Insider Threats: The Risks Lurking Within Your Business

When we think of cybersecurity, our minds often jump to external actors—hackers in hoodies, ransomware gangs, or nation-state attackers working from secret locations. But one of the most dangerous threats doesn’t come from outside the walls of your organization; it comes from within.

I’m talking about insider threats.

Before you start side-eyeing your colleagues or throwing zero-trust labels on every employee, continue reading. Insider threats aren't always about a malicious employee actively trying to bring down the company. In many cases, it’s someone within the organization, often well-meaning, who inadvertently causes harm by mishandling data, falling for phishing, or not following security protocols.

So, let’s dive into this issue, and more importantly, what we can do about it.

What Exactly is an Insider Threat?

An insider threat is essentially anyone within your organization who poses a security risk to your systems, data, or operations. This could be current or former employees, contractors, business partners, or anyone with legitimate access to your internal resources. Insider threats generally fall into three categories:

1. Malicious Insiders: These are individuals who intentionally cause harm. They might be disgruntled employees, people seeking financial gain, or even corporate spies (yes, that still happens).

2. Negligent Insiders: This is where things get more common. Negligent insiders don’t mean to cause harm, but their actions—like clicking on phishing emails or sending sensitive data to the wrong person—can result in serious security breaches.

3. Compromised Insiders: These are people whose credentials have been stolen or hijacked by external actors. They may not even know they’ve been compromised, but their accounts are being used for malicious activity.

Real-World Examples of Insider Threats

To make things a bit more real, let’s look at a few examples:

1. The Snowden Effect: Edward Snowden’s leak of classified information from the NSA was perhaps one of the most famous insider threat cases in recent history. Regardless of your opinion on the matter, it’s a prime example of how much damage a malicious insider can cause.

2. Tesla’s Sabotage Incident: In 2018, Tesla accused an employee of sabotage by allegedly hacking into its manufacturing systems and sharing sensitive information with third parties. This wasn’t a case of stolen credentials but rather an employee actively trying to harm the company.

3. Accidental Data Breaches: Not all insider threats make headlines, but they happen daily. A simple mistake—like sending an email with sensitive financial data to the wrong recipient—can lead to serious financial and reputational harm.

Why Are Insider Threats So Dangerous?

The reason insider threats are so dangerous is simple: access.

Unlike external attackers who need to find vulnerabilities, insiders already have legitimate access to your systems, data, and infrastructure. They don’t need to break through firewalls or exploit vulnerabilities—they’re already inside your network.

But the real kicker is that insider threats can be incredibly difficult to detect. You can have the best perimeter defenses in the world, but if an insider is using legitimate credentials, many traditional detection tools won’t flag anything unusual.

How to Mitigate Insider Threats

Now that we’ve established the seriousness of insider threats, let’s talk about how to protect against them. The good news is, while insider threats are tricky, they’re not impossible to manage. Here are a few steps you can take:

1. Implement the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): Don’t give people more access than they need. Seriously, this is cybersecurity 101. If someone only needs access to certain files or systems to do their job, don’t grant them access to everything. And don’t forget about regularly reviewing and adjusting access levels.

2. Monitoring and Logging: Continuous monitoring of system activity and access logs is key to detecting unusual behavior. But monitoring alone isn’t enough—you need to know what to look for. Set up alerts for unusual activity, such as login attempts from unexpected locations or outside normal working hours.

3. User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA): UBA tools can analyze user activity to detect abnormal patterns. For example, if an employee suddenly starts downloading large amounts of data or accessing systems they usually don’t, a UBA tool can flag that behavior as suspicious.

4. Regular Security Awareness Training: A lot of insider threats stem from negligence, not malice. Regular training on phishing attacks, social engineering, and data protection can go a long way in reducing the risk of accidental insider threats. Your employees are your first line of defense, so invest in their knowledge.

