How to make significant cyber security savings in 2016

Getting your business ‘cyber secure’ rings alarm bells warning of high costs, especially when you consider all of the elements, which include:

• Staff training
• Risk assessments
• Creating and handling an information security management system
• Managing website and network vulnerabilities
• External audit and regulatory compliance
• Technological solutions

There’s no doubt that being cyber secure can be costly, but it’s now a necessity for businesses operating in the 21^st century, and is always cheaper than not being cyber secure.

If you’re worried about how much cyber security could cost you, there are ways to make it work for you without breaking the bank.

1. Get familiar with international information security best practice

Your first step should always be to learn about what getting cyber secure really means – and using the family of internationally recognised information security standards, the ISO 27000 series, is a great first port of call. Having the core standards to hand on your desk will help you map out the projects your business will need to undertake and give you an idea of where you currently are.

ISO/IEC 27001:2013 – The requirements and specifications of an information security management system (ISMS)

ISO/IEC 27002:2013 – The code of practice for ISO 27001’s information security controls

ISO/IEC 27005:2011 – Guidelines for information security risk management

ISO/IEC 27000:2014 – An overview of information security management systems and definitions

2. Carefully consider if consultancy is right for you

The idea of having an external company come in and take over your cyber security project, taking away the hassle and stress, seems idyllic. In reality, for many small and medium-sized businesses that have tight budgets, building your knowledge in-house and attempting the ‘do it yourself’ method can save you significant amounts of money this year, and for years to come.

If you opt for consultancy right from the start, you’ll become dependent upon consultants. What happens when they finish your project? Cyber security is a constant and evolving project that needs a dedicated security team paying close attention to it. In the end, whether now or next year, there will come a time when you’ll need to grow and develop cyber skills within your business to take over and effectively handle it without consultants holding your hand.

3. Use the tools out there to build up your skills and knowledge

There’s nothing better than knowing how to do the job yourself. While getting your business cyber secure may sound daunting, there is always help at hand.  From essential guidance to implementation tools, there are resources out there if you have the willpower.

Plus, by taking on the challenge yourself, you’ll more easily build up a culture of cyber security within the workplace, helping strengthen your cyber security posture immensely.

There are ways to trim down the costs of cyber security by taking on the projects yourself

The No 3 Comprehensive ISO 27001 ISMS Toolkit comprises official ISO 27000 standards, ISO 27001 implementation manuals, risk assessment software, and pre-written and compliant ISMS document templates to speed up your cyber security projects while significantly reducing costs. This package contains all the guidance and tools (and comes with 12 months’ support) to get your cyber security project off the ground and running. Furthermore, by buying all these tools together, you will save over £280.

Find out how much time and money you could save with the No 3 Comprehensive ISO27001 ISO 27001 ISMS Toolkit >>

*This is a guest blog from our supplier, ITGP.

Other links:

• Information security & ISO 27001 Staff Awareness E-Learning Course
• ISO 27001 Lead Implementer and Lead Auditor training courses
• Pre-written and customisable ISO 27001 templates
• ISO 27001 implementation guidance