What is cybersecurity management?

In 2023, 53% of French companies were victims of a cyberattack, according to the Hiscox Report, compared to 48% the previous year. Faced with the increase in digital threats and the large-scale challenges associated with them, it is imperative to set up a solid cybersecurity management system within your organization to prevent and control digital risks.

But what exactly is cybersecurity management? And how do you set it up? The answers in this article.

 

What is cybersecurity management?

Cybersecurity management refers to all actions intended to protect the organization against cyber threats. It is a global management, at once strategic, organizational and operational, organized around clear governance and well-defined processes.

Cybersecurity management meets several objectives:

• Prevent incidents, identify and reduce vulnerabilities;
• React quickly in the event of attacks to limit the damage;
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations;
• Strengthen the trust of customers, partners and shareholders;
• Ensure business continuity and limit production stoppages in the event of a cyberattack;
• Protect information systems, digital assets and strategic assets of the company (sensitive data, intellectual property, know-how, etc.);
• Raise employees’ awareness of best practices to limit security breaches caused by human error;
• Encourage a corporate culture focused on cybersecurity;
• …

 

Cybersecurity management: what are the challenges?

The implementation of an effective and structured cybersecurity management is fundamental to prevent and minimize all types of digital risks, such as:

• Hacking of professional emails;
• Ransomware;
• Phishing;
• Malware (malicious software);
• Data leakage or theft;
• Risks related to humans (negligence, operating error, passwords that are too weak, insecure uses, etc.)
• Failure to comply with data protection laws and standards (GDPR, ISO 27001, etc.)

This responds to large-scale challenges. Indeed, cyberattacks have very damaging consequences for companies and public organizations. They are very often accompanied by:

• Considerable costs, which can go up to several hundred thousand euros for the most serious incidents. According to data reported by the
• Government, it is estimated that the average cost of a cyberattack for companies is €14,720. However, 1 in 8 companies reports that the costs generated exceed €230,000.
• A loss of confidence from customers, shareholders and partners;
• Damage to the organization’s reputation and brand image;
• Legal sanctions;
• An interruption of activity;
• …

 

How to set up cybersecurity management within your company?

Cybersecurity management must be the subject of a global and structured approach, which is based on several key steps:

1. Define strategic cybersecurity goals

First of all, it is necessary to identify all the objectives that the implementation of cybersecurity management meets: to protect customer data? Reduce human error? Strengthen regulatory compliance? Guaranteeing business continuity…? What are the business needs in terms of cybersecurity? Which business functions are most exposed to these risks?…

It will then be relevant to assess the current state of cybersecurity risk management within the company: how robust are the information systems? What is the level of acculturation of employees? What tools and systems currently exist in terms of cybersecurity? What is the medium- and long-term strategic vision?… The answers to these questions will vary greatly depending on the size of the company and its sector of activity, among other things.

2. Implement cybersecurity governance

It is imperative to organize cybersecurity at the highest level of the company, by clarifying the objectives, roles and responsibilities of each person. This must include the implementation of a clear and structured cybersecurity policy, accessible to all, but also through the designation of several managers, such as a CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) or a CISO (Chief Information Security Officer).

Finally, it is important to coordinate actions with the general management, the various business functions, HR, the legal department and the information systems department.

3. Conduct a risk analysis

It will then be important to analyze all the digital risks to which the organization is currently exposed: sensitive data, internal and external vulnerabilities, predominant threats in this sector, most likely scenarios, most critical infrastructures and tools… This preliminary work will make it possible to prioritize the security measures to be deployed according to the degree of probability of each risk.

4. Deploy appropriate security measures

Depending on the risks identified, targeted actions will now have to be put in place to strengthen digital security. This may include, but is not limited to:

• Reinforced access controls;
• Regular backups;
• Installation of firewalls, antivirus, anti-malware, and sensitive data encryption tools;
• Regular software and operating system updates;
• The implementation of internal security procedures (incident management, terminal security, etc.);
• The development of an incident response plan and a business continuity plan in the event of security breaches;
• Regular review of access and rights granted to users;
• Control of service providers and subcontractors, thanks to security clauses in contracts;
• …

 

5. Train and raise awareness among employees

The implementation of cybersecurity management must imperatively involve training and awareness-raising actions for employees to enable them to understand, recognise and manage threats and to deliver to them the right practices and best practices to adopt (choice of strong passwords, risky behaviour to be avoided, etc.). It is also essential to train technical teams and managers and conduct regular security testing to integrate cybersecurity management into the a continuous improvement approach.

 

Do you want to strengthen your company’s cybersecurity?

WAYDEN supports you by mobilizing an expert in cybersecurity management capable of effectively managing the protection of your information systems. Thanks to a strategic and operational approach, our interim manager puts in place the essential processes to anticipate risks, secure your sensitive data and guarantee business continuity. His in-depth cybersecurity expertise, leadership and responsiveness make the difference in the face of growing digital threats.

Contact us to find out how you can sustainably strengthen your IT security.