5. Zero Trust Model: Zero trust doesn’t mean zero trust in your employees—it means not assuming trust by default. Require constant verification, even for internal users. Multi-factor authentication (MFA), network segmentation, and continuous validation of user identity can help limit the damage from compromised accounts.

6. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Tools: DLP solutions can help prevent unauthorized sharing of sensitive data by monitoring and blocking suspicious data transfers. These tools are particularly useful for stopping negligent or malicious insiders from moving data out of your organization.

Final Thoughts: Building a Trustworthy Insider Threat Program

Here’s the bottom line: insider threats are a reality for every organization, but they don’t have to be a catastrophe. By implementing strong internal security measures, regularly reviewing access, and educating employees, you can minimize the risks.

And remember—this isn’t about treating your employees like potential criminals. It’s about understanding that mistakes can happen and that some people may have bad intentions. Creating a culture of security within your organization means striking a balance between trust and vigilance.

If this topic resonates with you, I’d love to dive deeper into how your business can mitigate insider threats. Reach out, and let’s chat about your cybersecurity needs.

Mastering Data Governance: Best Practices and Quick Wins

Robust data governance is essential for protecting sensitive information, ensuring regulatory compliance, and driving strategic decision-making. And having effective data governance strategies and implementation involves a structured approach to managing and controlling data assets, which can significantly enhance an organization’s data integrity and security posture. Here’s a guide to best practices and quick wins to help your company establish a solid data governance framework.

What is Data Governance?

Data governance refers to the policies, processes, and standards that ensure the proper management, protection, and utilization of data within an organization. It is part of a larger program, oftentimes known as Identity & Access Management (IAM), and encompasses data quality, data security, data stewardship, and data privacy, aiming to create a unified and trustworthy data environment.

 IAM, which will be covered in another blog at a later date, can encompass Data Governance & Protection, Identity Data Management, Identity Management, Access Governance, Privileged Access Management, and Authentication, Authorization, & Directories.

Best Practices for Effective Data Governance

Establish Clear Objectives and Scope

Start by defining the goals of your data governance program. What do you want to achieve? Common objectives include improving data quality, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing data accessibility. Do you want to implement new tools such as password vaults, or implement Role Based Access Control or Attribute Based Access Control (RBAC and ABAC, respectively)? Do you need access recertification campaigns in order to meet SOC2, PCI, HIPAA, ISO27001, or GDPR/Privacy law requirements?

Determine the scope of your governance efforts and make sure you know the stakeholders who will need to be engaged.

Create a Data Governance Framework

Develop a comprehensive framework that outlines policies, roles, responsibilities, and processes. Key components include:

• Data Ownership: Assign data owners who are accountable for data accuracy and security and what they are responsible for (e.g., labeling collateral they create, storing it securely)

• Data Stewardship: Designate data stewards to manage and oversee data quality and compliance.

• Data Policies: Establish policies for data usage, access, retention, and disposal. Acceptable Use, Data Retention, and Data Privacy policies are the most common.

Implement Data Classification and Labeling

Classify your data based on sensitivity and value. Use labels to categorize data types, which helps in applying appropriate security measures and ensuring compliance with regulations. Typically companies opt for Public, Confidential, and Restricted labels, and specify who can access each type of data and for how long, and what the security requirements are for each classification level in their classification scheme. For example, confidential data should be protected with stronger controls (encryption at rest, access based on least privilege)than public data.

Ensure Data Quality

Implement processes to monitor and improve data quality. This includes regular data audits, validation checks, and cleansing activities. High-quality data is accurate, complete, and timely, which is crucial for reliable decision-making.

Promote Data Security and Privacy

Protect your data with robust security measures, including encryption, access controls, and regular security assessments. Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA by implementing necessary safeguards and privacy practices.

Check out our blog on the Top 5 Affordable IT Security Solutions for some tool suggestions.

Foster a Data-Driven Culture

Encourage a culture of data stewardship and accountability across the organization. Provide training and resources to employees on data governance practices and the importance of data security. Working with leadership to promote transparency and open communication regarding data policies and procedures will help to ensure that you have top down and bottom up buy-in for your data governance policies and practices.

