Types of Cybersecurity Controls: The Business Owners Guide To the Different Types of Security Controls

Thanks to the new SEC Cyber Rule, you may have noticed a surge in cybersecurity news lately. This rule requires publicly traded companies to report major cyber incidents within four days. This and high-profile cyberattacks like the NATO attack highlight how important and urgent cybersecurity has become. Businesses like yours must stay sharp and ahead of the curve.

If you’re struggling with the nitty-gritty of the different types of cybersecurity controls, don’t sweat it – we’re here to simplify things for you! This guide will take you through the different types of security controls, including technical, administrative, and physical. It will help you understand where to start with cybersecurity, how to set your security goals, and how to make these controls work for your business.

And don’t worry if things go wrong. We’ve got your back with recovery controls.

Get the hang of cybersecurity today!

Tech-based Protection (Technical Security Controls)

Consider your business as a house. Your technical controls are the advanced locks, security systems, and smart devices you use to keep burglars away and ensure your family’s safety. In the business environment, these ‘burglars’ are hackers, malware, and other online threats.

Technical controls are tools and systems you set up in your business’s digital space. They’re there to stop, discover, and deal with security threats. They act as your digital barrier, and they include:

1. Access Controls: Just like you wouldn’t hand out keys to your home to everyone, access controls only allow authorized employees into specific areas of your business systems. This could involve passwords, fingerprint scans, or even computer facial recognition.
2. Firewalls: A firewall is like a fence around your home, keeping unwanted intruders out. It blocks harmful software and hackers and prevents them from breaching your company’s network. This is a fundamental aspect of cyber security, serving as a preventative control to guard against cyber risks. The firewall filters network traffic, allowing authorized access while blocking unauthorized users. This is a great example of technical security controls working to protect your information system.
3. Encryption: Imagine you’re sending a secret message, but only the intended recipient knows how to decode it. That’s what encryption does. It mixes up data, like customer credit card details, so if someone else gets their hands on it, they won’t be able to understand it.
4. Intrusion Detection Systems: Think of these as your digital space’s security cameras. They constantly monitor your business network; if someone attempts to break in or something appears off, they’ll alert you.

Why are They Important to You?

• Secure Your Valuable Data: Your business’s information, such as client details, is extremely valuable. You can use technical security controls to protect this data from being stolen or misused.
• Building Trust: Your customers trust you by sharing their information. Show them you value their trust by using tech controls and cyber security to protect their information.
• Keep Your Business Moving: Cyber attacks can put your business on hold. Technical controls can lower this risk, ensuring your business keeps going.

Technical controls are like the latest security gadgets for your digital home or business. As the boss, it’s key to make sure your ‘home’ is safe from potential cyber ‘burglars.’ With the right tech controls, you can go a long way to keeping your business safe without being a tech whiz!

Company Rules & Training (Administrative Security Controls)

What Are They?

Administrative controls are the rules, procedures, and guidelines your company sets to manage daily operations and monitor employee behavior. These controls are like the instructions and training you put in place to ensure everyone works securely and responsibly.

Why Are They Important?

1. Workplace Behavior: Employees who receive proper security awareness training can help prevent many common security problems. With the right awareness training, staff can become a significant part of your organization’s security strategy, reducing the likelihood of security incidents and helping to protect your information system.
2. Straightforward Standards: By laying out easy-to-understand rules, everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, which cuts down on errors and overlooking.
3. Compliance: Certain industries are subject to legal or regulatory standards. Having the right administrative controls can help you stay in line with these rules.

Examples and How They Can Help Your Business:

1. Managing Users: Determine who in your company gets to see what. For example, your accountant may need to see financial records but not customer data. This approach reduces risks by ensuring only the right people get access to certain information.
2. Employee Training: Keep your team in the loop about possible cyber risks like phishing emails and the right way to deal with them. A team well-versed in security awareness training can prevent many security incidents.
3. Access Control Rules: These govern how business data is accessed. Questions like, can employees use their own devices or access data from home, are addressed. By having such rules, we can avoid unauthorized access to our data.
4. Regular Employee Security Checks: Keep an eye on how your team handles security practices by routinely testing, talking, and appraising them. It’s a good way to ensure they stay on their toes.

It might seem like administrative controls are a bit fancy for a small company. But really, they’re just about setting up clear rules, training your team, and ensuring those rules are followed. It’s about building a security-conscious culture where everyone understands how they contribute to the company’s safety.

Deterrent Controls (Physical Security Controls)

Let’s shift our focus to physical security measures such as cameras, alarms, and identity cards. These security measures are crucial in safeguarding your assets and maintaining access control. They act as physical barriers, deterring unauthorized entry and tracking suspicious activities.

What is Physical Security?

Physical security is your business’s first line of defense. It involves protecting your physical assets – things like your office, equipment, inventory, and even your employees – from potential harm, theft, or damage.

Physical security uses tools like cameras, alarms, and identity cards. It is as physical barriers, safeguarding your assets, maintaining access control, deterring unauthorized entry, and tracking suspicious activities.

Why Is It Important for Your Business?

1. Protecting Your Assets: Securing your pricey tools, inventory, or office furnishings helps with unexpected replacement costs.
2. Employee Safety: A safe environment ensures the well-being of your employees, which can boost morale and productivity.
3. Customer Confidence: When customers or clients see that you take security seriously, it boosts their confidence in your professionalism and the safety of doing business with you.
4. Preventing Business Disruption: A break-in or security lapse can disrupt operations, costing you time and money.

