How do I assess my risk of a cyber attack?
Assessing your cyber attack risk involves identifying threats, vulnerabilities, and potential impacts on your business. A Cyber Risk Assessment helps prioritize security measures and reduce threats.
Cyber21 offers organisations a FREE Cyber Security Risk Assessment.
🔍 Steps to Assess Your Cyber Attack Risk
1️⃣ Identify Your Critical Assets & Data
- What data do you store? (e.g., customer data, financial records, IP)
- Where is this data stored? (on-premises, cloud, third-party systems)
- Who has access to it? (employees, contractors, vendors)
2️⃣ Identify Potential Cyber Threats
- Phishing & Social Engineering – Employee-targeted scams.
- Malware & Ransomware – Malicious software attacks.
- Insider Threats – Employees or contractors misusing access.
- Data Breaches – Unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- DDoS Attacks – Disruptions to services via traffic overload.
3️⃣ Identify Vulnerabilities
- Unpatched systems – Outdated software or OS.
- Weak passwords – Lack of strong password policies or MFA.
- Unsecured networks – Poor firewall or endpoint protection.
- Third-party risks – Vendor security gaps.
4️⃣ Assess the Impact of a Cyber Attack
- Financial Loss – Costs from downtime, ransom payments, or fines.
- Reputation Damage – Loss of customer trust.
- Regulatory Penalties – GDPR, PCI-DSS, or ISO 27001 violations.
5️⃣ Evaluate Your Existing Security Measures
- Do you have Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)?
- Are your software & systems updated?
- Do you have a firewall, antivirus, and endpoint security?
- Are employees trained in security awareness?
- Do you regularly back up critical data?
6️⃣ Use a Cyber Risk Framework
- NIST Cyber security Framework – Identifies, protects, detects, responds, and recovers from threats.
- ISO 27001 Risk Assessment – Helps organisations maintain an ISMS (Information Security Management System).
- CIS Controls – Prioritizes security best practices.
🔹 Cyber Risk Assessment Tools & Tests
✅ Penetration Testing – Simulates an attack to find weaknesses.
✅ Vulnerability Scanning – Detects software/hardware vulnerabilities.
✅ Phishing Simulations – Tests employee awareness of email scams.
✅ Third-Party Risk Assessments – Evaluates vendor security risks.
🚀 Reducing Your Cyber Attack Risk
🔹 Implement MFA & strong access controls.
🔹 Keep systems & software updated.
🔹 Train employees on cyber security best practices.
🔹 Monitor networks for suspicious activity.
🔹 Back up critical data & test disaster recovery plans.
A proactive risk assessment helps identify security gaps and reduce vulnerabilities before a cyber attack happens!