{"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 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 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. 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 To document access, start by creating an access control matrix. This will provide a powerful tool for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout the process of building out visibility documentation, take note of any risks you identify by starting a risk register. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Managing risks requires an element of project management: risks should be documented, and plans to address them should be tracked and managed. Your risk register should include everything you need to know about each risk, including ownership, plans for mitigation, deadlines, and more. For example, your risk register might include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that these categories are not exhaustive; your risk register may include additional data specific to your organization. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Risk assessment shouldn\u2019t be a one-and-done activity, but rather an ongoing analysis. Continue to document and assess risks in the risk register with the process above when they are identified. This will keep the register up to date and functional, allowing it to inform decisions on which projects to prioritize based on their ability to reduce risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s the fun part \u2014 making the magic happen! Each risk that is mitigated results in new controls or improved existing controls (again, a control is a policy, process, or technology). Each control must be defined and implemented. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, a risk such as \u201cterminated employees retaining access to work accounts\u201d will result in creating or improving employee offboarding processes, which may require a piece of technology \u2014 like an identity management platform<\/a>. Then, those new controls should be added to policy, which authorizes and communicates the requirements throughout the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The processes listed above, along with the regulations and frameworks that your company adheres to, should act as guidance for defining your controls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nA Note on GRC and Frameworks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\nSteps to Building a Security Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Attain Visibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Tracking vendors.<\/strong> Consider using this access document to aid in creating a vendor list. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nAssess Risk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Define and Implement Controls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n