the business objectives determined for the year, ensuring the protection of business operations against potential cyber threats.
Here are three security objectives to keep in mind before, during, and after the cybersecurity plan creation process:
- Confidentiality: This element is frequently linked to privacy and encryption.
- In this case, confidentiality refers to the fact that only parties with permission can access the data.
- When information is kept private, it indicates that other parties have not compromised it; private information is not made available to those who do not need it or who shouldn’t have access to it.
- Integrity: Data integrity is the assurance that the data has not been altered or deteriorated before, during, or after submission.
- It is the knowledge that there has not been any unauthorized modification of the data, either intentionally or accidentally.
- Availability: This indicates that the data is accessible to authorized people at any time.
- A system needs working computer systems, security measures, and communication channels in order to demonstrate availability.
3. Assessment of your technology
An evaluation of the current technology in a company is a crucial part of any cybersecurity strategy. Mobile devices, extensively used in organizations alongside cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and smart wearables, present significant vulnerabilities that need to be assessed. After identifying the assets, it’s a good idea to ascertain whether the systems adhere to security best practices, understand how they operate on your network, and identify who within the organization should support the technology, keep a record of the assets, and monitor any possible data breaches or threats.
The important thing to remember is that a group of IT professionals from a variety of specialties, including applications, cloud computing, networking, and database administration, may have to split up this workload to ensure the technology is monitored thoroughly and comprehensively.
4. Review security policies after choosing a security framework
There are numerous frameworks out there right now that can assist you in developing and sustaining a cybersecurity plan. You can choose the framework you want using your findings from your cybersecurity risk assessment, vulnerability assessment, and penetration test.
The measures required to regularly monitor and assess your organization’s security posture, including implementing security controls to alleviate risks, will be outlined in the security framework you choose, so it’s important to look at these too, and determine if they are the right measures for your business and its assets.
5. Develop a risk management strategy
A crucial part of a cybersecurity plan is the development of a risk management strategy, which analyzes potential hazards, including security threats, that can have an impact on the business. A corporation can proactively identify and assess risks that could have a negative impact on this part of the strategy.
A comprehensive risk management plan includes:
- Data privacy policy: This ensures that corporate data concerning governance is effectively handled and safeguarded
- Retention policy: This specifies where and how long different categories of company data should be stored or archived
- Data protection policy: This outlines how a company manages the personal information of its clients, suppliers, workers, and other third parties
- Incident response plan: The responsibility and procedures that must be followed to ensure a fast, efficient, and organized response to security occurrences are outlined in this part of the plan
6. Put your security plan into practice
The good news is that your cybersecurity plan creation is almost finished at this point. Developing and refining security programs is crucial for creating effective cyber security strategies. Now, it’s time to start using your plan and discover some improvements that need to be made for it to fully work. Prioritize your improvement efforts and divide up this work into teams.
Let your internal teams have priority in owning improvement items. Management can offer leadership, help with prioritization of the items, collaborate with internal teams on addressing them, and plan efforts to implement the improvements to help ensure success at this stage.
Setting a timeline with your internal teams for these improvement goals can help everyone stay on track, but make sure they’re realistic — too aggressive and they may result in failed protection and frustrated employees.
7. Review your Security plan
You've made it; it's the final step in the creation of your cybersecurity plan and the beginning of ongoing support for your security strategy.
Threats and new security issues will continue to exploit vulnerabilities in your cybersecurity plan, regardless of the size of your organization. That's why it's crucial that the cybersecurity strategy is regularly monitored, reviewed, and tested to ensure the goals of the plan align with the emerging threat landscape of your industry.
Cybersecurity implementation steps
The gap between drafting a plan and actually executing it can be tricky to navigate, but with a structured approach, you can align your security efforts with your company’s objectives. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, following a clear cybersecurity implementation plan ensures that your organization is equipped to handle evolving threats.
1. Define clear roles and responsibilities
A successful cybersecurity implementation plan starts with people. Begin by assigning specific roles and responsibilities across teams. IT security, HR, legal, and management all need to understand their part in protecting sensitive data. Clear ownership prevents gaps and ensures accountability during a cyber incident.
