Security control

Glossary Term Security control

Security Control

  • Definition:

    • Any mechanism, policy, procedure, or device designed to protect an organization’s information systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or 1 destruction.  
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    • Essentially, security controls are the safeguards that help to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of an organization’s assets.

  • Key Characteristics:

    • Preventative Controls: Designed to stop security incidents from occurring in the first place.
      • Examples: Firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), access control lists (ACLs), strong passwords, data encryption, and employee training.
    • Detective Controls: Designed to identify and detect security incidents that have already occurred.
    • Corrective Controls: Designed to mitigate the impact of a security incident after it has occurred.
      • Examples: Incident response plans, data recovery procedures, backups, and disaster recovery plans.
    • Deterrent Controls: Designed to discourage attackers from attempting to compromise systems.
      • Examples: Security cameras, physical security measures (locks, fences), security audits, legal and regulatory compliance.
    • Compensating Controls: Alternative controls are implemented when primary controls are not feasible or effective.

  • Examples:

    • Firewalls: Prevent unauthorized network traffic from entering or leaving the organization’s network.
    • Antivirus software: Protects against malware infections.
    • Two-factor authentication: Requires two forms of identification (e.g., password and fingerprint) to access systems.
    • Data encryption: Protects sensitive data by converting it into an unreadable format.
    • Employee training: Educates employees about security risks and best practices.
    • Physical security measures: Locks, security guards, and surveillance systems to protect physical assets.
    • Incident response plan: A documented plan for responding to security incidents.

  • Importance:

    • Protecting Critical Assets: Safeguards sensitive data, critical infrastructure, and intellectual property.
    • Maintaining Business Continuity: Ensures the continued operation of business processes and minimizes disruption from security incidents.
    • Compliance: Helps organizations comply with relevant security regulations and industry standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS).
    • Building Trust: Builds trust with customers, partners, and stakeholders by demonstrating a commitment to data security.
    • Mitigating Risk: Reduces the likelihood and impact of security threats and vulnerabilities.

  • Key Considerations:

    • Layered Defense: Implementing a layered defense strategy that combines multiple security controls to provide comprehensive protection.
    • Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of security controls to identify and address any gaps.
    • Regular Updates: Keeping security controls up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates.
    • Integration: Integrating security controls into all aspects of the organization’s operations.
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