Why does security remain such a huge issue? It’s simple. Data breaches are big business. Approximately 70% of breaches were financially motivated, while less than 5% were motivated by espionage.1
For all organizations, real-time defense against cybercriminals and threats remains a crucial part of risk management. In the past few years, with the shift to remote work, cybercriminals have gotten much better at exploiting security vulnerabilities. In 93% of cases, an external attacker can breach an organization’s network perimeter and gain access to local network resources.2
While companies can spend millions on security products, teams are also responsible for managing the strategic element of cybersecurity. Staying ahead of potential security threats is crucial to preventing data loss. So how do you develop a proactive approach to risk management? Here are seven ways to get started:
1. Develop a big-picture perspective
Whenever you are in defense mode, you are at a disadvantage because the sheer complexity of attacks can take days or even weeks to figure out. Risk management only works when you have the correct people trained on the right technologies. The faster those employees are trained, the better you will be at identifying security gaps before they become breaches.
2. Understand your organization’s security strategy
IT leaders must understand the core security strategy in any organization. This requires a 360° view of the current framework and mitigation strategies once an attack occurs. Mapping out a best- and worst-case scenario given all existing hardware, software and processes will highlight the gaps where attackers may easily enter. The question, “What else are we missing?” will open new areas that the team may have overlooked. Not all gaps will be readily apparent as your IT operator may not be looking at processes by third-party vendors or systems that may be run by other business units, such as purchasing/logistics systems.
3. Identify any security skills gaps and cross-training opportunities
Technology changes constantly. Research indicates that 86% of technology managers find it challenging to find skilled technology professionals.3 Where are your largest security skills gaps? Identifying the key opportunities to upskill current staff will give you a better handle on the next moves to overcome any challenges you may need to maneuver in the future.
4. Create structured security learning paths
Based on the goals you identified above, what is the path you need your security team to take? VMware Learning can absolutely help with a Knowledge and Skills Assessment. The Knowledge and Skills Assessment offers an individualized assessment of current skill levels relative to VMware solutions and provides recommendations on how to address those skills gaps.
5. Onboard new employees
Creating a culture of security success is also an important part of onboarding new employees. Incorporating security training from day one impacts the success of your larger security initiatives. Social engineering and spearfishing have become popular ways hackers gain access. Developing an internal security awareness training to educate all employees on potential threats will help employees know what to look for, therefore preventing threats before they happen.
6. Practice makes perfect
In mapping out your security plan, you can now accurately assess the strength of your defenses. The goal is to get into the mindset of the attacker and role play various scenarios outlined before. Security breach preparedness drills are invaluable for testing the skills of your team. Through VMware Learning offerings, your team can access live and simulated labs to ensure your team is properly prepared in case of a sudden breach.
7. Scale your in-house staff through VMware security training
The best investment you can make in security is in training your staff on the latest technologies. As well as supporting you to lead and innovate with VMware products and solutions, VMware security certifications bring new knowledge and skills into your organization. For example, our Carbon Black training curriculum is specific to the best practices of endpoint security protection.
We encourage you to take a look at our VCP Certification for Endpoint and Workload Security. Additionally, VMware learners develop a comprehensive understanding of endpoint security within our VMware Carbon Black Cloud solutions.
References
1Verizon, “2021 Data Breach Investigations Report”
2BetaNews, “Cybercriminals can penetrate 93 percent of company networks“
3Robert Half, “In-Demand Roles, Technology“
