At a glance:
- As Head of IT, you face intense pressure day in and day out. There is so much that requires your attention, from tight budgets and problems with infrastructure to compliance deadlines, business continuity plans, and more.
- Around the world, cyberattacks rose by 38% in 2022. As you well know, investing in information security is no longer merely nice to have. It’s a must.
- A long-term information security strategy is imperative. What’s more, to effectively protect your company, it needs to comply with ISO 27001.
This article looks at typical issues that you, as Head of IT, will likely encounter on your path toward implementing an ISO 27001-compliant information security strategy. The article offers solutions and describes how you can promote information security in your company.
New developments mean new risks
We all know how fast the pace of digitalisation is. As Head of IT, you should be focused on protecting your company. But there are so many things that demand your attention. To manage all these challenges, you need teams with a broad range of skills. They need to be able to proactively identify risks, pursue forward-looking strategies and stay alert – and do all that in a cost-effective way.
Cyber resilience instead of whack-a-mole
It’s true: many IT departments are aware of the threats they currently face and want to make their information security stronger. But the day-to-day emergencies, both big and small, that you face in IT often get in the way of long-term planning. Don’t worry! We’ve got your back.
Below, we’ll take a look at 5 of the typical problems you face in terms of information security. And above all, we’ll reveal how useful, sustainable solutions should look. Stop playing a losing game of whack-a-mole: become resilient instead!
Problem 1: Pressure from CEOs
As Head of IT, you’re used to the higher-ups demanding risk assessments and management strategies. You have to set up business continuity plans and develop contingency and recovery plans for potential attacks.
The board wants the very best protection against cyber threats to build stakeholder trust in your company. How can you convince them that a watertight information security management system (ISMS) provides the most effective protection?
Call to action: Show how information security can drive your company’s success
Help executives better understand the main risks your company faces. Create clear dashboards that explain all risk-related metrics.
Integrate information security into your company’s strategic plan. Protecting intellectual property and business operations is not an obstacle – it is a driver of growth.
Build your ISMS based on the requirements set out ISO 27001, the international standard for information security. This way, the executive board can rest assured that your company is following recognised best practices.
Problem 2: Pressure from investors and customers
Investors want consistent and comparable metrics so they can invest their money in companies that meet their requirements. Cyber incidents affect company value – sometimes, the damage is temporary, but often it’s permanent.
Partners, investors, and customers want to see what your company is doing to protect information. They want to be protected from bad investments and data breaches. They want to make smarter decisions and avoid being slowed down by downtimes.
Call to action: Build trust
By developing an ISMS, you are already protecting your company against cyberattacks in the best possible way. You know the risks your company faces and are doing something about it.
Take the next step and get your response plan certified according to ISO 27001. Certification will build trust in your brand. With a certified ISMS, customers and partners can trust that their information is safe with you. And investors will know that your company is ready for the high-risk future.
Take our webinar and discover your path to ISO 27001 implementation.
Problem 3: Conflict between growth and cost reduction
As Head of IT, you’re used to tight budgets. Now, with a shaky economy, budgets are getting even tighter. In this kind of environment, security standards tend to become lax. Information security is deprioritised to allocate funds to your company’s core business.
Call to action: Optimise your tech budget
Our DataGuard security expert Emrick Etheridge recommends working with a consultant to optimise your budget. A consultant can help by:
- Conducting cost-benefit analyses (e.g., for risk assessments)
- Identifying potential savings
- Recommending smart tech investments
- Presenting open-source alternatives to expensive software
All this information can then be used as a basis for open discussions with your higher-ups to revise future budgets.
Problem 4: Regulatory compliance
The ever-changing data privacy and compliance regulations are always a source of headaches for IT management. Complying with new regulations and maintaining certifications such as ISO 27001 requires your company to adjust.
As just one example, implementing the EU’s new NIS2 Directive might currently be taking up a good deal of your time. And many sectors are subject to even stricter cybersecurity requirements. Failure to meet them runs the risk of severe penalties.
Call to action: Plan enough resources for compliance
If you are impacted by NIS2, go to management, and raise awareness about it.
“What is important now is making sure there’s enough money and qualified people to deal with new information security requirements,” says our expert Etheridge.
Problem 5: Poor security awareness among employees
There is one development in recent years in particular that has greatly increased the risk of security breaches. The widespread use of mobile devices means that when employees behave negligently, risks abound.
Call to action: Train your employees – extensively and regularly
On this topic, our expert Etheridge comments:
“Regular training is essential to educate employees about potential risks such as phishing attacks, data breaches and malware. Employees need the knowledge and skills to keep these risks in check.
Keep your employee training program up to date. The goal is to create a security-conscious workforce that actively helps protect sensitive data.
Failure to adequately train employees can result in a lack of compliance with standards such as ISO 27001 or NIS2.”
Training software and company-wide policies can make your job less stressful since you won’t have to chase down your employees anymore. A platform like DataGuard Academy can track which employees have taken what training and when.
In 2023, information security is the key to success
Let’s be real: as Head of IT, you know what it’s like to fight for your priorities. Your goals are lofty, but the means are limited. Meeting everyone’s expectations is a difficult task indeed.
But don’t worry: there’s a better way to manage everything. ISO 27001 certification can make your life easier. Certification helps mitigate risks and take your company’s information security to a new level.
Our webinar will provide you with practical tips for getting ISO 27001 certified. Find out more.
