CyberSecurity Annual Programme: Digital security in good hands

Cryptocurrencies have turned Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) into a solid criminal revenue model over the past five years. According to the police, the amounts demanded and paid out in ransomware attacks in the Netherlands run into millions of euros. The worldwide damage is estimated at billions of euros per year, with a sharp increase in recent years due to the advance of RaaS and Big Game Hunting. It is assumed that in 70 percent of cases, victims of ransomware attacks pay ransom to regain access to their held hostage.

According to the National Cyber ​​Security Center (NCSC), the cybercriminal ecosystem has now become a mature, global economic sector, which increasingly threatens digital security. Because ransomware is not the only problem. For example, there are also phishing attacks, sabotage and espionage, CEO fraud, identity theft. In short: the threat is always present. Criminal hackers, cybercriminal service providers and autonomous groups are becoming increasingly professional and have increasingly better resources at their disposal. Virtually every step for committing and protecting cybercrime is now offered as a commercial service: Cybercrime-as-a-Service. Governments, companies and organizations can no longer avoid giving their digital security a high priority, simply to safeguard their survival.

CyberSecurity Annual Program

With a new service, Securify wants to help organizations to raise and maintain digital resilience and cybersecurity in a broad sense to a higher level: the CyberSecurity Annual Programme. The aim of the annual program is to map out all relevant digital risks, to assess the security status of all parts of the ICT landscape through extensive testing and then to issue advice on what needs to be done to improve security. In addition, a team of specialists from Securify acts as a sparring partner who monitors cyber security with the right expertise and a sharp specialized eye - all year round. This is particularly important when changes are taking place in the ICT landscape. Testing existing and new applications, systems and networks plays a crucial role in the Annual Programme. During the construction of new applications and systems, the team prefers to observe how the security is being shaped at the time of going live. And not only afterwards.

All kinds of changes are constantly taking place within many organizations that also have an impact on the digital security of the organization. Think of the roll-out of a new cash register system, the switch to a new financial package or an outsourcing process. During such large and small changes, cybersecurity does not always receive the attention it deserves. In the CyberSecurity Year Program, a team of specialists from Securify closely follows developments and changes in the IT landscape and keeps their finger on the pulse.

Threat Model and roadmap

Every CyberSecurity Annual Program starts with the preparation of a Threat Model, an analysis of the threats and vulnerabilities that the customer may encounter. A three-year plan is drawn up on the basis of that threat model. In that roadmap, all planned changes and adjustments in the customer's IT landscape are included, so that those changes can be anticipated in security in a timely manner. The plan also contains the objectives for the digital security of the organization for the coming years. During the year, a team of Securify specialists monitors the progress of the steps to be taken. The specialists also provide the customer with advice and tips on digital security issues that will arise due to changes or expansions in the IT landscape.

Sustainable collaboration in security

Leo Lans, sales director of Securify, emphasizes that digital security is a continuous process that requires sustainable cooperation. "We are entering into a partnership with a CyberSecurity Annual Programme. You can compare it with a building inspection report for the purchase of a home, but in the form of a multi-year subscription. As inspectors, we continue to monitor everything that is happening in the field of digital security in the organization, which includes the complete network, including any cloud environment and the complete IT infrastructure, including home workplaces.New applications to be built, mobile apps, migrations to new software packages, company building expansions, everything is included in the Cybersecurity Annual Program By understanding what's about to happen, we can make security more predictable.” Lans emphasizes that Securify will not make any changes to the security itself: "We advise and ensure that cybersecurity is maintained at all times. We want to think along and no longer just carry out individual tests and show where the security is flawed. We want more are the plumber who comes to fix a leaking tap. We take a close look at the entire pipework, identify future problems and advise where maintenance is most urgent."

Cyber ​​security: top of mind

The CyberSecurity Annual Program forms a solid foundation for an organisation's cybersecurity, making it structural, more planable and less ad hoc. Digital security is a matter of awareness, specialist knowledge that develops quickly and advancing insight. In an organization that is busy achieving goals and moving forward, cybersecurity is not always 'top of mind'. While it must constantly be given high priority. The Annual Program provides assurance that the responsibility for digital security is in good hands.

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