While information security has assumed top priority in many organizations, the steps that enterprises take to strengthen their overall cybersecurity often focus solely on improving the technology and processes involved in those efforts. Unfortunately, such a heavy focus on the technical mechanics of cybersecurity neglects the human side of the equation. This is especially true when it comes to strengthening the collaboration between security-oriented departments and the rest of your organization.
Indeed, studies show that the strength of your security protection potential drops when your organization experiences a widening gap between business leaders and security programs. In a survey conducted in September 2015, only 15 percent of IT security professionals described their organization's collaboration as excellent, while more than 30 percent described it as poor or non-existent. That lapse can have serious consequences as the cost of cybercrime continues to climb.
Faced with such a clear disconnect between personnel and process, what can your enterprise do to improve the situation? These three tips to boost collaboration are a good place to start.
1. Make Someone Accountable for Security
Even if it means arbitrarily assigning final authority to the CIO over the CISO, or vice versa, the primary goal should be to make sure that someone is clearly and visibly accountable for your enterprise's security.
2. Communicate Security More Effectively
3. Focus on the Right Metrics
Instead of focusing solely on just being compliant, cybersecurity professionals should work to relay true indicators of their program's effectiveness. You can do this by focusing on areas that provide clear benefits, such as threat detection measures that directly increase your firm's data security.
Contact Vala Secure for more information about how to encourage collaboration in your firm's information security efforts.
