It is now 2015 and cybercrime is quickly becoming the most common and costly crime in the United States. Hackers have the power to completely disrupt an organization’s business operations, compromise confidential and sensitive information, and damage the relationships between the business and its clients. Without a comprehensive cyber security plan, a business remains at a high level of risk of the negative consequences of a successful cyber-attack. Team up with a security company to help implement a comprehensive cyber security plan.

Personnel

When beginning the process of creating the cyber security plan, a strategic personnel group should be formed. The most qualified personnel will come from a security company. IT and cyber security companies will be able to provide trusted computer software and hardware technicians to help support the clients’ goals. Having the right personnel available to the client will lead to creating the most efficient cyber security plan.

Risk Assessment

Before the cyber security plan can be developed, the IT security professionals must identify the company’s risks. A cyber security risk assessment is a process which identifies the critical assets of a company and the cyber threats which could impact those assets. This process will identify both the internal and the external risks to the company’s assets, such as employees with access to confidential information (internal) or hackers (external). A company’s methodology as to how sensitive information is stored and other critical assets are managed will be critical to creating an efficient cyber security plan.

Company Needs vs. Available Resources

Every company will have different security needs based off of the assets which need to be protected. The size of the business will also play a role into the factors which go into creating the cyber security plan. Larger businesses will have more resources to implement more advanced cyber security solutions. However, the best security companies will determine the most cost-efficient strategies for a company’s cyber security plan. Some cyber security needs must be addressed, such as protecting sensitive data, while other services might not be as important based on the security budget available.

Tactical Plan

After determining the needs of the company and the resources to be allocated to fulfilling those needs, the plan can be created and implemented. The cyber security professionals should be the individuals who create the contract which includes the cyber security plan. It is also important for the security company and the client to communicate often regarding the plans creation and implementation. A contract will keep both parties on the same page throughout the partnership and will provide specific, attainable, and manageable goals and objectives.

Maintenance

The cyber security plan created today is not the ultimate answer for the rest of the company’s existence. Technology is constantly advancing and reinventing itself year after year, which requires cyber security professionals to adjust accordingly to new risks and threats. A company’s cyber security plan may need to be adjusted to incorporate new risks and threats, as well as procedures to combat such hazards.