Cybersecurity gap assessment s are critical to evaluating the effectiveness of the security controls you implement, ensuring your organization remains protected from threats throughout the year. So what is a gap assessment , and how can it help you optimize your security posture? Read our blog to learn more about these assessments.
Cybersecurity gap assessment s enable your organization to systematically evaluate security risks before they can materialize into full-blown threats. To briefly explore the ins and outs of conducting gap assessments, this blog will cover:
With the help of a managed security services provider (MSSP), your organization will effectively conduct cybersecurity gap assessment s to protect your sensitive digital assets in the short and long term.
A cybersecurity gap assessment is a tool your organization can use to identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities within its cybersecurity infrastructure. Conducting these assessments is critical to promptly discovering these gaps before they can develop into full-blown, high-impact threats.
If your organization handles sensitive data, you will likely need to conduct frequent gap assessments to uncover vulnerabilities that might pose risks to these data.
Compliance with regulatory frameworks like the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS) and SOC 2 requires gap assessments to address potential data security risks early in their lifecycle. As with any other assessment, you must fully understand why you are doing it and how best to approach it without impacting your organization’s operations.
In general, the approach for conducting gap assessments is similar across regulatory frameworks. However, each cybersecurity gap assessment will likely look different, depending on the type of data you handle or your industry. Many of these gap assessment requirements are adapted from the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), providing industry-standard guidelines for uncovering security gaps and vulnerabilities that can impact data sensitivity.
To provide additional context for how to conduct gap assessments, we’ll review examples of gap analysis from the PCI DSS and SOC 2 compliance requirements .
PCI DSS gap assessments are based on the framework’s 12 Requirements, which protect cardholder data (CHD) at rest and in transit. Taking the example of a PCI DSS gap assessment requirements, you can conduct a gap analysis by:
Although the PCI DSS gap assessment requirements apply to organizations that handle CHD, they provide a general sense of how to conduct these assessments if your organization handles highly sensitive data.
For service organizations required to report on System and Organization Controls (SOC), gap assessments can help identify areas in need of remediation and prepare for compliance audits.
Organizations reporting on their SOC 2 compliance can conduct a gap analysis by:
Conducting cybersecurity gap assessment s based on the PCI DSS, SOC 2, or other applicable industry compliance requirements will help your organization remain secure—even as threats evolve. With guidance from an MSSP , you will be well-prepared for these assessments, irrespective of the type of sensitive data you handle.
Conducting cybersecurity gap assessment s will help your organization remain safe from various security threats. However, partnering with an experienced MSSP will help you optimize these assessments—helping you safeguard sensitive data throughout the year.
To learn more and get started, contact RSI Security today !
