Explaining Cyber Security – The Easy Way

Cyber protection in a bottle, we wish! Often our role is to educate the wider community with understanding this complex beast known as cyber security. But does it have to be so complex to understand? Many companies we engage with are very security mature and have a clear mission and plan. However, there are so many businesses that need help to understand the best and most cost-efficient cyber path for them to implement. When working with these businesses we relate complex offerings to something everyone understands – this helps bridge any technical gaps in communication and resonates with the customer/stakeholder. A perfect example of this is our cyber sun cream analogy. We have used this analogy to help describe a cyber security framework and its benefits to many organisations with great success. Below is an example of some key points to highlight how we have done this.

1. You need to apply the correct level of protection for your business, i.e. sun cream. Some businesses are happy with accepting risk, same as applying a lower factor; others require full protection, such as applying total sunblock.
2. Cyber strategies are evolving and need assessing. Same as having to re-apply sun protection. It’ll last for so long before it becomes less effective at protecting you. Constantly assess and change your cyber strategy and plan to ensure you’re still getting the correct level of protection for your business. 
3. Cyber security should be a business enabler if implemented correctly and not a blocker! Often over-complex cyber strategies are doomed to fail and are not appropriate, or required. Many times the basics are overlooked and not managed appropriately. We liken this to wearing full sunblock, a sun hat, shades etc., in the UK on a cool cloudy day. You are fully protected, overprotected for your business situation. I’m not knocking protecting your business – this just needs to be applied correctly for your individual situation and need. 

When speaking with a technical audience, this way of communicating is not effective in my opinion. However, when speaking to my non-technical audience I have found this to be very powerful. Senior stakeholders have been fully engaged and it’s helped keep a boring and complex topic light and real for the audience, without losing the core message. Sorry to my fellow security folks, other people do find this cyber stuff boring, I know, crazy! However, if you have ever been in financial meetings covering off finance strategies, cost models, and financial gearing then you can understand, each to their own. These are both important topics for protecting a business and we have to communicate to all audiences to get our message across.