Cybersecurity
Data plays such a critical part in any organisation’s infrastructure that protecting data must be a top priority to ensure that cybersecurity procedures are in place to safeguard data from getting into the wrong hands. For every type of organisation, it is important to build and maintain the trust of all stakeholders, including clients, employees, and shareholders. Embedding a culture of compliance through proper data protection is the only way to achieve an acceptable level of cybersecurity. Conducting a GAP analysis, continually updating data protection tools and providing refresher awareness courses, are the best methods for securing data.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently reported a three-fold increase in cybercrime with the US reporting nearly $5 billion reported losses as a result of cyber-attacks. According to INTERPOL, most cyber-attacks are now aimed at corporations and government institutions. In 2022, cybersecurity will be the highest priority for IT professionals and compliance experts alike.
The Meta Universe and artificial intelligence (AI) are considered as one of the biggest commercial opportunities of the 21st century. This has already improved many business functions such as automated processes, insights through data interrogation, and enhancing the ability to engage with clients and employees seamlessly. AI is also useful in enterprise risk management and compliance since both of these rely heavily on information and analysis by design. Collecting, recording, and processing significant amounts of data are perfectly aligned to AI. As AI and machine learning technologies are immensely powerful, it poses significant risks in terms of a potential breach of data privacy laws and cybersecurity threats.
Cybersecurity Awareness Training
As a result of the magnitude of cybersecurity threats, the need for cybersecurity awareness training has grown exponentially. All businesses will have to embark on continuous cybersecurity awareness training to prevent end-user errors which cybercriminals are hoping for. Working remotely has significantly increased the potential for cyber-attacks. Hackers count on the fact that it may be easier for end-users to access malicious links when working from home. Without frequent cybersecurity awareness training, it becomes all too easy to be complacent.
Risk Mitigation
Improving cybersecurity is a continual process for any organisation. It is an important step in the process of ensuring data protection, preventing cybercrimes and data leakage. A GAP analysis is invaluable to any business as it will highlight potential knowledge or training gaps within the organisation and warn IT and compliance managers of potential threats and risks. The challenge is to translate this information into practical and agile risk management strategies and security solutions. This is where ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019 prove essential.
ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019 – Security vs Privacy
ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019 complement one another, but they cover different topics. While ISO/IEC 27001:2021 addresses information security, ISO/IEC 27701:2019 addresses the organisation’s privacy controls.
In other words:
- ISO/IEC 27001:2021 relates to the way an organisation keeps data accurate, available, and accessible only to approved employees; and
- ISO/IEC 27701:2019 relates to the way an organisation collects personal data and prevents unauthorised use or disclosure.
The benefits of having security and privacy management systems are many. To name but a few:
It will protect your organisation from security threats and personal data breaches. The most obvious reason to certify to ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and/or ISO/IEC 27701:2019 is that it will assist in avoiding security threats such as cyber criminals hacking into your organisation and data breaches caused by end-user mistakes. The ISO management framework will ensure that you have the tools in place to strengthen your organisation across the three pillars of cyber security: people, processes, and technology. The Standard may be used to identify relevant policies, the technologies required to protect the organisation, and provide staff training to avoid mistakes.
Avoid fines. ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019 help organisations avoid costly penalties associated with non-compliance with data protection requirements such as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The ISO framework has much in common with POPIA and the GDPR, and organisations use its guidelines to achieve and maintain compliance. The ISO best-practice approach to information security means it is a suitable starting point for any number of regulations.
Protect your reputation. ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019 compliance will demonstrate to all your stakeholders that you take information security seriously. This will help increase turnover and enhance your reputation with existing clients. For companies that tender, ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019 may be a requirement.
It improves corporate structure. With ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019, a management system is created that is flexible, ensuring that everyone maintains focus on information security.
No organisation, in today’s technology age, should be without ISO/IEC 27001:2021 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019. For more information on how WWISE can assist in transforming your organisation’s cybersecurity risk profile, contact the cybersecurity team at WWISE on 086 109 9473 or (021) 525 9159 (Cape Town), email us at admin@wwise.co.za or visit our website at www.wwise.co.za.