Cyber-Security Governance

Cyber-security governance refers to the overall management and oversight of an organisation’s cyber-security program. It involves setting policies, standards, and procedures for protecting sensitive information and systems from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.

The main goal of cyber-security governance is to ensure the protection of your sensitive information and systems while maintaining the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of data. This is achieved through the implementation of a comprehensive set of security controls, including technical, administrative, and physical controls, incident management procedures, and security awareness training.

Cyber-security governance also involves creating a structure that clearly defines roles and responsibilities for managing and implementing security controls, as well as establishing a governance framework that aligns with the overall strategic objectives of your business or organisation.

Overall, Cyber-security governance is critical to help organisations effectively manage the risks associated with the use of technology and to ensure that they are able to protect sensitive information, maintain business continuity, and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

Cyber-Security Risk

Cyber-security risk management is the process of identifying, assessing, and prioritising the potential security threats to your business, and then implementing controls to mitigate or prevent those risks. This process typically involves several steps, such as:

Identifying and assessing potential threats: This includes identifying the assets and systems that are most critical to your business, as well as the potential consequences of a security incident.

Prioritising risks: Once potential threats have been identified, they need to be prioritised based on their likelihood and impact.

Implementing controls: Based on the risks identified, controls are implemented to prevent or mitigate those risks. This could include technical controls, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, as well as administrative controls, such as security awareness training and incident response plans.

Continuously monitoring and improving: Cyber-security risks are constantly changing, so the risk management process must be ongoing. This includes continuously monitoring for new threats, evaluating the effectiveness of existing controls, and making adjustments as necessary.

By implementing a cyber-security risk management program, organisations can proactively identify and address potential threats, rather than simply reacting to incidents after they occur.

Cyber-Security Compliance

Cyber-security compliance refers to the process of adhering to a set of rules and regulations in place to protect your sensitive information and systems from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. This can include compliance with laws, industry standards, and regulations related to data privacy, data security, and incident reporting.

Examples of regulations and standards include:

• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) for businesses that accept credit card payments
• The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requirements for regulated financial services firms 

Cyber-security compliance also includes regular audits, testing, and certifications to ensure that your security controls are in place and functioning as intended. Those responsible for compliance are responsible for ensuring that the organisation is following the relevant regulations and standards and often responsible for creating and updating policies and procedures to meet the requirements of these regulations.

Being compliant with these regulations is not only important for legal reasons, but also to demonstrate that the you’ve taken the necessary steps to protect your assets, clients, and partners’ sensitive data, and to avoid reputational damage.