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B.S. in Cybersecurity

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Governance, Risk, and Compliance

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To keep sensitive data, systems, and sectors safe, there’s a standard in how information can be handled. Ignoring compliance standards can result in fines and penalties, to say nothing of the fallout that follows a security breach.

What is Governance, Risk, and Compliance in Cybersecurity?

According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), cybersecurity governance is a comprehensive strategy that integrates cybersecurity with operations and prevents the interruption of activities due to cyber threats or attacks. CISA outlines that governance features include:

  • Accountability frameworks
  • Decision-making hierarchies
  • Defined risks related to business objectives
  • Mitigation plans and strategies
  • Oversight processes and procedures

Cybersecurity risk: Cybersecurity risk is the estimation of exposure or loss from a cyber-attack or data breach on an organization. While risk is inherent anytime a device powers on, not all risks warrant full protection efforts because the level of damage an attack could cause at a particular vector point is low, and the efforts and resources to protect it would be wasted. Types of risk and attacks include:

  • Malware
  • Social Engineering
  • Phishing
  • Data corruption or deletion
  • Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

Cybersecurity compliance: What is cybersecurity compliance? This refers to establishing risk-based controls that protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information, whether it’s stored, processed, integrated, or transferred. Ignoring or failing to comply with cybersecurity compliance regulations and standards can result in significant fines and penalties, as well as legal action, especially if your organization is breached and sensitive information is stolen.

CISA identifies 16 critical sectors that are vital to security, national economic security, and national public health and safety in the U.S. These sectors have strict cybersecurity compliance regulations as outlined in the National Security Memorandum on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience:

  • Chemical
  • Commercial Facilities
  • Communications
  • Critical Manufacturing
  • Dams
  • Defense Industrial Base
  • Emergency Services
  • Energy
  • Financial Services
  • Food and Agriculture
  • Government Services and Facilities
  • Healthcare and Public Health
  • Information Technology
  • Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
  • Transportation Systems
  • Water and Wastewater Systems

Outside of the critical sectors, everyday organizations also must meet compliance standards to keep their data, clients’ data, and employees’ data from harm. If there is a successful breach and it’s found that cybersecurity compliance standards weren’t met, fines and penalties can be imposed upon the organization and complicate the reset needed.

Benefits of GRC Training

Governance risk and compliance education in cybersecurity offers many benefits throughout organizations that are of value to employees, teams, and the company as a whole.

Strong cybersecurity compliance policies result in improved efficiency and communication, the minimization of human error, employees who are willing to share information, and a culture where everyone is empowered to make decisions that protect the company. Aside from the obvious benefits of protecting a company’s value and reputation by preventing attacks and meeting regulations, Governance, Risk, and Compliance training is often required for companies to obtain or maintain cybersecurity insurance. GRC education can also:

  • Assign functions and duties to business units and users
  • Unify terms throughout the organization
  • Support internal audits
  • Encourage continuous monitoring of policies and sensitive data
  • Improve integration and data manipulation procedures
  • Improve decision-making processes and standardize best practices to act with integrity and security
  • Increase accountability, efficiency, and agility while providing visibility
  • Reduce costs by making evidence-based decisions regarding investments in technologies and human capital

The integrated approach that cybersecurity compliance policies demand can tell a strong visual story of the organization’s cybersecurity efforts to clients, directors, the board, and the world at large, which creates further confidence and perceived value in the organization.

Course Spotlights

This course examines the laws, regulations, common policies, and procedures related to information assurance, compliance, standards, and risk. Topics addressed in the course cover information assurance risk assessment and management from private industry and government perspectives. Students will explore information assurance risk management and compliance in various realms such as healthcare, finance, and privacy. Prerequisite(s): CYB 233.

This course presents students with concepts and processes required to develop and execute an incident response and forensic investigation plan. The student will experiment with basic understanding of incident response capabilities, evidence handling procedures, and remediation. Students will test security tools and technologies through hands-on practical exercises and research presentations. This course builds foundational knowledge for incident response and network forensics practitioners. Prerequisite(s): if any: CYB 362.

Careers in Governance, Risk, and Compliance

The more that we rely on storing important data online, the more necessary careers in governance, risk, and compliance become. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), about 16,800 openings for information security analysts are projected each year, on average, over the decade.1

  • IT Engineer – $70,412/Year: IT Engineers design, create, install, or troubleshoot technology and software programs.2
  • IT Program Auditor – $81,519/Year: IT program auditors evaluate IT programs to ensure compliance with laws, regulations and requirements, and industry standards.3
  • Information Security Specialist – $82,200/Year: Information security specialists are in charge of developing and implementing security measures for their organization.4

Sources

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Information Security Analysts.” Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm.
  2. Payscale. “Average IT Engineer Salary.” Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=IT_Engineer/Salary.
  3. Cyber Seek. “Career Pathway.” Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://www.cyberseek.org/pathway.html.
  4. Payscale. “Average Information Security Specialist Salary.” Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Information_Security_Specialist/Salary.

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