Monitor and Review

Continuously monitor and review your data governance practices to ensure they remain effective and relevant. Regularly update your framework to address new challenges, technologies, and regulatory changes.

Quick Wins for Enhancing Data Governance

Develop a Data Governance Charter

Work with key stakeholders across the company to draft a data governance charter that outlines the purpose, scope, and objectives of your data governance program. This document serves as a foundational reference for your governance efforts and helps align stakeholders. Your stakeholders can be from cross-functional teams such as corporate IT, legal/compliance, sales, marketing, training and development, and product management, to name a few. Each team that creates material for internal and external users to consume should be considered as part of your project team.

Set Up a Data Governance Committee

Form a data governance committee with representatives from key functions, such as IT, legal/ compliance, and the others listed above. This committee will oversee governance activities, address issues, and drive initiatives. Start with meeting fortnightly, then as you mature your program move to monthly and even quarterly committee meetings. Once your project is completed and you move into “business as usual,” the data governance committee will not need to meet as much; perhaps only for new initiatives that require the committees’ buy-in and escalations for changes to existing data governance processes.

Conduct a Data Inventory

Perform a data inventory to understand what data you have, where it resides, and how it’s used. This helps in identifying critical data assets and assessing their value and risk.

Refer to our blog on GDPR Compliance to see how data inventories and understanding where your data lives, who has access to it, and more can benefit you in more ways than one.

Create a Data Dictionary

Develop a data dictionary that defines key data elements, their meanings, and relationships. This resource aids in standardizing data definitions and improving data consistency across the organization.

Implement Data Governance Tools

Utilize data governance tools and platforms to automate and streamline governance activities. These tools can assist with data cataloging, quality monitoring, and policy enforcement.

Establish Data Access Controls

Review and enhance data access controls to ensure that only authorized individuals can access sensitive data. Implement role-based or attribute based access controls and regularly review access permissions. This helps to ensure that when people transfer to different teams, they only retain access to data and systems that is necessary to perform their essential job duties and removes the risk of data accidentally being accessed, modified, or deleted by someone no longer authorized to see it.

Run Awareness Campaigns

Launch awareness campaigns to educate employees about data governance policies and best practices. Regular communication helps reinforce the importance of data stewardship and compliance. Encouraging a culture where employees prioritize these security practices in their daily activities, helps them feel empowered to report potential threats, and understand the role they play in protecting the business.

By adopting these best practices and quick wins, you’ll be well on your way to establishing a robust data governance framework that enhances data security, compliance, and overall organizational efficiency. Data governance is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process that requires commitment and continuous improvement. Embrace these strategies to build a solid foundation for managing and protecting your data assets.

If you have any questions or need assistance with your data governance strategy, feel free to reach out to Kayla@KaylaWilliamsConsult.com.

What is PCI Compliance?

Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) must prioritize the security of their customers' payment card data. Whether you're a retailer, e-commerce business, or service provider, if you handle credit card transactions, you're required to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). This blog will explore what PCI compliance is, why it's essential, the steps to becoming PCI-DSS compliant, and how SMBs can simplify the process, including leveraging Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

What Is PCI Compliance?

PCI Compliance refers to adhering to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.

Why Must SMBs Abide by PCI Compliance?

1. Protecting Customer Data: PCI-DSS is designed to protect cardholder data from breaches, fraud, and identity theft. By complying, you help ensure that your customers' sensitive information is secure.

2. Avoiding Penalties: Non-compliance with PCI-DSS can result in hefty fines, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 per month, depending on the severity and duration of the violation. These penalties can cripple an SMB's finances.

3. Maintaining Trust and Reputation: A data breach can severely damage your brand's reputation and erode customer trust. PCI compliance helps prevent breaches, ensuring your customers feel confident doing business with you.

