Cybersecurity is one of the most critical issues facing businesses today.

In 2021, data breaches cost companies an average of $4.24 million1, and the number of ransomware-related data leaks increased by 82%2.

That's a lot of money, and it's getting worse.

As our lives move more and more online, the risk of cybercrime will continue to increase, which is why it's so essential for businesses to take cybersecurity seriously. Implementing strong cybersecurity measures can help protect your business from costly data breaches and other cyberattacks.

But cybersecurity isn't just about protecting your data; it's also about protecting your customers. By implementing strong cybersecurity measures, you can help ensure that your customers' data is safe and secure.

The risk of cybercrime increases as our world becomes increasingly digital and distributed because of the global pandemic and advances in technology. Therefore, we must take steps to protect our employees and our businesses. To do this, we must not only focus on cybersecurity as an IT issue.

Instead, we must also consider cybersecurity in change management and organizational culture. After all, cybersecurity is about more than just protecting our data and systems from hackers - it's also about empowering employees to take cybersecurity seriously and making sure we build cybersecurity into the fabric of our organizations.

Leadership Engagement

Leadership engagement is critical to building an influential culture of cybersecurity. Leaders must lead by example and engage with employees to ensure that cybersecurity is a priority for the organization. They can set the tone for the organization and create an environment where employees feel empowered to act on cybersecurity issues.

Additionally, leaders should regularly review cybersecurity policies and procedures to ensure they are up-to-date and effective. Leaders should ensure that their employees are appropriately trained on these policies and procedures and understand the importance of following them. They should also engage regularly with their employees to discuss risks, how to mitigate them effectively, and when to update company policies to address changes in the operational environment.

Leadership plays a crucial role in cultivating a solid cybersecurity culture. By taking steps such as proactively encouraging employees to report suspicious activity and educating them on best practices, leaders can help create an environment that minimizes the risk of cyberattack and other vulnerabilities. Additionally, they should promote collaboration among departments and ensure all employees have the necessary tools and training to protect sensitive data such as Controlled Unclassified Information and Personally Identifiable Information. With these actions, leaders can build a strong foundation for cybersecurity in their organization.

The Importance of Organizational Change Management

Organizational change management is a process that helps organizations manage changes to their business processes, structures, and technologies. Change management includes:

• Planning for transition

• Identifying and assessing risks

• Communicating changes to employees

• Monitoring the effects of changes

In cybersecurity, organizational change management can help plan an upgrade to security infrastructure, respond to a data breach incident, or develop a whole new cybersecurity program.

One key benefit of organizational change management is that it enables you to identify, assess, and mitigate risks before changes occur. By identifying and evaluating risks, you can make informed decisions about proceeding with your security upgrades or incident response plans. By monitoring the effects of these changes over time, you can ensure that they have the desired impact on your organization's overall security posture.

In short, organizational change management is a critical component of any cybersecurity strategy. Whether you're rolling out new tools or responding to threats in real-time, effective change management will help keep your organization secure.

A Holistic Approach to Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity must go far beyond simply implementing new technology or performing routine maintenance. Instead, cybersecurity requires a holistic approach that considers people, processes, and organizational culture. By focusing on these critical aspects of cybersecurity, businesses can better protect themselves from cyber threats and help ensure long-term success in the digital world.

People are an essential part of cybersecurity, as they are the ones who implement and manage the processes and systems. Change management is critical in cybersecurity, as organizations must constantly adapt to new threats, and procedures must be efficient and secure so that data is protected. An essential method for cybersecurity to be more effective and efficient is to empower employees to participate in the change management process.

Cybersecurity is a team effort, and everyone needs to be on board to be successful. Empowered employees are essential to creating a cyber security-aware organization and developing a culture that understands cybersecurity is more than just a technical issue to be solved with the latest IT security tools. Cybersecurity requires buy-in from all levels of the organization, and it's up to cybersecurity professionals to empower their colleagues to understand and support the cybersecurity program. By emphasizing education, training, communication, and collaboration, cybersecurity teams can create an environment where cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility.

Help is available

Cybersecurity is an increasingly important issue for our society as we become more and more dependent on technology in every aspect of our lives. From banking to shopping, travel to entertainment, the internet plays a central role in how we live and interact with each other. We must take adequate measures to protect ourselves from cyber threats.

Although we live in this digital world each day, many of us are new to cybersecurity and might feel daunted or overwhelmed by all the available information and resources. Fortunately, there are organizations that can help you get the knowledge and skills you need to keep your organization safe from cyber threats.

The National Cybersecurity Alliance is one such organization that works with businesses, educators, nonprofit groups, government agencies, and individuals to promote awareness about cybersecurity. Through its comprehensive website (www.staysafeonline.org), the National Cybersecurity Alliance provides news, updates, educational resources, training opportunities, and special events that focus on how people can better protect themselves online.

Visit www.alluvionic.com to learn more about Alluvionic®.

References:

1. IBM (2021). Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021 (pp. 4). Armonk, NY.

2. Crowdstrike (2022). 2022 Global Threat Report (pp. 11). Austin, TX.