In this post, I have been discussing the steps I took to produce cyber security strategy and the methods I have explored . With that in mind, its important to note that there is no perfect cybersecurity strategy. The threat and technology landscapes continue to evolve at a rapid pace in this AI era.
What is Strategy?
Meaning of strategy “a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.”
You need to have a cybersecurity plan with actionable steps. Cybersecurity strategy must clearly capture the business context , objectives and specific action plan to achieve the business goal. Strategic planning process must capture:
- Understand the business context, including people, process, and technology.
- Define the vision and guiding principles.
- Assess the current risk and security posture.
- Perform a gap analysis.
- Priortize proposed actions.
- Obtain executive approval and secure the necessary budget.
Strategies can be developed based on:
- Regulations and certifications (e.g. APRA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001)
- Identified threats
- Industry standard frameworks (e.g. NIST 800-53)
- Organization objectives
When basing the startegy on regulations, certifications, or industry frameworks, the goal is to ensure compliance and leverage established best practices. Incorporating threat intelligence can also strengthen the strategy. However, the organization’s specific objectives should be the primary driver.
It’s critical to socialize the draft strategy with relevant stakeholders, gather feedback, and establish target deadlines for implementation. Without buy-in and a clear plan for execution, the strategy will have limited impact.
The cybersecurity startegy should be a living document, regularly reviewed and updated as the threat landscape and organizational needs evolve. By following a structured approach, organizations can develop a comprehensive, adaptable cybersecurity strategy to protect their operations.