Cybersecurity improvements aren’t always cheap, but ignoring them can be far more expensive than you can afford. If your budget is limited, trying to implement every security recommendation simultaneously can quickly become overwhelming.
The Center for Internet Security (CIS) Controls serve as a list of cybersecurity targets you need to hit to keep your business protected, and as you can imagine, the list is long. You can’t risk ignoring these recommendations, but you can prioritize which to tackle first to realize the best returns with minimal expenditure.
What are CIS controls?
The CIS Controls are a set of prioritized cybersecurity best practices that help organizations of all kinds defend against common cyber threats. These recommendations are developed by the best of the cybersecurity industry to provide practical actions that will reduce risk across your business.
The CIS Controls cover areas such as asset management, access control, vulnerability management, data protection, and incident response. From SMBs to global enterprises, businesses of every size use them as a roadmap for building a strong defense against cybercriminals and scammers.
Potential difficulties
While the CIS Controls are highly effective, implementing every recommendation takes time, expertise, and, of course, money. Businesses may face challenges such as:
- Insufficient IT staff to implement and maintain solutions
- Out-of-date and vulnerable technology that can’t be easily replaced
- Competing business priorities
- Budget constraints
The good news is that you do not need to implement every security control immediately to gain benefits. By prioritizing the most cost-effective recommendations first, you can greatly reduce risk while taking the time to roll out the full controls list.
Where to start with CIS Controls for maximum ROI
If you cannot address everything at once, prioritize the controls that reduce the greatest amount of risk for the lowest cost. Here are some steps you can take with an outsized impact on your cybersecurity for their relatively low cost.
Inventory your devices and software
You cannot effectively protect what you cannot see, so start by taking an inventory of your:
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Servers
- Mobile devices
- Virtual machines
- Cloud services and apps
- Installed software
Remove forgotten applications to close up potential vulnerabilities, and remove unauthorized or unknown devices connected to your network. This visibility will become the foundation for every other security improvement.
Patch critical systems first
Unpatched vulnerabilities remain one of the most common ways attackers gain access to business networks. Keeping your software up to date is a free and effective way to reduce your risk. If your IT team is overwhelmed and can’t get to everything quickly, develop a regular patch management process that prioritizes:
- Operating system updates
- Security patches for business applications
- Firmware updates for networking equipment
- Internet-facing servers
Strengthen identity and access management
Compromised login credentials remain one of the most prevalent yet manageable vulnerabilities. Keep credentials protected and out of the wrong hands with:
- Multifactor authentication
- Strong password policies
- Least-privilege access protocols
- Automatic removal of inactive user accounts
These improvements are relatively inexpensive but dramatically reduce the chances of a cybercriminal acquiring logins to your network and apps.
Back up critical business data
No security strategy guarantees complete prevention, so instead of futilely trying to fix every possible vulnerability, increase your cyber resilience to limit the impact of successful attacks. Reliable backups ensure your business can recover quickly if an incident occurs with minimal costs. Your backup strategy should include:
- Automated backups
- Off-site or cloud storage
- Offline or immutable backup copies
- Regular recovery testing
Testing is just as important as creating backups. A backup that cannot be restored offers little protection.
Train employees regularly
Technology alone cannot stop every attack, especially ones that are caused by human error. Employees should be trained to recognize phishing emails, avoid unsafe downloads, report suspicious activity, and handle sensitive information securely. Then, hold regular refresher courses to maintain skills and bring them up to speed on the latest threats.
Work with a managed services provider
Implementing CIS Controls can seem daunting if you lack dedicated cybersecurity staff. As a managed services provider (MSP) with decades of experience protecting business networks, XBASE can assess your current security posture, identify the highest-priority CIS Controls for your organization, and create a realistic implementation roadmap.
Contact XBASE today for a consultation and get premium protection for a predictable monthly cost.