Creating a near-future security plan does not have to be a drawn-out process, nor does it have to be overly complicated. It is more important to put security measures in place quickly rather than endlessly talking about them. Here are a few steps to take to get started:

If your credit union does not have an Information Security Officer, find one. After you have an ISO in place, document and gain approval for a written information security plan.
Create a cyber security strategy linked to your credit union's business model. The CEO's business goal is to run a financially sound operation. Support that goal by learning how to speak in business terms and articulating why items are of importance to business resilience. Target security spending where it will have the biggest impact (e.g., patch-automation systems and incident-response applications).
Redouble efforts to secure mission-critical assets. Decide which assets cannot afford to be breached, and dedicate more resources there. Make sure databases and file cabinets are very difficult to reach and breach.
Improve the organizational effectiveness of your security structure. Give your security leader a more direct role in recommending and justifying spending proposals. Also, promote greater collaboration between security and operations teams, removing conflicting priorities. Make sure new products and programs are reviewed by the ISO and security team.
Develop an enterprisewide plan to enhance a culture of security. Ideally, you want to see people within your credit union start "doing" security rather than just talking about it. Look for ways to make it fun. For example, host a lunch and learn with FBI agents to teach employees how to recognize the signs that fraud might be occurring.
Shift thinking from safeguarding applications to securing the data itself. The ultimate goal of cyber thieves is to steal credit card numbers, customer information, intellectual property and other valuable corporate data, so make sure it is protected.

Conclusion

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Improving Cyber Security Through Future-Proofing & Collaboration

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