We want to equip you with tips on how to markedly improve efficacy in your role. While these tips are general enough to apply to anyone in security, we find that they are geared towards anyone fresh to the industry or new in a cybersecurity role 

Read on for our top ten tips for cybersecurity professionals like yourself. 

1. Don’t apply “best practices” in a blanket approach

Often people see “this will make you more secure” and immediately try to implement that best practice, which ends up harming their overall business outcomes. If the practice is not validated for your specific use or industry, then it may be pointless to implement and cause more problems than solutions.

2. Know where your data lives

Centralizing your data is key to making sure your visibility is known to key stakeholders. Visibility is your friend when fighting against risks and data breaches. Often, we see data breaches that are prolonged and cause more harm because it was unknown what data was affected. 

3. Make security easy to follow  

Processes like onboarding, training, and assessing are already challenging enough. For these as well as security protocols, employees should not have to create hyper complex passwords because chances are they will do the bare minimum with each new change. Implementing streamlined processes, with documentation, helps guide all employees on the path to success.  

4. Don’t reinvent the wheel  

There are already platforms out there that implement solutions much more elegantly and efficiently than the time and money it would cost to develop in-house. Don’t spend valuable time and most of all cash flow on creating a solution that already exists. 

5. Automate security tasks and set reminders  

We’ve all been there, 158 alerts to go through and it’s Friday afternoon 30 minutes before time to leave. By setting automated reminders to check periodically you will save time and avoid the headaches of managing tasks manually. 

6. Keep up with your network 

Contact those in similar security positions to advise you and your business on good practices that companies implement based on your industry. 

7. Don’t put all your eggs in one supply chain  

If one SaaS vendor faces a breach or attack and your entire platform is vulnerable, that’s a single point of failure that could cost you thousands or even millions of dollars. Diversify solutions, have backup plans, and test your business continuity plan with sample scenarios. 

8. Educate your employees  

Security awareness education for your workers should be engaging. If you’re doing it just to check a box, employees will not take it seriously. Give them background, examples, and reasons why this can prevent security attacks, and help the company thrive. 

9. Don’t be scared. 

Yes, we know security can be an intimidating area, especially if you’re new to the industry or transitioning to a new role. Start small, tackle the tasks according to your success objectives, and communicate well. You don’t need to feel overwhelmed if you have a plan and are consistent with it.  

10. Understand your risks 

In the same vein as our earlier tip about knowing where your data lives, we also recommend knowing what risks your business may need to address. After you understand your internal risks, third-party risks should be assessed to prevent any points of failure in security management or compliance readiness. 

Stay up to date on news, helpful tips, and other exciting cybersecurity and risk management information on our blog.