We regularly publish blogs and articles about doing a security assessment. About how important it is to gain insight into the status of the organization’s cyber security, and for proactively addressing the security policy. In addition, we always stress that doing an assessment is not something one-off, but should be repeated periodically to keep a finger on the pulse and stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.
Not only large multinationals fall victim to cybercrime. Hackers are increasingly targeting small and medium-sized enterprises as easier targets. Cybersecurity is therefore essential for every organization with an online presence.
However, security assessments vary in complexity and methodology and can be tailored to the needs of any organization, regardless of its size or IT infrastructure.
It’s often thought that security assessments are only for organizations with big budgets. Nothing could be further from the truth. A security assessment doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective, and security can be improved within a few days.
You can use software that you already have, such as a virus scanner. And any extras needed for optimal data security can usually be tailored to your organization’s financial capacity.
But whatever your budget, remember that proactively addressing cybersecurity is always cheaper than recovering from the direct and indirect financial consequences of a cyberattack.
Virtually every organization must comply with data privacy regulations, such as those established by the GDPR. In addition, there is increasingly specific cybersecurity legislation coming from the EU, aimed at better protecting Europe against cyberattacks. An example of this is NIS 21).
To comply with such laws and regulations, periodic scans are a must. Documenting your security and privacy policies is essential, as it can be used as a reference during audits.
At QS Solutions, we use our in-house developed Cyber Security Assessment Tool (CSAT), which is also deployed worldwide by Microsoft. This tool scans the hybrid IT environment and collects relevant security data from various sources. Additionally, CSAT uses a questionnaire to gather information about the security policy and other important indicators.
In general, our advice is to conduct a security assessment—depending on the size and complexity of the organization—two to four times a year, with one or two of these being a full assessment, including data collection, a questionnaire, and a complete report. This is necessary to keep refining and following the roadmap and action plan.
We also recommend conducting one or two interim data checks using the scans. This way, you stay continuously informed about vulnerabilities and risks, allowing you to take timely action.
Although no cybersecurity method can guarantee 100% protection against an attack, conducting and proactively following up on periodic assessments ensures that your organization is as well-protected as possible.
In our whitepaper ‘Security Assessment: The First Step in Cybersecurity,’ we delve deeper into the importance of periodic security assessments. How mature is your organization in terms of cybersecurity? What are the vulnerabilities, and where are they located? What steps can you take to improve security, and where should your priorities lie? Concrete, actionable information that you can apply immediately.
Would you like to learn more?
Read whitepaper
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