What Are Examples of Security Policy Changes that Enhance An Organization's Security Posture?

What Are Examples of Security Policy Changes that Enhance An Organization's Security Posture?

In the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, we've gathered insights from top professionals, including Security Analysts and CEOs, on policy changes that have bolstered their organizations' defenses. From fostering support for policy compliance to introducing BYOD security protocols, discover the diverse strategies in these eight expert responses that have significantly enhanced security measures.

• Foster Support for Policy Compliance
• Eliminate Clearance Level Distinctions
• Update Access-Revocation Policy
• Institute Monthly Password Changes
• Simplify Risk Classification Standards
• Implement Multi-Factor Authentication
• Enforce Stringent Input Validation
• Introduce BYOD Security Protocols

Foster Support for Policy Compliance

Gaining universal buy-in is crucial for implementing meaningful security policy changes that positively transform your organization's security posture. How do you do this, though? As everyone knows, the human element is the biggest risk to security but also the most significant asset.

A great starting point is to make training short and memorable. Delivering content in bite-sized portions helps your audience connect more effectively and remember it. Laying the groundwork with soft skills, like fostering friendships, before diving into technical training can establish a solid foundation of support and trust. This could be as simple as taking a few minutes for water-cooler conversations or sending a quick email to check in and make small talk. By building bridges and demonstrating your support, you make it clear that helping is at the heart of your efforts.

Once you get support behind the policy, people will want to adhere to it and not see it as just another rule that slows down their already busy work schedule. This approach not only inspires others to embrace the vision and champion the cause but also fosters a collective transformation of the organization's security posture from within.

Eliminate Clearance Level Distinctions

The most crucial security policy change I ever made was eliminating clearance levels. As the owner of a recruiting firm, I'm responsible for clients' and candidates' personal information, and I assumed the best approach was one that took into account workers' levels of access.

But I quickly discovered that low-level workers are often privy to high-level information—even if it's just because they are walking past a cubicle. Repair teams, cleaners, and receptionists are just a few examples of employees who are likely to see screens they're not working on.

It's far more effective to treat the entire team as a security risk and implement training accordingly.

Update Access-Revocation Policy

We recently updated our access-revocation policy as a business, which outlines how we change permissions for staff who leave. This has improved our security posture by reducing the threat of an insider attack.

We are now better positioned to revoke a user's access to systems and data when they leave the business. Having a policy in place minimizes the risk of an insider threat from legacy/leaver accounts that are still active or data existing past its required time.

Without revoking permissions, former employees could potentially misuse their access for malicious purposes. Dealing with leaver permissions promptly mitigates this risk and helps safeguard the business's interests.

Institute Monthly Password Changes

We are a small company that has had some security issues in the past dealing with passwords. At first, we just asked people to change their passwords every couple of months, but they never did. So now, the first Wednesday of each month, we all change our main passwords. We have been doing this for almost a year, and not once have we run into any issues with our passwords being stolen. And it is sort of fun now—everyone looks forward to that morning when they get to choose a new password to use.

Simplify Risk Classification Standards

We simplified our risk classification standard to three security levels: low, moderate, high. High-risk data is any data covered by law and/or regulations and requires us to self-report to external agencies and/or affected individuals. This change helped us identify our high-risk endpoints so we can better focus our defense of those assets. Our requirement that high-risk data be encrypted at rest or in transit will provide us with better resilience to ransomware ('pay me to avoid disclosure of your data') attacks.

Implement Multi-Factor Authentication

One example of a security policy change I initiated was implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all employee accounts. This simple yet effective measure significantly reduced the risk of unauthorized access to our systems and sensitive data.

With MFA, employees have to prove their identity in more than one way, like using a password and a code sent to their phone. It's a simple but powerful way to add an extra layer of security and make sure our data stays safe. Plus, it's helped everyone on the team become more aware of the importance of cybersecurity.

By making this change, we're not only protecting our own interests but also showing our clients and partners that we take security seriously. In today's world, where cyber threats are always evolving, it's essential to stay one step ahead. Thanks to initiatives like MFA, we're better prepared to tackle whatever comes our way and keep our company and its information secure.

Enforce Stringent Input Validation

As the Founder and CEO of WWA, Inc., I once identified a gap in our web-application security. Recognizing the escalating threat of SQL injection attacks, I led the implementation of stringent input validation and prepared statements across our platforms. This policy shift not only fortified our defenses against such attacks but also heightened our team's awareness and understanding of security best practices. The result was a notable enhancement in our organization's security posture, with a significant reduction in vulnerabilities and a boost in client trust. This experience underscored the value of proactive security measures in today's digital landscape.

Introduce BYOD Security Protocols

As a tech CEO, when I noticed that our employees often accessed their work from personal devices, potential security risks sprang to mind. Spoting this security threat, I introduced a 'Bring Your Own Device' (BYOD) policy, which involved implementing specific security protocols on personal devices. Our IT department installed management software on each device, ensuring data encryption and remote-wiping capabilities. This change instantly amplified our security levels. It made certain that our sensitive information remained safe, even outside the office environment.