{"id":70770,"date":"2023-10-12T16:29:13","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T20:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/?p=70770"},"modified":"2024-08-15T16:22:28","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T20:22:28","slug":"building-security-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/blog\/building-security-program","title":{"rendered":"Building a Security Program from the Ground Up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is calling on all of us to \u201cSecure Our World,\u201d with a simple message that calls everyone to action \u201cto adopt ongoing cybersecurity habits and improved online safety behaviors.\u201d This month, the JumpCloud blog will focus on helping you empower everyone in your organization to do their part regarding cybersecurity. Tune in throughout the month for more cybersecurity content written specifically for IT professionals.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n


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Cybersecurity is a pressing concern for everyone, but small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) are even more susceptible to cyberattacks than many might think. The popular notion that SMEs are not of interest to attackers is not true: Verizon\u2019s 2023 Data Breach Investigation Report<\/a> found that attacks on SMEs and large businesses are converging in both numbers and tactics. Essentially, the data shows that attackers are just as interested in SMEs as they are in large companies. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People working at SMEs are feeling the effects of this phenomenon: in a recent JumpCloud survey<\/a>, about half of SME IT professionals reported feeling more concerned about security than they were six months ago. But even though SMEs don\u2019t always have enterprise-level resources and funds, they can still build a successful security program. This post covers the frameworks and practices that can guide teams and their decision making when building (or rebuilding) a program from the ground up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Note on GRC and Frameworks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) forms the foundation of any successful security program. Typically, these components are wrapped up into what people usually just refer to as \u201ccompliance.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As most IT professionals aren\u2019t compliance experts, compliance can feel daunting for an IT team to navigate. But compliance isn\u2019t as different from security as many believe. When boiled down to the basics, compliance is simply a matter of defining controls, and a control is simply a policy, a process, or a technology. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frameworks can help you determine which controls your organization needs. NIST<\/a>, for example, is a common framework that can help you understand the standard operating controls required for a holistic corporate security program. While NIST is more focused on government standards, it is a great guide for budding programs, especially for those who aren\u2019t familiar with writing controls.

Compliance tip: <\/em><\/strong>When it comes to cloud security, research frameworks that align with the specific provider. For example, AWS has the <\/em>
Well-Architected Framework<\/em><\/a> to guide users on the controls necessary to secure cloud infrastructure.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steps to Building a Security Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Attain Visibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Security requires visibility into the inner workings of an organization. When approaching a new program, establish insight and documentation around the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n