Tips for Increasing Digital Trust Through Infosec and Cloud Continuity

Two of the most crucial standards for businesses today are Information Security Management (ISO/IEC 27001) and Business Continuity Management (ISO 22301), which are considered the international gold standards for information security and risk management.

Information Security Management, a crucial framework for managing risks, plays a significant role in keeping information assets secure, particularly in relation to cybersecurity and data privacy. This Emphasis on data privacy is key to making your audience feel secure in their digital interactions.

In the digital age, these two standards combine to form the foundation of ‘digital trust,’ which describes the confidence customers and stakeholders have in the security of your digital ecosystem, your supply chain, and your operations.

For the thousands of our clients who have attained these certifications, it is a way for them to promptly showcase to their customers that they prioritize data privacy, security, and operational resiliency. These standards instill confidence in stakeholders that businesses can and will continue to operate normally in the event of network outages, major weather events, cyber-attacks, or any other disruptions.

Here, we suggest our top tips for establishing digital trust through robust information security processes and resilient business and cloud continuity planning, drawing from the principles outlined in ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 22301.

Undertake a cybersecurity risk assessment

It is crucial to identify all potential threats that your business may encounter. This involves examining the possible consequences of various scenarios and determining if any of them could result in significant regulatory issues. Your evaluation should also encompass suppliers, considering the high level of risk in distributed, global supply chains and cloud partners since these services are fundamental to many critical business applications and house a substantial amount of sensitive data.

Make a plan

In the event of a major cyber security incident or disruption to operations, your organization must consider the seven “Ps” to stay in business and preserve information security: providers (internal and suppliers), performance (service level agreements you need to meet), processes, people, premises, profile (your brand) and preparation.

After conducting a risk assessment, create a plan that details the essential security, continuity, and privacy requirements for the business, customers, and suppliers under each “P,” as well as how you will fulfill them in the event of a cyber security incident or attack. Additionally, you need to designate individuals responsible for ensuring these requirements are met. The plan may need to be adjusted based on different scenarios that could reasonably occur in your industry or market. Therefore, brainstorm various potential situations to prepare for any possible outcome.

Test your plan

Mock exercises help you identify gaps in your information security and cloud continuity, ensuring that your defense is strong in the event of an attack. It’s also a good idea to involve external stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, and cloud vendors.

When conducting your testing, consider how to respond to the impacts of an information security emergency or risk to continuity beyond the loss or disruption of data. This could include addressing material financial losses, supply chain disruptions, and even physical destruction of property.

Building confidence in your most critical asset: people

The majority of information security breaches occur due to human error. A comprehensive training and certification program is essential for any information management policy. Many breaches happen because employees unknowingly click on links in malicious emails. It is crucial to ensure that staff members are equipped to recognize potential risks to digital trust and respond promptly to any information security issues. This is vital for overall resilience.

Adopt a zero-trust approach to network security

Gartner predicts that zero-trust network access (ZTNA), the fastest-growing form of network security, is expected to replace VPNs completely by 2025. The zero-trust approach to network security assumes that there is no network edge and instead focuses on continuously validating, authenticating, and authorizing user access to data and applications. In the era of hybrid work, every business serious about enhancing its resilience to cyber attacks should explore how ZTNA can work for it.

Work with your supply chain to understand and strengthen their information security management processes

By 2025, 45% of organizations will experience attacks on their software supply chains, which is three times as many as in 2021. This shows that risks to information security cover the entire digital ecosystem, both inside and outside of an organization. You can enhance digital trust by collaborating with suppliers whose approach to information security aligns with your own and by including defined policies in your contracts.