Creating an environment of security and compliance throughout your enterprise can be a challenge as the main goal is to effectively ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability for compliance goals throughout the environment. When considering the management of enterprise security and compliance, one message should remain at the forefront of our minds: enterprise compliance is not static and should be under constant review.
1. Responsibility Review
The answer of "Who is Responsible" can be a tricky one, as many organizations do not have a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). With the GDPR requiring a Data Protection Officer (DPO) for many organizations, hiring a DPO might become more of the norm. As cybersecurity directors and managers are tasked to find compliance gaps within the realm of data security, complying with data regulations continues to be a struggle. For the majority of organizations, mitigating risk and data protection falls to the CISO or CIO.
2. Out of Date Policies Review
When was the last time your organization's security or compliance policy was updated? There is not a one-type-fits-all when it comes to data security or even information security for organizations.
Thirteen Reasons to Update Your Security Policy discusses specific ways your organization can be at risk if a data security policy is out of date. Some of those reasons include:
- Non-Routine Security Tasks
- Lacking Threat Intelligence
- Minimal Formal Security Awareness
- Lack of Screening Employees and/or Vendors
- Uncertainty of Compliance Support
Read here for a full listing of 13 Reasons to Update your Outdated DataSec Policy.
3. Architecture Review
Obtaining a full understanding of your current IT framework can be a challenge, especially when an organization's top goal is to create a unified view of users across an enterprise. However, as technology becomes smarter, and malware continues to be more evasive, the goal of developing the best level of security with the best technology never seems to be an accomplishment.
Identifying risks and completing a threat assessment can help to determine your overall risk for a data breach, and in turn, can allow your organization to plan. In Information Security Architecture, Why You Need to Review, the four phases of creating and maintaining security architecture include:
- Assessment and Analysis
- Design and Modeling
- Deployment
- Management and Support
It is worth noting that Article 25 of the GDPR requires organizations to implement data protection by design and default. This requirement really forces organizations to determine and implement the best data processes regarding its alignment with development.
4. Employee Review
Your employees can be both your weakest and strongest links. Are your employees aware of your organization's implicit/explicit policies regarding compliance issues and standards? Ways to combat human errors, and support your organization's tech security culture can include:
- Technology usage that supports employee behaviors
- Ways to identify disgruntled employees
- Partnering with HR/other departments to help employee attitudes/culture of technology
Just as compliance maintenance is ongoing, training employees regarding IT compliance and data security practices should be ongoing as well.
A few ways to help educate employees about IT security and compliance include:
- Reminders regarding weak passwords
- Conducting IT security training
- No downloading of unauthorized software
5. Software Review
A review of current software usage, implementation, and practices can be a first step toward proper compliance and security. As malware continues to evolve, the ways to detect and combat compliance and security evolve. Reviewing current software best practices is a must in order to maintain a secure and compliant environment.
Best practices include:
- Software audits
- Permission monitoring
- Third-party monitoring
- Deploying a file integrity monitoring solution
A file integrity monitoring solution truly monitors a wide range of areas, generating details behind changes occurring in real time. Real-time change detection, and fully encrypted files and configurations allow for the focus on enterprise compliance and security that organizations need.
Not sure where to begin with file integrity monitoring? Download the Definitive Guide to File Integrity Monitoring today.
