A Guide To Basic Security Functions Every GRC Professional Ought To Know
“But I don’t want to go among mad hackers,” Alice might have said. “Oh, you can’t help that,” replies the Cheshire Cat, “we’re all mad here in cyberspace. But let me tell you about how we keep order in this curious realm…”
IDENTIFY
Just as Alice’s journey began with awareness of her strange new surroundings, the Identify function acts as our first step through the looking glass. Before anyone can navigate Wonderland’s curious pathways, they must first know what curious things they have to protect. Like mapping out the Duchess’s castle, organizations must understand their digital domains, taking careful inventory of their assets as precisely as the White Rabbit checks his pocket watch.
PROTECT
Protect is our bottle labeled “DRINK ME” — but unlike Alice, we carefully review the contents before taking a sip. These are our security controls, as necessary as the Duchess’s pepper to keep unwanted guests at bay. Like the Queen’s garden of white roses painted red, we must ensure our protective measures aren’t just for show but serve their true purpose.
DETECT
The Detect function works much like the Caterpillar’s watchful gaze from atop his mushroom. “Who are YOU?” he asks of every packet and process, blowing suspicious rings of smoke when something seems amiss. Our detection systems must be as observant as the Dormouse at the tea party, even if he occasionally nods off (though ours must never sleep).
RESPOND
When incidents occur, Respond springs into action like the March Hare after his pocket watch strikes the hour. “No time to say hello, goodbye!” he might exclaim as incident response teams leap into action. Like Alice’s quick thinking during the croquet game, response plans must be both clever and swift, adapting to the curious circumstances each incident presents.
RECOVER
Finally, Recover stands ready like Alice’s sister to wake us from any bad dream and restore us to normalcy. Just as Wonderland’s chaos eventually gave way to order, recovery processes ensure our organization returns to normal operations. Like the cards picking themselves up after falling, we must have plans to right ourselves after any tumble.
In this curiouser and curiouser world of cybersecurity, these five functions work together like the characters at the mad tea party — each playing their part in an endless celebration of security. The March Hare brings urgency, the Mad Hatter brings creativity, and even the sleepy Dormouse brings vigilance (between naps).
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” organizations might ask. “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” the Cheshire Cat would reply. But with these five functions as our guide, we can navigate the wild wonderland of modern security with confidence, even when we meet the occasional grinning cat or mad hatter along the way.
Remember, as the Queen of Hearts might say (if she were a CISO): “OFF WITH THEIR ACCESS!” is not a security strategy. It takes all five of these functions, working together like a well-dealt hand of cards, to build a secure kingdom.
And so, as you venture deeper into your own security wonderland, keep these functions close — as close as Alice kept her flamingo during that curious game of croquet. After all, in the end, we’re all a little mad here in cybersecurity, but it’s how we manage that madness that counts.
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” Except in security, we never really stop — we just keep going round and round, like an endless tea party of eternal vigilance.
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