This is a question that is asked of many CISOs: is our business prepared to handle a cyber attack? A recent study conducted by Proofpoint surveyed “1,400 CISOs from organizations of 200 employees or more across different industries in 14 countries. One hundred CISOs were interviewed in each market which consisted of the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, UAE, KSA, Australia, Japan, and Singapore.” Their research found that 66% of CISOs feel unprepared to deal with a cyber attack. Further, 65% of U.S. CISOs and 50% of Canadian CISOs feel that their organization is at risk of a cyber attack within the next 12 months.
So, what is at the core of CISO anxiety? There are a variety of factors, including the work from home factor, with 56% of surveyed CISOs saying that remote access to company information “negatively impacts their ability to manage the control and classification of sensitive business data.” 40% percent of CISOs have also stated that their employees are not appropriately equipped to work remotely. Which means that human error is also a chief concern among CISOs, with 75% of U.S. CISOs, and 51% of Canadian CISOs believing that human error is their greatest cyber security vulnerability.
CISOs face many obstacles when it comes to protecting the data of their organizations. So, how can organizations better deal with the anxiety of feeling unprepared and prone to attack?
The human factor is certainly critical and key in securing your data. Cyber awareness training and policies can help lesson the risk from human error. The more aware staff are made of how their decisions online affect the business, the better they can ensure they don’t accidently give away “the keys to the kingdom.” In addition, password policies against reuse and encouraging multifactor authentication will also help.
Having a breach readiness plan in advance of a potential cyber attack will also help lessen the anxiety surrounding cyber threats. Having a plan that is practiced and updated on a regular basis, with staff knowing what to do in the event of a breach is important. It can lessen the severity of the attack and decrease the amount of downtime your business suffers.
You need to be prepared for the cyber threats that are out there. If you are feeling the anxiety, contact Uzado today. Uzado are trusted experts that can help you address your cyber security needs.