In 2023 we have witnessed significant shifts in global compliance and cybersecurity frameworks. Now, Partners are faced with the challenging task of staying up-to-date while ensuring their customers stay well-informed. As we transition into a world where bad actors leverage better technology to cause chaos, it is crucial for you to invest time into planning for a more secure 2024 for your customers. In our recent webinar Gerard Doeswijk, Sr. Director of Legal & Compliance and SkyKick’s Data Privacy Officer, shared 5 simple steps to streamline the upcoming year in cybersecurity and compliance:
1. Understand your cybersecurity surface area
To effectively mitigate risks, it is crucial to understand both your and your customer’s cybersecurity surface area. A great way to do this is to take inventory of how technology is leveraged within your business and what specific applications, devices, and services are used across your team. By doing the same for your customer you’ll have a better sense of the surface area where cyberattacks could arise.
2. Mitigate risks proportionate to the business
Finding the right balance between governance and security is key—Tailor your approach to the unique needs and circumstances of your business. A proportionate strategy ensures that your efforts align with the specific risks that organization faces.
Additionally, to avoid overloading with excessive governance—keep processes agile and ‘right-sized’ to your business. The goal is not just governance for the sake of it but to ensure a nimble and proportional risk mitigation strategy.
3. It’s all about People
With 74% of breaches being attributed to human error, training your customers can be your greatest defense. Keep your customers aware of cybersecurity best practices, and leverage supporting material from vendors that help with simplifying this message.
4. Work with vendors that are secure by design
Security should be the foundation of product architecture, not an afterthought. Choose vendors who prioritize security in their products and services. By aligning with vendors that build technology that is secure by design, you fortify your and your customers’ cybersecurity posture.
5. Backup: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
In the face of escalating cyber threats, having a robust backup and recovery strategy is paramount. Remember the age-old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Swift recovery from a security incident is as crucial as preventing it. Ensure your backup strategy is comprehensive, reliable, and aligns with your overall cybersecurity goals.
It is expected that both compliance and cybersecurity will continue in their complexity in 2024. Therefore, simplifying matters for both yourself and your customers becomes paramount. We hope that these 5 simple steps will help you on your journey to secure success with your customers.