Check Your Organisation’s Security With A Cyber Audit

Most organisations increasingly rely on digital information and network-enabled devices and cyber security will only continue to grow in importance to the way you operate. However, around a quarter of business disruptions are related to cyber security. 

Cyber attacks develop at pace and it is important to continually ensure that your cyber security measures are effective and up to date. Regular checks and audits are now very important for your organisation’s security and your plans need to be regularly audited. A security audit is the high-level description of the many ways organizations can test and assess their overall security posture, including cyber security. 

Regular internal audits of your cyber security plans will help your organisation ensure it’s ready for two things:

• A cyber security breach 
• Any potential external audits you may be subject to. 

Cyber security is vital to business continuity and crisis management, so you want to make sure that this is one area of the business that is meeting expectations.

There is never a bad time to undertake a cyber security audit  and although it’s beneficial to conduct more in-depth audits from time to time, a brief internal audit can help you ensure that your cyber security plans are up to date and functioning as they should. It’s often the case that internal cyber auditors will often lack the current experience of a professional and therefore would need some help to begin the process.  

 Here are five quick steps to get you started:

1. Review all plans:  First, conduct a document-based review of the plans. Consider if their policies and procedures are still up to date, complete, and relevant. Ensure that every piece of each plan fits a purpose and that all roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. We suggest that you have an independent cyber audit professional com and check every quarter. For more information please contact Cyber Security Intelligence for a free check. 

2. Assess the Risks:  Identify any new threats to the organisation’s cyber assets that may have emerged since your team developed the cyber security plans. For example, additional vulnerabilities can crop up when the company adds third-party data storage, as employees leave or join the company, or if the business incorporates new hardware, software, and servers. If you discover new risks or identify additional assets, be sure to account for them in your planning documents. Lockdown and home working has made this even more crucial.

3. Consider applicable security standards:  After reviewing each plan, consider whether or not it still meets all applicable classification and security standards. Does it account for the organisation’s own policies, as well as any regulatory requirements and industry best practices? This is your chance to compare the current state of your plans to their ideal versions.

4. Make Sure Your Plans Can Be Implemented:  Consider how employees would actually use the plans during an emergency situation if they discovered a major data breach. Would the people who discovered the breach know what to do? Where would they go to find additional information? Whom would they contact, and how long would it take to start rectifying the situation? Cyber security incidents move quickly, and as breaches become increasingly common, your organisation needs to ensure employees know what to do in an emergency, as well as during normal operating hours. 

5. Regular Cyber Security Training:  All employees and management should spend roughly 10/15 mins each day up-dating their cyber-security knowledge and working habits. At Cyber Security Intelligence we recommend you test GoCyber for a free trial of employee training.

Why You Deed a Cyber Security Audit

Regulations such as the EU GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) call for stiff penalties in case of a breach or hack resulting in lost personal data. One way to mitigate the consequences of a breach is to show that your organisation has followed government initiatives and taken the necessary steps to protect personal data to the extent possible. A cyber security audit sets you off on the right foot by providing the basic cyber security groundwork on which to build your commercial future.

Cyber Security Intelligence can help you make the right decisions. Please Contact Us For information and advice. 

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