2. Prioritize risk areas
Not all risks are created equal. During implementation, focus on the most vulnerable areas of your infrastructure first. Identify the critical assets that need immediate protection and apply security measures accordingly. By prioritizing your efforts, you can mitigate the highest risks while working through the rest of your cybersecurity implementation plan.
3. Deploy the right tools and technology
The best cybersecurity implementation plans leverage a mix of technologies to monitor and protect company assets. Consider using advanced security tools that provide real-time monitoring, threat detection, and incident response. Prey, for example, offers device tracking and security features that are essential for protecting your assets across multiple locations and devices.
4. Train your team
Human error is one of the biggest risks in cybersecurity. Regular training ensures that employees understand the importance of following security protocols and can recognize potential threats, such as phishing emails or suspicious activity. Incorporating security awareness into your cybersecurity implementation plan is a proactive way to reduce insider threats.
5. Test and adapt
A cybersecurity plan is only as good as its flexibility. Cyber threats evolve quickly, so it’s important to test your security controls regularly. Conduct penetration testing, run simulations, and update your cybersecurity implementation plan based on the results. An agile approach allows your organization to adapt to new threats without compromising security.
Common challenges in cybersecurity implementation
From technical roadblocks to human error, the journey from planning to execution often faces unexpected challenges. Anticipating these issues is key to ensuring your cybersecurity implementation plan remains effective. Below, we highlight some of the most common challenges and how to overcome them.
1. Lack of organizational buy-in
One of the biggest challenges is getting buy-in from all departments, not just IT. Security is everyone’s responsibility, but without clear communication, teams outside of IT may not see their role in the process.
How to Overcome It: Foster a culture of security by clearly defining the benefits of your cybersecurity implementation plan to all stakeholders. Regularly update employees on risks and solutions, making security a shared goal across the company.
2. Inconsistent security policies
As organizations grow, inconsistent or outdated security policies can create vulnerabilities. Different teams may follow varying protocols, which can lead to gaps in protection.
How to Overcome It: Ensure that your cybersecurity implementation plan includes a standardized set of policies that everyone adheres to, regardless of department. Regular audits and updates to these policies will help keep them relevant and effective.
3. Insufficient resources
Small organizations, in particular, may struggle with limited IT budgets and resources, making it difficult to implement a comprehensive security plan.
How to Overcome It: Focus on prioritizing high-risk areas first, and implement affordable, scalable solutions that grow with your organization. Tools like Prey can help protect devices and data without the need for extensive infrastructure.
4. Human error
Even with the best tools and policies in place, human error remains a significant risk. A simple mistake, like using weak passwords or clicking on a phishing link, can lead to a breach.
How to Overcome It: Invest in regular employee training to ensure everyone understands the importance of following security protocols. Implement multi-factor authentication and use password management tools to reduce the risk of weak or compromised passwords.
5. Evolving cyber threats
The cybersecurity landscape is constantly changing, and what worked last year may not be effective today.
How to Overcome It: A successful cybersecurity implementation plan must be flexible and regularly updated. Conduct continuous risk assessments and adapt your strategy to stay ahead of new threats. Using real-time monitoring tools and staying informed about the latest cybersecurity trends will help you stay prepared.
Takeaways
There is not an industry, sector, or business on the planet that is not susceptible to possible cybersecurity attacks. There's no limit to what can and will happen when it comes to access to important data over the course of any modern organization's existence.
A complex and thorough cybersecurity plan and policy ensures company teams are aware, prepared, and supported when it comes to taking action during a sensitive data breach or attack. The best plans and policies are those that are reviewed and revised regularly to plan for any new threats that may occur.
When IT teams are equipped with technology and tools that can help them monitor a company's tech assets and devices, like Prey, they are better set up for success in protecting sensitive information and saving a business's time and money from a hack.
From tracking and monitoring the location of cell phones and laptops to providing device security to protecting company data to managing IT equipment, Prey has the features and functionalities to assist any size company and help ensure their data remains private and safe.
Try Prey and let us show you how we can help you track, manage, and protect your organization's devices.
