Introduction

So, you’re a cybersecurity expert, risk manager, or executive? Maybe even hashtag#CISO, hashtag#DSSI, or hashtag#RSSI? Imagine for a moment that you’re the coach of a football team. With a big match coming up, you need to ensure your team is ready, working with your budget and players. The match is tomorrow. You have little time left.

But because you are diligent, professional, and committed, you want to make sure the final adjustments are made, as even a small detail can make the difference between winning and losing.

The common pitfalls

The Mistake of Copying Others

Are you going to watch notable matches of opposing teams? Or maybe the strategies of volleyball teams? Or how about those of paintball pros? Absurd, right? Yet this is what many companies do in cybersecurity. They copy strategies from teams playing very different games without realizing it.

In cybersecurity, comparing yourself to others or choosing the same suppliers as your neighbor cannot replace a method based on experience, science, and data. No “me too” or plagiarized strategy. Each team, each company is different. Tinkering no longer pays off.

The Importance of a Personalized Strategy

Yes, there are similarities between companies. You can adopt tactics and techniques. But in cybersecurity, each company plays on a different field: its own share of cyberspace, specific in attack surface and defense depth. Each cybersecurity strategy is unique, considering business, human, and technical dimensions.

From strategy to operations, like in the military, everything must be perfectly aligned but flexible. It’s impossible to stay on the surface. Every flag counts.

Not Revealing Your Strategy

And no one, except the reckless, would call their opponent to give them the details of their strategy. Or display it on their website or in a public report. In cybersecurity, your team’s big match, maybe even the match of your life, is tomorrow. Or tonight. Time is not elastic. Like in skydiving, every second counts.

What to Do Starting Today?

Facing these challenges, what should you do starting today?

1. Evaluate Your Risks: Analyze the specific risks to your company and adjust your strategy accordingly.
2. Adopt a Personalized Approach: Develop a cybersecurity strategy that reflects the unique needs of your company.
3. Stay Flexible: Ensure your strategy can adapt to new threats and technological developments.
4. Train Your Team: Invest in the continuous training of your team so they are ready to face new challenges.
5. Protect Your Information: Keep your strategies and tactics confidential to avoid giving an advantage to your adversaries. A framework such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework is not a strategy on its own.

Conclusion

In cybersecurity, as in sports, every detail counts. Adopt a personalized, flexible strategy based on solid data to protect your company. The match might be tomorrow, so start adjusting your approach today to ensure victory.

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