The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) uses fines, the threat of increased process, or the revoking of card-processing privileges to create an impact on the institution, pushing colleges and universities to expend the effort necessary to protect the cards. Other components include increased regulation and compliance standards. "Strategy" [http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/strategy.html]. Office of Civil Rights fines and increased oversight; identity theft; health insurance fraud; lawsuits (High), $80 per record on black market x 40,000 students = $3.2 million, Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on single sign-on system, Stolen credentials used to access paid research database, Possible lawsuit from research database provider (Low). Having a strategy that evolves to adapt to a changing environment can make a good security team into a great one. DISCLAIMER â ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. Generally, strategy involves allocating a nation-state's resources toward winning a war as opposed to winning a battle. Likewise, a college or university storing credit card data that is stolen has no impact from the theft. It is also possible to … Our adversaries still pick the time, the place, and the method of attack. Our adversaries' goals are to steal or change our information or to stop us from having access to it. To be considered for the Cybersecurity MPS program you must: Have a Bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher (on the 4.0 point scale) from a regionally accredited college or university; Have a minimum of two years of professional experience in safety, security … After many years of trying to fit cybersecurity strategy (square peg) into either an IT strategy or a business strategy approach (round holes), I realized that cybersecurity differs enough from both IT strategy and business strategy that the traditional approach won't work. We can't seek out bad guys and arrest them or destroy their capability before they attack us. Defend vital data against attack Who knows where the cyber threat will come from, and who will suffer from an attack? The risk is greater if the diagram doesn't hit the mark, but the possibility of a winning home run is greater as well.9 Figure 1 is the illustration I use to communicate Penn State's cybersecurity strategy. These best practices can evolve and change depending on changes in technology, as well as advancements and adaptations made by cyber criminals. The company may decide to increase the investment in information technology in order to increase the delivery and quality of information as a business goal. Failure to think and act strategically results in the inefficient use of resources and increases institutional risk. Here is another example. Stealing credit cards is worth a lot of effort. For this reason, the program will align its best efforts with the university … "1 This is a good start. MS in Cybersecurity Risk and Strategy. Risk is just one component of a strategy. Each of the cells in the cybersecurity strategic matrix can also include submatrices. Moving down a layer will involve people, process, and technology. In order to build a functional and comprehensive cyber security strategy, you need to have a mandate at the most senior level of the organisation. For example, a startup that has a small, dedicated staff, that doesn't have much money, and that must be highly productive will look first at solving issues with people. An organization owns information assets so that it can accomplish its mission and give it an advantage over its competitors. In the late twentieth century, business began to adopt the term. Second, businesses that execute a product leadership strategy are providing a product or service that is better for some segment of the market than that of any competitor. Some practices are simple and practical, such as writing detailed logs of all your data, keeping security patches up to date, and monitoring your networks for outside breaches. Creating a cybersecurity strategy that serves as a framework for decision-making requires a concept simple enough that people can hold it in their head. 16-13: Unifying Cyber Security in Oregon", "Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity,", Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, Henry Mintzberg, "Strategies in Pattern Formation,". Process-centric patterns are common and may be appropriate depending on the maturity of a cybersecurity program. Business strategies are slightly more straightforward than higher education strategies because almost every activity that a business performs can be traced back to dollars. Laying a solid groundwork for your company's security, having sound contingency plans in case something goes wrong, and thinking creatively to solve problems are all essential to planning a cyber security strategy. Most of us don't know how to create an effective cybersecurity strategy. Technology alone is unlikely to solve all our problems, but understanding what we need technology to do and its relationship with resources is a critical part of any cybersecurity strategy. There are trade-offs in each of these approaches. Many approaches that people call strategies really are not. For example: "Information Centric: Categorize and prioritize defending high-risk information." This represents an operational efficiency approach. Since we don't live in a perfect world, the cybersecurity strategy must focus on those threats that have been identified to be the most serious (as noted above) while considering the numerous constraints limiting cybersecurity programs in higher education. The Cybersecurity Strategy Certificate provides you with advanced knowledge in cyber threats and vulnerabilities, cybersecurity policy and law, incident response development and implementation, … Mixing in higher education's core values of autonomy, privacy, and experimentation presents significant challenges in cybersecurity. End-users will be the least sophisticated security-wise, whereas the security team must of course understand the details. Threat = Impact X (Value / Effort). Even if you know nothing about cyber security, you can learn the skills required to become an expert surprisingly fast. Yet communicating the cybersecurity strategy throughout an institution can be challenging. Focusing only on risk leads to tactical decisions. There are two effective ways to do this. The updated version of the strategy … Copyright © 2020East Coast Polytechnic Institute™All Rights Reserved, Cyber and Information Security Technology, Systems Engineering Master's - Mechatronics, Electronic Systems Engineering Technology, 2.5 Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Operations, Logistics, and Supply Chain Management, Management Master's - Homeland Security Management, Management Master's - Human Resources Management, Management Master's - Organizational Leadership, cyber security has never been more vital to our day to day lives, What is Cyber and Network Security | ECPI University, Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Cyber and Network Security - Cybersecurity Track consider ECPI University, For more information, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today, What Our Students Say About the Faculty at ECPI University. But individuals are liable for only up to $50 if their credit card number is stolen. Nordstrom was famous for this approach; a resurgence of this line of thought is evident in retail today. They must have more revenue than expenses, but in higher education, surplus dollars do not necessarily mean that an institution is performing better. These include "risk-based security programs" or even "risk-based strategies." The purpose of cybersecurity is to protect the information assets of the organization. Here is a quick guide to learning how to implement your own cyber security strategy. The Cybersecurity Strategy and Plan of Action is a comprehensive MS Word document that includes a separate title page followed by the six major elements (see list under step 7) and ending with a … If our adversaries succeed, what will be the impact? We are looking at adversaries and what they might try to do to our college or university. Take the number of compromises, for example. To compete with online shopping, many retail companies are focusing on a customer experience that online sellers can't provide. Finally, cybersecurity is asymmetrical. Bill Stewart, Sedar LaBarre, Matt Doan, and Denis Cosgrove, "Developing a Cybersecurity Strategy: Thrive in an Evolving Threat Environment," in Matt Rosenquist, ed.. See Eric M. Hutchins, Michael J. Cloppert, and Rohan M. Amin, For examples, see: John M. Gilligan, slide 3 in. Too many events in cybersecurity are "black swans"—unpredicted by previous events. This formula is actually a qualitative analysis. If you squint your eyes, you might be able to see how a cybersecurity strategy could be devised to fit one of these patterns. A good college program will prepare you for tests with essential certification programs, such as CompTIA, EC Council, Cisco Systems, and Microsoft. These insights will be important in communicating the cybersecurity strategy. To me, a proactive strategy means acting before our adversaries do—either to beat them to a goal or to degrade their ability to obtain their goals. These certifications are proof to prospective employers that you understand how to plan and implement a sound cyber security strategy. The cyberthreat to higher education overall is both significant and likely to grow for the foreseeable future. For the strategy to be useful to others across the college or university, they must act in alignment with it. Sign up for free EDUCAUSE Review weekly emails to hear about new content. Second, Henry Mintzberg calls strategy "a pattern in a stream of decisions. The School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at the George Washington University has been merging great minds in industry and government since 1884. TechTarget states that IT strategy is a "comprehensive plan that outlines how technology should be used to meet IT and business goals. An example of a strategy to free resources would be IT consolidation that might trade a decrease in responsiveness for resources that can be spent elsewhere. Below are three common definitions of strategy from a business perspective. For example, the Detect/Technology cell could hold a matrix detailing Network, Payload, and Endpoint detection functions across Real-Time/Near-Real-Time and Post-Compromise technologies. To succeed in this field, you will first need to learn the language of cyber security. Apple invested a great deal into R&D, and accounts of Jobs's attention to detail and the focus of the Apple design teams illustrate the company's slavish devotion to this strategy. But doing so would not be intuitive. We must operate within a legal framework that limits what we can do. "7 Another is "Defense in Depth," which first came into favor in the 1990s.8 People-centric patterns were more popular a decade ago but are still important. As tradeoffs are made in order to allocate resources within constraints, it may become obvious that the initial thoughts and plans simply aren't practical. Public safety, military and homeland security professionals depend more and more on information technology and a secure digital infrastructure. Or does it instead mean that our adversaries have adapted, and we aren't detecting compromises? Thus, I combine all three of these and define strategy as follows: "A long-term plan that allocates resources and sets a framework for decision-making to achieve long-term goals under conditions of uncertainty.". Beyond offering a risk-based approach, the strategy will effectively allocate resources and align efforts. Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, "Customer Intimacy and Other Value Disciplines,", "IT Strategy (Information Technology Strategy),", "Intelligence-Driven Computer Network Defense Informed by Analysis of Adversary Campaigns and Intrusion Kill Chains,", "Cybersecurity Defense in Depth Strategy,", "Implementation of E.O. Metrics can be useful and helpful, but they must be incorporated into reasoned qualitative judgment. If you want to be one of the good guys guarding important data, consider earning a … No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content. Log in or create an EDUCAUSE profile to manage your subscriptions. Process can issue an "authority to operate" and require documentation. We can prepare for attacks before they happen, but we can't act until they occur. Depending on the institution, a well-polished explanation of the cybersecurity strategy may not be required. The answers to those questions determine the likelihood that an attacker will go after that information. People in different roles need different levels of understanding. Northumbria University was a founding member of … Chances are that the