4. Adhering to Legal and Contractual Obligations: Many payment processors require PCI compliance as part of their contract. Failure to comply can result in the termination of your merchant account, making it impossible to accept credit card payments.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failing to comply with PCI-DSS can have severe consequences, including:

• Fines and Penalties: As mentioned, non-compliance can result in significant fines imposed by credit card companies.

• Increased Costs: In the event of a data breach, non-compliant businesses may be liable for the costs of a forensic investigation, card replacement, and compensation to affected customers.

• Loss of Merchant Privileges: Payment processors may terminate your ability to process credit card payments, effectively shutting down your business’s payment options.

• Damage to Reputation: A data breach resulting from non-compliance can lead to a loss of customer trust, which is often difficult and expensive to rebuild.

Steps to Achieve PCI-DSS Compliance

Becoming PCI-DSS compliant involves several steps, each designed to enhance the security of your payment processing systems. Here’s how to get started:

Determine Your PCI-DSS Level:

PCI-DSS has four levels, based on the number of transactions you process annually. Identify your level to understand your specific compliance requirements.

• Level 1: Over 6 million transactions annually.

• Level 2: 1 to 6 million transactions annually.

• Level 3: 20,000 to 1 million e-commerce transactions annually.

• Level 4: Fewer than 20,000 e-commerce transactions annually, or up to 1 million transactions annually across all channels.

Complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ):

The SAQ is a validation tool for merchants and service providers who are not required to undergo an on-site data security assessment. It helps determine your current level of compliance and what areas need improvement.

Build and Maintain a Secure Network:

• Install and maintain a firewall to protect cardholder data.

• Avoid using vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters.

Protect Cardholder Data:

o   Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.

o   Store cardholder data securely and limit access to only those who need it.

Implement Strong Access Control Measures:

• Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access to prevent unauthorized access to cardholder data.

• Restrict physical access to cardholder data (e.g., do not print it).

Regularly Monitor and Test Networks:

• Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data.

• Regularly test security systems and processes to ensure they remain effective.

Maintain an Information Security Policy:

• Create, maintain, and disseminate an information security policy that addresses information security for all personnel.

Offloading PCI Compliance Responsibility

For many SMBs, managing PCI compliance in-house can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can take to offload some of the responsibility:

1. Tokenization: Tokenization replaces sensitive card data with a unique identifier (token) that cannot be used outside the context of your specific transaction. By using tokenization, your business can reduce the scope of PCI-DSS requirements, as you no longer store or transmit sensitive card data. Selecting a third-party tokenization service or implementing an in-house solution that meets PCI DSS standards may depend on internal resources available. There are many vendors that provide tokenization as part of their PCI compliance offerings.

2. Outsourcing Payment Processing: Use a PCI-compliant third-party payment processor. This shifts much of the compliance burden to the processor, as they handle the storage, processing, and transmission of cardholder data.

   • Examples of third-party payment processors are Venmo, PayPal, and Stripe.

3. Implementing Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE): P2PE encrypts card data at the point of sale, so sensitive information is never exposed within your network. This reduces the PCI compliance requirements for your business, as the data is decrypted only when it reaches the payment processor.

Conclusion

PCI compliance is not just a regulatory requirement; it’s a major component of protecting your customers’ data and maintaining their trust. While achieving and maintaining PCI-DSS compliance can seem daunting, especially for SMBs, the steps outlined in this blog can help you navigate the process effectively.

By understanding your PCI level, implementing the necessary security measures, and leveraging tools like tokenization or outsourcing payment processing, your business can achieve compliance with confidence. The benefits of doing so—reduced risk, avoidance of fines, and enhanced customer trust—far outweigh the costs, making PCI compliance a smart investment in your business’s future.

Need help achieving or maintaining PCI DSS compliance? Contact us today for a comprehensive overview of how our cybersecurity consulting services can help your organization meet and exceed industry standards. We specialize in guiding businesses through the complex requirements of PCI DSS, ensuring robust security practices while minimizing risk. Let us support your compliance journey and protect your customers' sensitive data with tailored solutions. Reach out now to get started!

