Cybersecurity has evolved tremendously through the years, but in the current day, the rate of change is accelerating like never before. Businesses are persistently allocating resources to technological advancements for their operations. They are currently adding more layers of systems to their IT networks to facilitate remote work, improve customer satisfaction, and generate value.
As they do this, malicious actors are uncovering new ways to infiltrate networks, steal sensitive information, and cause chaos. The costs linked to cybercrime are escalating at a rate of 15% annually and are anticipated to hit $10.5 trillion annually by 2025.
With the growing number of cyber threats, developing a robust and effective cybersecurity strategy is the need of the hour. Learn how working with advisors can provide a wide range of cybersecurity consulting services to improve your organization’s security posture and help you navigate the complexities of modern-day threats.
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model
Before delving into the role of advisors, let’s understand the cybersecurity maturity model. The model assesses an organization’s cybersecurity readiness and provides suggestions to safeguard it against evolving threats and breaches.
Brainlink SECURES is one such model that enables clients to establish a strong foundation of security and gradually add additional services and protections. Developed by incorporating feedback via internal and external interviews, along with continuous learning and monitoring, the Brainlink SECURES framework comprises seven domains, which form the acronym SECURES: Surveillance, Endpoint, Cybersecurity, Users, Remediation, Email, and Supplements. These seven domains collectively encompass over 40 high-level controls deemed essential for ensuring comprehensive security across all organizations.
The Role of Trusted Cybersecurity Consultants
Maintaining strong cybersecurity is an essential task for any modern organization, but it is often challenging for in-house teams to maintain the needed levels of protection. In-house teams may have limited knowledge or experience in the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity, as well as competing priorities that can draw attention away from security concerns. Additionally, they may lack the necessary skills and tools to identify and respond to potential threats and time constraints can make it difficult to keep up with the latest security measures.
This is where advisors fill the gap by providing expert guidance and support to help organizations maintain the highest levels of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity consultants bring specialized knowledge and experience, offering insights into emerging threats and the latest security tools and techniques. They can also work closely with in-house teams to provide guidance and training, helping build stronger security cultures within organizations. Here are some of the key areas in which advisors can be extremely helpful:
1. Improve Surveillance
Advisors can help organizations improve their surveillance capabilities by implementing advanced threat detection tools and processes. These tools can help identify potential threats before they become full-blown attacks. Advisors can also help organizations create an incident response plan, which outlines the steps to be taken in the event of a cybersecurity incident.
2. Secure Endpoints
Endpoints, such as laptops and smartphones, are common targets for cyber-attacks. Through detailed assessments, advisors can help organizations secure these endpoints by implementing endpoint security solutions, such as anti-virus software and firewalls. They can also help develop policies around endpoint usage, such as restricting access to sensitive data.
3. Protect Users
Employees are often the weakest link in an organization’s cybersecurity defenses. Cybersecurity advisors can help organizations educate their employees on cybersecurity best practices, such as identifying phishing emails and creating strong passwords. They can also help implement user authentication measures, such as two- or multi-factor authentication for greater threat protection.
4. Aid Remediation
In the event of a cybersecurity incident, advisors can help organizations with remediation efforts. This includes identifying the incident’s root cause and implementing measures to prevent it from happening again. They can also help organizations with data recovery and restoration. Without remediation, the threats would linger for malicious actors to use at their pace/time.
5. Defend Email
Email is a key component of various malicious campaigns, such as business email compromise, phishing, spoofing, and link jacking. Cybersecurity consultants can help organizations defend against email-based attacks by implementing email security solutions, such as spam filters and email encryption. They can also help educate employees on identifying and avoiding email-based threats.
6. Issue Supplements
Organizations that need to maintain compliance must have additional levels of cybersecurity and privacy measures in place. Cybersecurity consultants can help organizations stay updated with the latest cybersecurity threats and trends. They can issue supplements to the organization’s cybersecurity policy as new threats emerge. This ensures that the organization’s cybersecurity practices remain effective and up to date.
Invest in Strong Cybersecurity Consultants
As organizations make significant investments in technology, whether out of a desire for innovation or necessity, they must remain cognizant of subsequent cyber risks. With new technologies come new vulnerabilities that attackers quickly exploit, rendering even the most effective cyber controls obsolete in the face of the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Shield your organization against prevailing threats and emerge victorious from the shackles of cybersecurity risks today! Explore our range of cybersecurity services to SECURE your organization today.