Cybersecurity without GRC is a hobby!

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, devices, and data from cyber threats and attacks. It is a vital component of any organization's strategy to ensure business continuity, customer trust, and regulatory compliance. However, cybersecurity alone is not enough to achieve these goals. Without a proper governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) framework, cybersecurity becomes a hobby rather than a profession.

What is GRC and why is it important?

GRC is a holistic approach to managing an organization's overall governance, enterprise risk management, and regulatory compliance. It helps align the business objectives with the IT (people and operations) capabilities, while effectively identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks and meeting regulatory requirements.

GRC is important for cybersecurity because it provides the context, direction, and support for implementing and maintaining effective security controls and practices. GRC helps answer questions such as:

- What are the business goals and priorities?

- What are the relevant laws, regulations, standards, and best practices that apply to the organization?

- What are the current and emerging cyber threats and vulnerabilities that could impact the organization?

- What are the acceptable levels of risk and how are they measured and monitored?

- What are the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in ensuring cybersecurity?

- How are the security policies, procedures, and controls defined, communicated, and enforced?

- How are the security incidents and breaches detected, reported, and resolved?

- How are the security performance and effectiveness evaluated and improved?

By answering these questions, GRC helps establish a clear and consistent vision, strategy, and roadmap for cybersecurity, as well as a culture of accountability, transparency, and collaboration.

Examples of GRC in cybersecurity

GRC can be applied to various aspects and domains of cybersecurity, such as:

• Security governance: This involves setting the security vision, mission, values, and objectives for the organization, as well as defining the security roles, responsibilities, and authorities of different stakeholders. Security governance also includes establishing the security policies, standards, and guidelines that govern the security activities and behaviors of the organization.
• Security risk management: This involves identifying, analyzing, evaluating, and treating the security risks that could affect the organization's assets, operations, and reputation. Security risk management also includes developing and implementing risk mitigation plans and controls, as well as monitoring and reviewing the risk status and effectiveness of the controls.
• Security compliance management: This involves ensuring that the organization complies with the applicable laws, regulations, standards, and best practices that relate to cybersecurity. Security compliance management also includes conducting security audits, assessments, and reviews, as well as reporting and documenting the compliance status and issues.
• Security incident management: This involves preparing for, responding to, and recovering from security incidents and breaches that could compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the organization's systems, networks, devices, and data. Security incident management also includes establishing the security incident response team, process, and plan, as well as conducting incident analysis, investigation, and remediation.

Recommendations for implementing GRC in cybersecurity

To implement GRC in cybersecurity, organizations should follow these recommendations:

• Adopt a GRC framework: A GRC framework is a set of principles, practices, and tools that guide and support the GRC activities and processes. There are various GRC frameworks available, such as COBIT, ISO 27001, NIST CSF, and others. Organizations should choose a GRC framework that suits their needs, goals, and context, and adapt it accordingly.
• Use a GRC software: A GRC software is a platform that automates and simplifies the GRC tasks and workflows, such as risk identification, assessment, and mitigation, compliance monitoring and reporting, incident detection and response, and others. A GRC software also provides a centralized and integrated view of the GRC status and performance, as well as a dashboard and analytics for decision making and improvement. There are various GRC software solutions available, such as StandardFusion, RSA Archer, MetricStream, and others. Organizations should select a GRC software that meets their requirements, budget, and expectations, and integrate it with their existing systems and tools.
• Involve the stakeholders: GRC is not a one-person or one-department job. It requires the involvement and collaboration of various stakeholders, such as the board, senior management, business units, IT teams, security teams, legal teams, audit teams, and others. Organizations should communicate and engage the stakeholders in the GRC process, as well as assign and empower them with the appropriate roles, responsibilities, and authorities.
• Align GRC with business: GRC is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. The end is the business success and value creation. Therefore, organizations should align their GRC objectives and activities with their business goals and priorities, as well as demonstrate the value and benefits of GRC to the business outcomes and performance.

Some common GRC frameworks are:

• COBIT: A framework for aligning business goals with IT governance, risk, and compliance. It covers five domains: Evaluate, Direct and Monitor (EDM), Align, Plan and Organize (APO), Build, Acquire and Implement (BAI), Deliver, Service and Support (DSS), and Monitor, Evaluate and Assess (MEA).
• ISO 27001: A standard for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving an information security management system (ISMS). It specifies the requirements for assessing and treating information security risks, as well as the controls to be implemented.
• NIST CSF: A voluntary framework for improving the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure sectors. It consists of five functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. It also provides guidance on how to prioritize and manage cybersecurity risks.
• OCEG: A framework for integrating governance, risk, and compliance across the organization. It defines four components: Learn, Align, Perform, and Review. It also provides a common vocabulary, information requirements, and practices for GRC.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity without GRC is a hobby, not a profession. GRC is a vital part of cybersecurity, as it provides the context, direction, and support for implementing and maintaining effective security controls and practices. GRC helps organizations achieve their business objectives, while protecting their assets, operations, and reputation from cyber threats and attacks. To implement GRC in cybersecurity, organizations should adopt a GRC framework, use a GRC software, involve the stakeholders, and align GRC with business.