Comprehensive security is the key to any organization. There are three categories of security controls that businesses must consider: management security, operational security, and physical security. Each type is important for overall security and to protect against threats.
Management security is the overall design and governance of your security controls, sometimes known as administrative controls which are the rules in your security environment.
To create a secure business environment you need to define the rules and guidelines for your security practices. Your policies and procedures will cover areas such as access control, incident response, and risk management. These guidelines give your employees a clear documented framework to follow, so everyone follows the security practices across the organization in the same way.
Risk assessments look at your business risks, determines the impact of those risks and implements fixes which is a key part of security management. This proactive approach helps you allocate resources efficiently and strengthen your overall security.
Your employees need to understand the business policies for your security program and how they can help keep a secure environment. Security awareness and training programs will help them learn best practices and what steps they need to take to stay security aware. This way your business can reduce human error and strengthen your overall security.
Successful security programs require your business to regularly review your security policies and regulatory requirements. Compliance and auditing helps your business follow security controls and meet industry standards. Continually monitoring helps you spot areas that need improving and keeps you up-to-date with current security regulations.
An organization requires that passwords need to change every 90 days in their security policy. This policy is part of the overall security framework for the business and helps increase their security by reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Frequent password changes make it harder for attackers to exploit compromised credentials, so it strengthens their overall security.
Operational Security is the effectiveness of your controls. Sometimes referred to as technical controls, these are access controls, authentication, and security topologies applied to networks, systems, and applications. Operational security is key to ensuring the technical controls you have in place are effective at protecting against threats.
Using access controls will limit who can use your system, applications and data within the business. These controls make sure only approved people see your sensitive information.
Passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA) are types of authentication methods that can help your company add an additional level of security. Using more than one form of identification, MFA reduces risk and makes sure only approved users can get into your protected systems and data.
Network security uses firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to block cyber attacks and unauthorized access. By having strong network security, organizations can find and stop intrusions and keep their data safe and private.
When data is being sent outside your business or just being stored, you need encryption to keep it safe. Encryption will change the data into a secret format so if someone gets access they can’t read it. Using strong encryption helps you protect data from theft and misuse.
A Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is a key allowing access to different parts of a system depending on a person’s position in your company. This limits access and simplifies user permissions making it easier to manage who can see what which helps increase security.
Physical security is the set of measures to protect business assets, such as personnel, data and hardware from physical threats that could harm, damage, or disrupt your business. It includes security measures such as surveillance, access control, environmental controls, and contingency planning. Physical security is key to maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability of systems and data and business continuity in the face of unexpected events.
Access control systems are critical to limit access to buildings or specific areas within an organization. These systems make sure only the right people can enter secure places. They help protect physical assets and people from dangers. Good access control systems keep these important areas secure.
Surveillance systems, such as closed-circuit television (CCTV), are critical to monitor and record activities within an organization. These systems watch and records unauthorized activities and strange behavior giving valuable evidence that can show what happened if something goes wrong.
Environmental controls are key to maintaining the optimal conditions for sensitive equipment and data. These controls regulate temperature, humidity, and fire suppression systems to protect physical assets from environmental hazards.
Developing a disaster recovery and business continuity plan to make sure your business can continue in cases of disruption is what contingency planning is all about. These plans should outline the steps you need to take to recover from natural disasters, equipment failures or cyber attack incidents. When you are ready for emergencies, your business will have less downtime and keep important services running.
A practical example of a physical security control is biometric access controls. These systems use unique biological characteristics such as fingerprints or facial recognition to prevent unauthorized access to a data center. Using biometric access controls can provide you with high security because only authorized people will be able to access sensitive areas and this protects your important information and systems.
The three types of security controls are management, operational, and physical. They work together to form a strong security program. Combining these controls is a good way to defend against threats. Doing regular reviews and updating your systems are key to keeping your protection up-to-date. If you have questions or would like some more details, just ask!
Knowing how these security measures work helps your business maintain an effective security program. Deciding on a strategic mix of administrative, technical, and physical controls will depend on your risk and how your business needs to manage them.
To keep your business systems safe, you might consider these controls:
Every organization has unique risks, so the controls will be different.
Administrative controls set the foundation, setting policies and procedures to ensure security practices are followed. Having these rules in place isn’t enough. Using firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS) and encryption help make sure the rules in your policies and procedures are followed and protect your business against threats.
Physical security is another piece of the puzzle. These measures keep things safe from theft, damage, or natural disasters. They include physical controls like door locks, security cameras, temperature controls, and contingency planning.
Combining administrative, technical, and physical controls is a layered security approach. This is key to protecting business assets from various threats. A good security program identifies, assesses and manages risks and is regularly updated to stay effective.
LBMC Cybersecurity provides the foundation for risk management decisions. Our security risk assessments give your organization the information you need to understand your risks and compliance obligations. Learn more about our Risk Assessments / Current State Assessments.
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