4 Ways to Boost Your Cybersecurity Awareness

Between the increasing frequency of cyberattacks, remote work security concerns, data privacy mandates, and other issues, cybersecurity remains top of mind for many organizations and their executive teams.

As Cybersecurity Awareness Month continues, here’s the intel you need to “Do Your Part. Be Cyber Smart” (this year’s main theme). Explore our roundup of articles and resources that tie in with the four focus areas for 2021:

• Be Cyber Smart
• Fight the Phish
• Cybersecurity Career Awareness
• Cybersecurity First

1. Strengthen Data Security

Starting with the basics of good cyber and data security hygiene protects your organization as well as clients and partners. These smart, foundational steps help address both regulator expectations and consumer concerns:

Read Data Privacy and Growing Cyber Threats: How to Protect Consumer Data >

Download the IT Risk Management at the Speed of Change White Paper >

2. Safeguard Against Cyber Threats

Cyber threats like phishing are on the rise. The onset of the pandemic coincided with a spike in coronavirus-themed scams: Between February and April 2020 alone, phishing attacks increased by 3,000%, according to the Agari Cyber Intelligence Division (ACID) research group. A separate study on cybersecurity behaviors found that nearly 70% of IT decision-makers expected ransomware attacks and targeted phishing emails to continue rising as employees transition back to the office or to hybrid work models.

Get more context on the cybersecurity concerns that are top of mind for executives and senior risk professionals:

Read Top Cybersecurity Concerns for CISOs >

3. Set Up Your Team for Success

As the IT risk landscape evolves, the CISO’s role is also changing expanding. Learn why it’s important to get proactive about cyber risk and resilience and how IT leaders can empower their organization with better management practices.

Read The Outlook on Cyber Risk for CISOs >

4. Shift Your Organization’s Perspective on Cybersecurity

Designing a proactive cybersecurity strategy prepares organizations to handle risks as they arise, operate resiliently and efficiently through crisis, and support long-term institutional health and performance. Learn more about why your institution should view IT and cyber risk management as a mission-critical priority and competitive advantage:

Read Adaptable IT Risk Management Is an Advantage, Not a Burden >

Download Concerned About Cybersecurity? Start With IT Risk Management >

Research from McKinsey shows that many institutions have some work to do in building their cybersecurity capabilities. The multi-industry cybersecurity maturity survey found that “most companies have yet to reach the advanced levels of cybersecurity management demanded by today’s business environment,” with 70% of organizations surveyed merely plugging gaps with an ad-hoc management approach.

In developing a roadmap for improved cybersecurity awareness and risk management maturity, IT leaders should be working toward the more advanced end of the spectrum: a risk-based, proactive cybersecurity function.

The goal? An integrated management approach where “holistic resilience and digital trust are attained through the transformation of processes and adoption of next-generation technologies” and “customers, partners, third parties, and regulators are fully incorporated into the management of enterprise resilience.”

Learn about how Quantivate helps financial institutions on their journey to cybersecurity and risk management maturity: Explore the capabilities and advantages of a scalable IT Risk Solution.