Key Components

1. Surveillance Cameras can scare off potential thieves and record any incidents for evidence later.
2. Alarm Systems: Alarms can raise a red flag for local law enforcement or security companies if there’s a break-in or someone tries to get in without permission.
3. Identity Cards: If your team is big or you often have visitors, ID cards can help make sure only the right people get into certain areas.
4. Security Guards: If you’ve got a lot of valuable stuff or your business is in a risky area, having a security guard might be a good idea.
5. Perimeter Security: Things like fencing, secure doors, or even just good locks can stop people from getting in who shouldn’t.

Tips for Implementation:

• Keep It Basic: Even simple actions, like using good locks or keeping valuable items in secure storage, can greatly improve your security.
• Stay Current: As your business expands, routinely evaluate and update your physical security measures.
• Engage Your Staff: Ensure your team is well-trained in security procedures, such as locking up after work or checking visitors’ identities.
• Address Local Threats: Customize your security strategies to combat specific risks in your locality, whether regular burglaries, natural disasters, or other regional issues.

Physical security is the bedrock of safeguarding your investment, your team, and your customers. Every step, no matter how big or small, plays a part in the bigger picture of guaranteeing business continuity and success.

Check Your Cybersecurity (Security Control Assessments)

Think of your business as a home. Just like a home has doors and windows, your business has multiple access points in the digital world. These could be your website, emails, software, and various online platforms.

Intruders could try to exploit these to gain unauthorized access. These controls help reduce cyber risks and prevent potential security incidents.

What’s a Security Control Assessment?

A security control assessment is a key part of an effective security strategy. It helps ensure that your controls are implemented correctly and are meeting your organization’s security requirements. An assessment will also help your security team identify any weaknesses in your security controls and make necessary changes.

Why do we need them?

1. Spotting Weak Points: Think of it like a potential burglar checking for a loose window latch. Cyber security assessments help us find these gaps in our digital defenses. That way, we can fix them before any cyber intruder gets a chance to take advantage.
2. Keeping Current: Cyber threats change fast. What kept us safe last year might not do the trick this year. Regular assessments make sure we’re always prepared with up-to-date defenses.
3. Building Trust & Reputation: When we tell our customers that we’re always checking and improving our security, it gives them more trust in us. It’s like a homeowner bragging about their top-notch security system.

Think of Security Control Assessments like routine health checks for your company’s technology. These crucial tests help keep your cyber security defenses working and your customer’s data secure. If it all seems overwhelming, don’t sweat it. Some experts, like us, can guide you through this process, making it easier and more efficient.

If Things Go Wrong (Recovery Controls)

Sure, you’ve got locks on your doors, maybe an alarm system, and you’ve made sure everyone is well-versed in cyber security. But what if a storm damages your roof or a pipe bursts out of the blue, causing damage or loss of data? That’s when your ‘recovery plans’ step in, making sure you get back to normal as quickly as possible.

Recovery controls are your safety net, ensuring business continuity and data restoration should things go wrong. These controls are designed to help your business bounce back from an incident, providing a quick response mechanism. They form an integral part of your cybersecurity strategy and are crucial for maintaining the integrity of your business operations.

For your business, recovery controls are an essential backup plan when digital mishaps or unexpected threats occur:

1. Incident Response Guide: This is like your go-to list in case of emergencies. If something like a cyberattack or unauthorized data access happens, this guide provides a step-by-step process of what to do right away.
   • Identifying the problem: Understand that an issue has arisen.
   • Containing the issue: Prevent the problem from growing or worsening.
   • Eradicating the issue: Tackle and get rid of the root cause.
2. Data Backup and Restoration: Think of this like making extra copies of your important papers and storing them safely. If your business data gets compromised, you can quickly replace any lost or damaged information with your backup copies.
   • Regular Backups: Just as you’d make copies of important papers from time to time, make sure to save your business data frequently.
   • Secure Storage: Your backup data needs protection too, kind of like storing copies in a fireproof box.
   • Restoration: If you ever lose data, you should know how to grab your backup and get your business up and running again.
3. Post-Incident Analysis: After any incident, it’s crucial to reflect on what happened, like reviewing what caused a household accident to prevent it in the future.
   • Understanding the Breach: Figure out what went wrong.
   • Improvement Areas: Determine any vulnerabilities or weak points.
   • Enhance Security: Based on what you learn, bolster your defenses for the future.

While you do your best to protect your business with various security measures, unexpected challenges can arise. Recovery controls are your tailored contingency plans, ensuring that when digital disruptions occur, your business remains resilient and can swiftly bounce back.

Different Types of Security Controls, Best Practices, Common Security, and Preventative Controls that protect from Data Breaches

The online world is full of possible threats that are trying to hurt and steal from your business. But you can cut these risks and keep your business running smoothly with the right safety measures, proactive employee training, and a dependable IT Management and Cybersecurity services provider like ZZ Servers.

We know each business is unique, so we tailor our services to your needs. Our skilled team can help you put access controls, firewalls, encryption, and systems to detect intrusions to keep your valuable data safe. We offer complete cybersecurity training for your staff, helping them become an important part of your company’s security plan. Plus, our solid recovery controls will ensure your business can get back on its feet quickly if any digital disruptions happen.

Putting money into your cybersecurity isn’t just about keeping your info safe; it’s about protecting your reputation, building trust with your customers, and making sure your business succeeds.

So why wait for a disaster to happen? Stay one step ahead and start securing your operations today. Get in touch with ZZ Servers to learn more about how we can help you make your business safer from cyber threats. Let’s join forces to make your ‘digital house’ is safe and secure.