The Tick Box Approach to Cyber Security and the Risks This Involves

Cyber security is an essential aspect when it comes to ensuring that your organisation’s data and remains safe and secure. As we move further into the digital age, more files and sensitive information is being stored online with cloud technology. This has been designed to reduce physical paper trails, increase access to important files and generate greater convenience for employees and coworkers being able to access information anywhere.

While this has made life in the workplace and at home easier, it also presents risks. Our methods of data storage are becoming more advanced, but as these become more sophisticated, the methods of hackers and cyber terrorists are becoming more sophisticated, too. With the number of hacking scandals in recent years, it has never been more important to ensure that your cyber security measures are reliable.

What is Tick Box Cyber Security?

Tick Box Cyber Security is a method used by companies in an attempt to reduce and hopefully eliminate the risk of security breaches from outside threats. This is done by creating a list of supposed essentials that can ward off any potential threats and includes passwords, firewalls, antivirus software and similar procedures that give the illusion of protection.

Why This Is Risky?

Many companies use this tick box approach merely to comply with the regulations put in place. On the surface, it would be assumed that having a list designed to ensure the highest levels of cyber security to keep information safe would be useful and save companies a lot of time identifying what issues to focus on.

This is not the case, though. The tick box method has caused companies to get complacent. By giving a mere list of suggestions regarding security, businesses are simply complying with what is required as opposed to taking steps towards actively tackling security threats.

While the world is certainly becoming more tech-savvy and aware of the potential technology can create, there is still an idea that engaging in the proper practices is too time consuming, too complicated and often not worth the effort.

Ticking All the Boxes (Or Not)

To solve the problem of the tick box approach, more needs to be done with regards to cyber security. Passwords and antivirus might protect on the surface, but beneath this things are more complicated. Instead of merely following guidelines and hoping for the best, businesses must strive to take more proactive measures to reducing the threat of data breaches.

This includes employing dedicated data security personnel with a knowledge of what to look out for when it comes to possible hacks. Methods such as security operations centres, providing in-depth training for employees about cyber security or running hacking drills to test and analyse response time and security are all options to consider when looking to improve the protection of your data.

Safe and Secure

To tackle the risk of cyber attacks, it is essential to look further than a mere checklist. This can pay huge dividends in the future by giving your business the security it needs to protect its data, its reputation and, most importantly, its customers.