How to Strengthen Corporate Security: The Importance of Foundational Oversight and Third-Party Assessment

Wayne White
1/3/2024
min read

In today’s digital age, the significance of robust corporate security cannot be overstated. With cyber threats constantly evolving, it's imperative for businesses to establish and maintain a strong security stance to protect their assets, data, and reputation. In a recent interview, security expert and Altiam Digital CEO Wayne White delved into the critical aspects of corporate security and highlighted the best approach to beginning the process of strengthening a company’s security posture.

The Importance of Foundational Oversight

White emphasized the necessity of foundational oversight as the cornerstone of a company’s security strategy. Foundational oversight encompasses an annual and ongoing process that involves third-party assessments of the foundational security measures in place. These assessments serve as a means to evaluate the existing security infrastructure and identify potential vulnerabilities and deficiencies. By engaging in foundational oversight, businesses gain insight into the effectiveness of their security protocols and are provided with a roadmap for further improvement.

Security Improvement Plan and Ongoing Training

Further expanding on the broad approach to security enhancement, White stressed the significance of a security improvement plan. This plan entails a structured path to elevate security measures to meet current and future challenges. It involves implementing new technologies, updating policies and protocols, and enhancing security controls to align with the latest threats and industry standards.

Moreover, training, protocols, and continuous review and improvement are vital components of strengthening corporate security. Regular training programs ensure that employees are well-informed about security protocols and are equipped to mitigate potential risks. Additionally, constant review and improvement are essential to adapt to evolving threats and maintain a robust security framework.

Business Continuity Planning

White also highlighted the importance of reviewing business continuity planning with a specific focus on surviving a hack. This aspect is often overlooked, as many organizations primarily consider mitigating the impact of outages. However, the focus should include devising strategies to ensure the survival of the business in the event of a security breach. By addressing this critical aspect of security, companies can bolster their resilience and minimize the repercussions of a cyberattack.

The Role of Third-Party Assessment

In the specific approach to strengthening corporate security, White emphasized the paramount importance of third-party assessments. These assessments are pivotal in identifying the most significant unknown risks, often stemming from drift - a prevalent but often overlooked issue insecurity. Drift refers to the gradual and unauthorized modifications and adaptations made to security policies and protocols over time. These unauthorized changes pose a considerable threat to the integrity of a company's security posture, as they often go undocumented and undetected.

Identifying and Addressing Drift

White shed light on the insidious nature of drift, attributing it to human nature and the tendency to seek shortcuts or workarounds. These subtle deviations from established security protocols present significant vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors. White emphasized that even the most robust security infrastructure is susceptible to compromise if drift is left unaddressed.

Mitigating Drift and Ensuring Security Compliance

White reiterated the critical role of a foundational third-party assessment in uncovering instances of drift and examining whether the company’s security measures align with their original intent. By conducting thorough assessments, businesses can identify and rectify unauthorized changes, outdated security controls, and overlooked vulnerabilities. Successfully mitigating drift ensures that security measures remain effective and aligned with the evolving threat landscape.

Learn more about how Altiam Digital can help you the necessary tools, technology, and expertise to strengthen your security stance in the face of growing cybersecurity risks.

 

Wayne White

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