Minimize Your Risk with this Cybersecurity Foundation Checklist

By Scott Velmer

In today’s interconnected digital world, every company large and small is a potential target for cybercrime. According to the most recent IBM Data Breach Report, a staggering 83% of organizations encountered multiple data breaches in 2022. The human factor played a role in 74% of breaches, encompassing social engineering attacks, errors, or misuse. Yet, while executives foresee cyber threats targeting financial and accounting data increasing in the coming year, only 20% are working closely and consistently with their peers in cybersecurity according to a Deloitte Center for Controllership poll.

As October is Cybersecurity Month, we want to help Secure Our World – and, more specifically, secure YOUR world – with a few key insights including a cybersecurity foundation checklist.

Instilling a culture of security within your organization, starting at its core, relies on nurturing a mutual commitment to safeguarding against cyber threats. It needs to begin at the top of the organization, with the support of executive leadership, as their endorsement is pivotal in setting the tone and providing the necessary resources. Appointing a dedicated security leader or team to oversee the organization’s cybersecurity efforts is the first step.

That leader or team should begin by developing clear and comprehensive security policies and procedures, a cybersecurity foundation that aligns with your organization’s objectives and regulatory requirements. It is their responsibility to ensure that all employees, contractors, and third parties understand these policies and their significance.

Typically, an organization initiates an audit to set a foundation for improving both the technical and human factors, specifically addressing the roles and influence of individuals in the organization, such as employees, contractors, and other users, in the context of cybersecurity. The human factor is critical because it can either strengthen or weaken an organization’s overall security posture. It encompasses such elements as user behavior, awareness, training, and susceptibility to social engineering attacks, all of which play a significant role in determining the success of cybersecurity measures.

To help you achieve this goal, here is a cybersecurity foundation checklist to guide you through essential measures and best practices.

Cybersecurity Foundation Checklist

  • Implement continuous security awareness training for all staff, covering prevalent threats like phishing and malware.
  • Use real-world examples to make the training relevant and relatable.
  • Regularly test employees’ ability to recognize phishing attempts through simulated exercises. Offer feedback and additional training as needed.
  • Regularly test an incident response plan (IRP). Ensure everyone knows their roles in the response process and how to report security incidents.
  • Enforce access control principles, such as least privilege, and deploy robust authentication methods including multi-factor authentication (MFA).
  • Conduct regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, and penetration tests to identify weaknesses.
  • Implement security metrics to measure the effectiveness of security initiatives and provide regular reports to leadership and staff.