An effective culture of security is essential to the success of any organization. Regardless of how much is invested in security processes and technology controls, the risk of sensitive data breaches remains high if the user community is not in alignment.
The speed at which businesses operate today obliges workers to increase efficiency. With the ease at which large amounts of data can be shared via email, digital media, and cloud apps, it is easy for confidential information to be mistakenly over-shared and exposed.
When users are active participants in security, they become more accountable for the information that they access and create. Fortra’s Data Classification Suite (DCS) operates directly in the users’ workflow, prompting them to identify value while enforcing secure sharing policies to reduce the risk of inadvertent disclosure.
Four Steps to a Successful Culture of Security
Executive Buy-in
Executive buy-in is essential to drive a culture of security throughout the whole organization.
- Set direction – align on a mission: educate, empower, enforce
- Create a top-down approach & lead by example
- Support team leaders
Communication
Explain to employees why security awareness is needed, what the main risks are and how minimizing risk will help the organization.
- Communicate the mission
- Align messaging with your Code of Conduct
- Position users as part of the solution
- Implement communication tools
- Start with senior leadership
Feedback
Regularly collect feedback and use that feedback to improve and keep the program engaging.
- Work with peer advocates
- Develop surveys
- Test training materials – focus groups
- Analyze user behavior
Information Review
Prompt users to stop, think, and consider the value of the information they are creating and sharing.
- Guide users
- Warn to start; enforce gradually
- Avoid default selections
- Emphasize accountability
Embed Behaviors that Reduce Information Security Risk
Educate: DCS engages 100,000+ Dell users in the protection of information so they can make better decisions.
Empower: DCS helps 13,000+ Dow Corning users safely share intellectual property in accordance with security policy.
Enforce: Facing complex international government regulations, Safran uses DCS to enforce secure and compliant information sharing from their global workforce
Delivering Successful Security Culture Transformation
The foundation to building a security culture is the involvement of users in the classification of information. With unrestricted access to our deployment methodology, DCS customers benefit from our wealth of experience and resources, empowering the efficient implementation and development of tailored classification solutions.
Achieve Digital Trust with DCS
DCS solutions have enabled organizations to discover, classify, protect and confidently share information, and meet regulatory compliance requirements by identifying and securing unstructured data. DCS is trusted by millions of users in over 120 countries to protect them from damaging data breaches, promoting consumer trust and facilitating innovation. Our customers include Dell, Provident Bank, Dow Corning, Safran Morpho, United States Air Force, NATO, Pratt and Whitney, Canadian Department of National Defence, and the Australian Department of Defence.