Top 5 Affordable Security Solutions for Small Businesses

1. Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software:

Antivirus and anti-malware software are your first line of defense against malicious software that can compromise your systems and data. These tools help detect, block, and remove viruses, ransomware, and other types of malware.

• Avast Free Antivirus: Offers robust protection with real-time threat detection, automatic updates, and a range of scanning options.

• Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition: Lightweight, easy to use, and provides effective virus and malware protection without slowing down your system.

• Malwarebytes Free: Specializes in removing malware that traditional antivirus might miss, making it a great complementary tool.

2. Firewalls

A firewall acts as a barrier between your internal network and the outside world, monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing traffic to prevent unauthorized access.

• pfSense: An open-source firewall solution that offers powerful features for network protection, including VPN, content filtering, and threat detection.

• OPNsense: Another open-source firewall, OPNsense provides advanced security features such as intrusion detection, two-factor authentication, and a web application firewall.

• Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X: A cost-effective hardware firewall that offers enterprise-grade performance with advanced security features like VLAN support and VPN

3. Data Encryption Tools

Data encryption ensures that even if your data is intercepted or accessed by unauthorized users, it remains unreadable and secure.

• VeraCrypt: A free and open-source encryption tool that allows you to encrypt entire drives or create encrypted volumes to protect sensitive data.

• BitLocker (Windows): Built into Windows Pro and Enterprise editions, BitLocker provides full disk encryption to safeguard your data.

• AxCrypt: An easy-to-use encryption tool designed for individuals and small businesses, offering strong encryption with seamless integration into Windows Explorer.

4. Password Managers

Password managers help create, store, and manage complex passwords for your various accounts, ensuring strong, unique passwords without the need to remember them all.

• Search engine password managers, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, etc. are generally considered secure for use due to several key things: encryption, MFA, regularly schedule security updates, strong password generation and syncing across devices and more.

• LastPass Free: Offers secure password storage, password generation, and autofill features across multiple devices.

• Bitwarden Free: An open-source password manager that provides secure password storage and generation, with a premium version available for additional features.

5. Backup Solutions

Regular backups are crucial to ensure that you can recover your data in the event of a cyberattack, hardware failure, or other disasters. In addition to the backup solutions inherent in cloud computing services such as AWS Backup, Azure Backup, and Google Cloud Backup, the following options may also be available:

• Backblaze: An affordable cloud backup service that offers unlimited storage and automatic backups for a low monthly fee.

• Acronis True Image: Provides comprehensive backup options, including full disk imaging, incremental backups, and cloud storage, with ransomware protection included.

• IDrive: A cost-effective backup solution that offers continuous data protection, file versioning, and cross-platform support for multiple devices.

Protecting your small business from threat actors doesn’t have to be expensive. By implementing these affordable security solutions, SMBs can significantly enhance their security posture by reducing the likelihood of a successful incident.

How to Build a Small but Effective Cybersecurity Function in Your SMB

In the modern business landscape, cybersecurity isn’t just a concern for large enterprises. Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals due to perceived vulnerabilities and an understood lack of resources (people, processes, and technology). Many SMBs lack the resources to build extensive cybersecurity teams with all of the pretty bells and whistles that are perceived to be the only way to combat the cybersecurity risks they face.

The good news is that with careful planning and strategic investment, SMBs can establish a small but effective cybersecurity function that protects their business, even with limited resources. This blog will guide you through creating a well-rounded cybersecurity function tailored to the needs of an SMB, including the key roles and benefits each team provides.

1. Security Awareness and Training

Security awareness and training involves educating employees about the importance of cybersecurity and equipping them with the knowledge to recognize and respond to potential threats. This function is typically handled by a dedicated security awareness manager or it is integrated into the responsibilities of an IT or HR professional.

