What Is a Cyber Efficacy Assessment?
In preparation for the Cyber Efficacy Assessment …
Can you want to answer these 4 important questions?
- Can we demonstrate an improvement to the bottom line of the business by investing in security?
- Are we actually more secure as a result of our financial investment in cyber defence thus far?
- Is investing in internal or external cyber security the most strategic approach for us?
- Is the spending on cyber security justifiable for our business?
In the realm of cyber security, it’s imperative to maintain a balanced perspective, ensuring that financial expenditures are not only warranted but aligned with business risk. For instance, while a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) may aspire to implement a state-of-the-art Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system with a 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC), it’s essential to weigh this against the associated costs. If the expense outweighs the risk mitigation benefits and potential impact, then such an investment may not be strategically viable for the business, and the return on investment (ROI) remains unsubstantiated.
For enterprises already engaged in substantial cyber defence initiatives, it’s imperative to assess whether these programmes are yielding tangible benefits, not only in terms of cyber defence but also in efficacy. In the realm of cyber security, there is often a predominant focus on efficiency rather than efficacy – prioritising swift Service Level Agreements (SLAs) over the robust protection of critical business functions during significant incidents. This emphasis on efficiency, rather than efficacy, can sometimes result in a misalignment between strategic business objectives, allocated budgets, and actual defensive capabilities.
In the realm of cyber security, it’s imperative to maintain a balanced perspective, ensuring that financial expenditures are not only warranted but aligned with business risk.
Gone are the days when CFOs and business leaders accept the notion of “no breaches equate to effective security” as a sufficient rationale for expenditure. In today’s landscape, Return on Investment (ROI) is an established expectation across various industries and functions, requiring departmental heads to proficiently articulate the ROI for their expenditure and validate their business functions, something other departments are well-versed in.
In the realm of cyber security, success is often intangible, making quantification challenging. Despite substantial budgets and the adoption of leading-edge products and services, the absence of a 100% guarantee in cyber defence underscores the necessity for security leaders to increasingly prioritise methods to substantiate ROI.
It is crucial to acknowledge that here at TSC, we refrain from reselling products and services sourced from external companies. We do not receive any kickbacks from product vendors, ensuring that we maintain an impartial stance in our assessments of your business’s cyber security needs, free from any influence from supplier relationships
A cyber efficacy assessment provides definitive answers to the following questions, empowering you to make strategic, cost-based decisions regarding the direction of cyber security within your organisation.
- Can we demonstrate an improvement to the bottom line of the business by investing in security?
- Are we actually more secure as a result of our financial investment in cyber defence thus far?
- Is investing in internal or external cyber security the most strategic approach for us?
- Is the spending on cyber security justifiable for our business?
Element
Efficacy
Efficiency
Case Study:
Following a company acquisition by a larger organisation, a new CFO was appointed to oversee the recently purchased company. Upon examination, the CFO noted a significant expenditure within the cyber security department. Rather than allocating further investment, the CFO opted to freeze all cyber spending temporarily. The primary objective was to assess the effectiveness of the existing investments: to understand where the funds had been allocated, how it impacted the organisation’s security, and whether it provided a positive or negative impact on the bottom line.
To address these concerns, the CFO engaged TSC to conduct a thorough and focused evaluation. The exercise spanned four weeks and yielded enlightening insights, including:
- Identification of a £3.2 million expenditure, prompting a detailed analysis.
- Determination of a low-threat profile, alleviates the necessity for an internal 24/7 SOC.
- Uncovering misconfigurations in the SIEM tool, resulting in overlooked threats.
- Discovery of duplicated functionality across endpoint tools and vulnerability scanning capabilities.
- Evaluation of the security team's performance, identifying areas for downsizing without immediate business impact.
- Identification of the absence of an evidence-based security strategy, leading to procurement errors and overexpansion.
- Technical testing revealed ineffective management of cross-functional tools, prompting recommendations for retention or removal and outlining the potential impact.
Ultimately, despite the initial goal of enhancing security without compromising profitability, it was determined that the desired cyber efficacy had not been achieved. However, through TSC’s interventions, the organisation emerged in a significantly improved position.
This case study underscores the importance of meticulous evaluation and strategic decision-making in cyber security investments to align with organisational objectives effectively.
Do You Need a Cyber Efficacy Assessment?
Get definitive answers to your cyber defence questions, empowering you to make strategic, cost-based decisions regarding the direction of cyber security within your organisation.