detailed justifications will be helpful, at some point, for various initiatives. The combination of tactical and strategic perspectives enables students to become practitioners and leaders in the field of Cybersecurity. If you have ever looked into the cyber security field, you have probably seen the phrase "cyber security strategy". Learn about our people, get the latest news, and much more. I certainly didn't. According to Bill Stewart and his co-authors, two questions are the key to developing a strategy: (1) "How does cybersecurity enable the business?" IT strategy must support the company strategies and deliver what the company needs. Much like fitting together the appropriate software design patterns to create an application design, fitting together the right strategic patterns can help create a cybersecurity strategy. Other practices can be more complex and evolving. and (2) "How does cyber risk affect the business? A cybersecurity strategy must complement the overall strategy as well as the IT strategy. Cybersecurity strategies are important security measures that all small and large companies should invest in. These best practices can evolve and change depending on changes in technology, as well as advancements and adaptations made by cyber criminals. All Acquisition programs acquiring systems containing information technology are required to develop and maintain a Cybersecurity Strategy (formerly the Acquisition Information Assurance Strategy), which … This is a document that explains the strategy on one side (or both sides) of a piece of paper. The other, perhaps better method is to use a diagram. First, the most-recent Wikipedia definition of strategy is: "A high-level plan to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty. Apple under Steve Jobs is an example. A better way to abstract resource allocation, or a different strategic pattern, may become clear. Third, Business Dictionary defines strategy as "planning and marshalling resources for their most efficient and effective use. The accusation "security for security's sake" would ring true. The MSc in Cyber Security aims to provide you with the knowledge and necessary skills in several core areas of cyber security. Cybersecurity strategy must be long-term, be effective under uncertainty, prioritize resources, and provide a framework for alignment throughout the institution. Meeting the challenge, especially in higher education, requires strategic thinking, and that strategy must come from cybersecurity-specific strategic thinking. How valuable is that information to them, and how much effort is required? For more information, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today. Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy 2020 On 6 August 2020, the Australian Government released Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy 2020. Cybersecurity is asymmetrical. The cybersecurity strategy must be communicated in multiple ways tailored for everyone in the institutional audience. It should be possible to explain the strategy in five minutes—not quite an elevator pitch, but not much more. NYU Law-NYU Tandon MS in Cybersecurity Risk and Strategy The Master of Science Cybersecurity Risk and Strategy program is designed to prepare emerging leaders with a broader and more strategic … This visual representation shows how the five functions are being addressed and the trade-offs that are being made. What does this mean in practice? Another way the cybersecurity strategic matrix can be helpful is in understanding emergent priorities and patterns. Whereas others might use the term risks, I'll use the term threats. A Defense-in-Depth pattern will require more effort in the protect function(s). These projects or initiatives represent the resources that are required. And since they can't align with the strategy unless they understand and remember it, communicating the strategy is as important as devising the strategy itself. This means the Chief Security Officer … Cybersecurity efforts must be closely aligned to the institution's overall strategy and must complement its IT strategy. These needs can be addressed by people, process, or technology but most likely by a combination of all three. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability risks are the core of cybersecurity, so this is the obvious place where the IT strategy and the cybersecurity strategy overlap and must be aligned. This simple, high-level explanation of the cybersecurity strategy will play a large part in determining how others across the institution do (or don't) align. College courses in IT will teach you essential coding languages, such as HTML, Javascript, and Python. However, we need more from a strategy. Yet communicating the cybersecurity strategy throughout an institution can be challenging. Essentially, the purpose of a cybersecurity program is to mitigate the threats it faces while operating within its constraints. Cybersecurity demands a strategic approach because it is difficult, rapidly changing, and potentially devastating to a college or university. Many IT strategies are simply tactical checklists of best practices. In between are the system administrators, developers, academic leaders, and more. I also suggest including a discussion of the threats and constraints. By contrast, organizations that are very mature can look to process first for success. Both methods can be incorporated into a two- to five-minute presentation that will create a memory aide for the audience. These basic explanations might be the most important part of a cybersecurity strategy. The definition of success is stakeholder value, making the success of a college or university much more difficult to track. The credit card providers are the ones who lose. The strategy description must fit easily on one PowerPoint slide. SWOT analysis will work for cybersecurity, but it feels forced to me. The UAE’s National Cybersecurity strategy (PDF 18.7 MB) aims to create a safe and strong cyber infrastructure in the UAE that enables citizens to fulfill their aspirations and empowers businesses to thrive. One way is to use the old standby of bullet lists, phrasing the text so that it captures the essence of the strategy. Also, the data that we gather is usually based on assumptions. The higher the picture-to-bullet ratio, the more effective this communication will be. For example, a retail business may have a customer intimacy strategy. 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