This function is responsible for regularly conducting, or scheduling via third-party tools, training sessions on topics such as the basics of phishing, password management, and safe browsing practices, as well as on more specific topics like vendor security risk management, secure coding, and cloud security. Security awareness teams can be responsible for the development and distribution of content such as training modules, social posts on Teams or Slack, and email/blogs company-wide to ensure all employees are aware of their security responsibilities, how to recognize threats and risks, and what to do if they suspect an event or incident may be occurring.

The benefits of having a security awareness function is the immediate knowledge-sharing capability to all employees. Having an informed employee force, regardless of size, will reduce the likelihood of a security event occurring. It also helps to establish a culture of security within the company where employees consistently prioritize cybersecurity in their daily activities, reducing the occurrence of human error leading to security incidents.

2. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)

GRC is the framework through which organizations manage their governance (decision making), risk management, and compliance with internal policies and processes and laws and regulations. This function ensures that your SMB is not only secure but also compliant with relevant legal and regulatory requirements. In most cases, the GRC function reports into the Chief Information Security Officer, however there are instances where GRC fits under legal and compliance due to company size.

This team is responsible for the development and implementation of security policies and procedures that align with industry standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., SOC2, ISO27001, GDPR, HIPAA). They have team members skilled in conducting regular risk assessments across the organizational functions and product lines in order to identify and help those teams mitigate potential security threats. The GRC team also ensures ongoing compliance through consulting activities with functional departments and regular assurance reviews and assessments.

Having a GRC function provides your business with expertise in compliance with contractual, legal, and regulatory requirements, and can help avoid potential fines and penalties. They also help reduce the overall risk profile of your company by establishing robust frameworks for managing and mitigating security risks. The GRC Team stays on top of current industry trends, collaborates cross-functionally with technical and non-technical teams, and can provide transparent reporting to management on the risks they identify that may impact the business.

3. Security Engineering

Security engineering focuses on designing and implementing technical solutions to protect your IT infrastructure, applications, and data. This team might be as small as one security engineer who works closely with developers and IT staff to ensure security is baked into your technology stack. They help teams design and implement security controls such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption protocols, assist development teams in secure software development practices, including code reviews and penetration testing, and assisting teams in establishing the appropriate monitoring and alerting measures to respond and adapt to emerging threats.

Security engineering practitioners can have an immediate impact on operations through the enhancement of IT and engineering security postures by helping to establish and review processes to reduce vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Their expertise establishes a strong foundation of security across a company’s technology stack, making businesses more resilient against evolving threats.

4. Security Consultant

Security consultants are external experts who provide specialized knowledge and guidance on cybersecurity matters. For SMBs, hiring a security consultant can be a cost-effective way to access high-level expertise without the expense of full-time staff.

These consultants provide a range of services such as conducting security assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities and recommend improvements, providing strategic advice on the implementation of security measures and best practices, assisting in the development and refinement of your cybersecurity strategy, and more. Having access to expert knowledge and recommendations tailored to your specific business needs, can help to quickly identify and address security gaps. Ongoing access to specialized expertise can help your business stay ahead of emerging threats and continuously improve its security posture.

5. Security Operations Center (SOC)

A Security Operations Center (SOC) is the hub of your cybersecurity operations, and is responsible for monitoring and responding to security events and incidents in real-time. In an SMB, the SOC might consist of a small team or even a managed service provider (external third-party) that monitors your systems on your behalf.

The SOC provides continuous monitoring of your IT environment for security threats and anomalies. The team usually consists of an incident response manager and analysts who are eyes on glass monitoring for alerts that trigger security events and incidents. This function typically is responsible for updating threat intelligence based on company goals and objectives for their product/service and adapting internal security measures with the help of GRC and Security Engineers, accordingly.

Having a team, whether internal or external to your company, on hand to immediately detect and respond to potential security incidents helps in minimizing potential damage and cost. SOC capabilities are usually required for cyber insurance coverage and have begun to be mandated in customer contracts for SMBs; this is where a managed service provider (MSP) may be fit purpose.

