During Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM), we develop campaigns for our coworkers that attempt to encourage them to stop clicking on links and  reusing their passwords. These are good reminders for us as information security professionals even though we focus on these topics during the other 11 months of the year.

 

Is it possible that we too can improve our security awareness during this month? Can we as security professionals use this time to “sharpen our saw” and do things that can increase our awareness of our information security programs? 

 

One very non-technical event caused me consider this topic. My son found his old bicycle in the garage recently and wanted to ride it in the neighborhood. As he was getting up to speed, he suddenly and unexpectedly realized the handlebars had become disconnected. He had a firm grip on what he needed to successfully control the bike, but the handlebars were no longer effectively controlling his navigation.

 

With that example in mind, how aware are you of the effectiveness of your information security program? What systems do you have in place to let you know when your security posture changes? What reminders and automation do you need to create that will increase your awareness before blindly depend on your tools? By dedicating sometimes marginal effort you can develop near real time awareness capabilities that will confirm the effectiveness of your information security program.  

 

Below are just a few examples where increased security awareness would be very helpful to you as an information security professional.

 

What are you personally doing to make sure that you as a security professional are most aware of the things that matter the most? Use the comments field to share what works!