6. Security Strategy

Having a dedicated security strategy professional that is responsible for the long-term planning and direction of company cybersecurity roadmaps is paramount in today’s ever changing technology landscape. These strategists ensure that the company’s security measures align with business goals and are scalable as the business grows. They provide clear direction and priorities for company cybersecurity efforts, ensuring that resources are used effectively. This function can be overseen by a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), virtual CISO (vCISO), or be integrated into the responsibilities of senior IT leadership, depending on a company’s size, budget, and requirements.

The security strategist develops a comprehensive security strategy that aligns with your business objectives, prioritize security initiatives based on risk and business impact, ensures that security investments are strategic and provides measurable value back to the company, and works collaboratively with other functions within the company to embed security more broadly across the company.

Conclusion

Building a small but effective cybersecurity function in an SMB is entirely achievable, even with limited resources. By focusing on key areas—security awareness and training, GRC, security engineering, security consultancy, SOC, and security strategy— and knowing that you can outsource these functions to managed service providers and consultants for a price that fits your specific needs, you can create a comprehensive cybersecurity program that protects your business both now and in the future. Each of these teams plays a crucial role in safeguarding your company. Security awareness and training empower your employees to act as the first line of defense. GRC ensures that your business remains compliant and manages risk effectively. Security engineering strengthens your technology infrastructure, while a security consultant provides expert guidance tailored to your needs, and the SOC monitors your environment in real-time, and a well-defined security strategy ensures that all efforts are aligned with your business goals.

How to Establish a DevSecOps Team and Process for Your SMB

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, security can no longer be an afterthought. For small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking to stay competitive and secure, integrating security into every phase of the development process is essential. This is where DevSecOps comes in—a practice that unifies development, security, and operations into a seamless workflow. If your SMB hasn’t established a DevSecOps process before, this guide will walk you through the steps to create a DevSecOps team and process, ensuring your business is both agile and secure.

Step 1: Understand the DevSecOps Mindset

• Educate Your Team: Start by educating your development, security, and operations teams about the DevSecOps philosophy. A DevSecOps philosophy can be a cultural change that positively impacts an organization.

  • DevSecOps is a software development philosophy that integrates security into every stage of the software development process. The philosophy emphasizes collaboration and communication between developers, security specialists, and operations teams. The goal is to build software that is both efficient and secure.

• DevSecOps embeds security into every stage of the development process, ensuring that vulnerabilities are caught early rather than as an afterthought. One immediate benefit that is noticeable is a reduction in security vulnerabilities as the team begins to consider security from the outset. This is through the establishment of security gateways in the CI/CD pipeline and feedback loops that allow for teams to address vulnerabilities on a continuous basis instead of only after pushing to production.

• This mindset shift is critical and can take time to evolve within companies of any size. A security-first culture leads to more robust, resilient applications and systems, and reduces the risk of costly breaches. Everyone involved in the software lifecycle must understand that security is not just the responsibility of the security team but is shared across the entire company.

Step 2: Build a Cross-Functional Team

• Assemble the Team: If hiring a DevSec Ops full-time employee is not feasible, it is possible to create a cross-functional DevSecOps team that includes members from development, security, and operations. Each member can bring their expertise to the table, working together to integrate security into every phase of the development process. By utilizing diverse expertise, your team can address potential security issues from multiple angles, leading to more comprehensive solutions. Additionally, the enhanced collaboration and communication between departments can lead to quicker identification and resolution of security issues.

• Assign Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly define the roles of each team member, ensuring that everyone understands their specific responsibilities within the DevSecOps framework. A unified approach to secure development reduces silos, leading to more efficient processes and a stronger security posture.

Step 3: Integrate Security Tools into Your CI/CD Pipeline

What to Do:

• Select Security Tools: Most development teams have their preferred security tools of choice, and if not, want the ability to choose the automated security tools that can integrate with their existing processes (e.g., Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline). Enabling teams to identify and procure tools like static code analysis, vulnerability scanning, and container security further fosters a collaborative environment. The immediate detection of vulnerabilities by these tools allows for quick remediation and reduces the time and resources (i.e., money) spent fixing issues later in the development cycle.

• Automate Security Testing: Implementing automated security tests at every stage of the CI/CD pipeline and providing feedback loops to developers ensures that vulnerabilities are caught early and often, preventing them from making it into production. This includes running security checks during code commits, build processes, and deployment stages. Furthermore, establishing a robust, automated security framework that will scale as your business grows ensures ongoing protection as development velocity increases.

Step 4: Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

• Conduct Regular Reviews: Hold regular retrospectives and post-mortems to assess the effectiveness of your DevSecOps practices. Encourage open feedback and continuous learning. This allows for immediate enhancements in processes and tools that address current security challenges, enabling innovation to continue.

• Update and Improve Processes: The threat landscape is constantly evolving, so DevSecOps practices must evolve as well. Continuous improvement ensures that security measures remain effective. Use insights gained from reviews to refine processes, tools, and team collaboration. Make it a priority to stay updated with the latest security trends and incorporate them into your practices because a proactive security posture leads to sustained security and operational efficiency.

Step 5: Implement Continuous Monitoring and Incident Response

• Set Up Monitoring Tools: Implement continuous monitoring tools that provide real-time visibility into your systems, applications, and networks. These tools should be able to detect anomalies and potential security incidents. Knowing which systems and applications are critical to your business is important when implementing monitoring tools. Ingesting logs can become very expensive, very quickly. Understanding where the ‘keys to kingdom’ are stored, which systems and applications are vital for continued operations (business continuity), and what contains employee and customer sensitive information is a great place to start when it comes to establishing use cases for monitoring tools.

• Develop an Incident Response Plan: Create and regularly update an incident response plan that outlines the steps your team should take in the event of a security breach. An incident response plan ensures that teams can act quickly and effectively when a security incident occurs.

Step 6: Invest in Training and Development

• Provide Ongoing Training: Regularly train your developers, engineers, and DevSecOps team on the latest security practices, tools, and threat intelligence. When establishing a training program, tailor the content to what matters to the audience. Target teams with training specific to the coding languages they are using and the threats that face their product line (s). Doing so will demonstrate to those teams that the security training is relevant and understood by the company. Also, encourage certifications and continuous education; there are a lot of free resources and training courses available. The attack surface rapidly changes for most companies, and continuous education is essential to stay ahead of new threats.

• Promote Security Awareness: Extend security training to all employees, ensuring that everyone in the organization understands their role in maintaining security. This can include phishing awareness training, basic online safety such as password strength and Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), and how to respond to an incident. Having a highly skilled, security-aware workforce strengthens the overall security posture of your business.

Step 7: Measure Success and Adjust as Needed

• Define Key Metrics: Establish and reporting key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the success of DevSecOps initiatives allows the team and other stakeholders to see the ROI. Metrics such as the number of vulnerabilities detected and remediated, mean time to resolution, and deployment frequency are a great way to start. Once there is a proven process in place, including metrics like SLA adherence for remediation is another easy reporting win.

• Regularly Review Metrics: Metrics provide a clear picture of how well the DevSecOps practices are working and where improvements may be needed. Continuously tracking and reviewing metrics in order to assess the effectiveness of your DevSecOps practices should be included.

• Make Data-Driven Adjustments: A data-driven approach to security that evolves with your business can lead to sustained security and operational efficiency and reduce overall costs of development.

Conclusion

Establishing a DevSecOps team and process in your SMB may seem daunting, but by following these steps, companies can create a secure, agile, and resilient environment that protects your business from cyber threats.

The benefits are clear: in the short term, you’ll reduce vulnerabilities and improve collaboration; in the long term, you’ll build a culture of continuous improvement that keeps your business secure as it grows. By integrating security into every phase of development, you’re not just protecting your business—you’re positioning it for sustained success in an increasingly digital world. Start small, build the team, and watch as the DevSecOps practices transform your approach to security and development going forward.