As global spending on information security nearly doubled from $100 billion in 2017 to almost $200 billion in 2023[i], it’s evident the world recognizes the growth of cyber threats and the essentiality of proactive risk management. However, much of this investment still targets traditional methods like network security equipment and infrastructure protection. While these tools are important, they are rendered ineffective when implemented and applied in isolation.
The scale of the cybersecurity challenges facing our Federal Government is staggering. In fiscal year 2022 alone, federal agencies reported 31,107 cybersecurity incidents, with Email/Phishing attacks accounting for 37.6% of these[ii]. Despite increased spending, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified 712 open cybersecurity recommendations for federal agencies as of December 2022[iii]. These figures highlight a critical gap – while investment in cybersecurity has grown, the effectiveness of our defenses hasn’t kept pace with evolving threats. This disparity underscores the need for a paradigm shift in how we approach federal cybersecurity. Rather than simply increasing spending on isolated security measures, we must develop integrated, adaptive strategies that anticipate and mitigate emerging threats.
End-user spending for the information security and risk management market will grow to $185 billion in current USD in 2023, with a constant currency growth of 13.4%. The market will reach $287 billion in 2027, with a CAGR of 11.0% from 2022 to 2027 in constant currency.[iv]
The Increasing Pressure on Information Security Teams
Information security teams are often overextended – trying to protect vast, layered networks from an ever-evolving array of sophisticated threats while navigating onerous administrative tasks and compliance requirements. The pressure to maintain a proactive stance on security while managing regulatory adherence and documentation demands places a significant strain on their capabilities and time.
Federal security teams are stretched to their limits as they face the dual burdens of managing extensive administrative tasks and complying with a complex web of regulatory standards. This compliance burden consumes critical time and resources, diverting attention from the vital task of timely threat detection and developing strategic responses that both address the problem at hand and can be re-integrated to strengthen our overall security posture. Consequently, security teams are often playing catch-up or compromising on the quality of their work as they struggle to stay ahead of a constant onslaught – internally and from bad actors.
Effective Risk Management Alleviates Costly Pressure
Effective risk management enables the organization to focus limited resources on the potential problems that matter most and apply the most potent solution with the least amount of resource waste to tackle said problem. When cybersecurity risk management is properly conducted, federal agencies are able to easily prioritize their high-risk areas to address the most critical vulnerabilities first, which reduces the potential for devastating cybersecurity incidents. This grants us the ability to operate in a proactive state, – where we are strategically allocating resources to mitigate the greatest risks to national security and protect sensitive assets and data, instead of a reactive state – where we’re scrambling to trace, contain, and close severe cyber security breaches and conduct desperate damage control of exposed critical information and cascading vulnerabilities.
Putting Compliance against Protection Creates a “Chicken or Egg” Problem
The highly bureaucratic nature of federal cybersecurity management is no secret, but it’s also no accident. The layers of regulations, compliance requirements, and oversight mechanisms are designed to ensure the protection of critical systems and sensitive information. The need to coordinate across multiple agencies, meet legal mandates, and safeguard the vast and diverse IT infrastructure that supports national security, public services, and the privacy of citizens begets a complex structure that can drive standardization of stringent guidelines, clear accountability for effective risk management, and comprehensive safeguards afforded through rigorous cybersecurity measures.
Federal organizations must comply with numerous standards and mandates, such as guidelines and requirements from FISMA, NIST, FedRAMP, and emerging Executive Orders, Acts, and policy revisions. This regulatory burden can be overwhelming, as security teams must continually update their practices to stay compliant. The constant evolution of regulations adds to the workload, diverting attention from proactive security measures. Adhering to multiple standards simultaneously is a daunting task that demands significant time and resources, further straining already overburdened teams. On one hand, teams are preoccupied with cyber security incident management and cyber responses that disrupt operational needs like improving cyber operations and supporting ongoing Authority to Operate (ATO) work for mission systems.
IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report shows average cost of noncompliant organizations is $5.05 million, a whole 12.6% higher.[v]
On the other hand, teams often resort to unintentionally malicious compliance – where the focus is on the prescriptive instructions in lieu of what makes sense for the project or program. The overwhelming need to maintain detailed documentation and adhere to compliance mandates hampers these teams’ ability to focus on their primary mission: protecting the nation’s digital infrastructure. This operational strain not only diminishes the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures but also leaves the government vulnerable to breaches. To mitigate these risks, federal agencies must embrace solutions that streamline administrative processes, enhance real-time threat detection capabilities, and strengthen their overall cybersecurity defenses.
Originally designed to be a comprehensive framework that secures and safeguards our critical assets, it becomes a chicken-or-egg excuse in implementation where we sacrifice critical security elements. Effective risk management requires not only addressing security threats but also efficiently navigating these regulatory challenges to ensure comprehensive protection and compliance.
Federal Government’s Guidance on Risk Management
Executive Order 14028 (EO 14028) restored much of the nation’s focus on improving our cybersecurity measures as a collective. The EO mandates stronger cybersecurity standards across federal agencies and their software supply chains while improving information sharing between the government and private sector. It aims to modernize the federal government’s cybersecurity practices and improve its ability to respond to cyber incidents. However, several other strategies are in place to guide agencies through the implementation of an effective risk management system, including the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) well-established Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) for cloud products and services and the Risk Management Framework (RMF) published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
CISA’s National Risk Management Center (NRMC) is responsible for detecting, analyzing, and managing important strategic threats to the nation’s essential infrastructure. Founded in 2018, the NRMC works to improve national security and resilience in partnership with federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners as well as the commercial sector. It offers useful risk assessments and facilitates a range of risk mitigation initiatives. To guarantee the security and resilience of vital infrastructure across the country, the NRMC works to create partnerships, manage a complex risk environment, and enhance risk management techniques.
Complementing the NRMC’s efforts, the new NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 improves risk management by introducing the “Govern” function, which focuses on cybersecurity governance. This function combines cybersecurity risk management into a larger enterprise strategy and deals with policies, roles, and responsibilities. In order to protect vital infrastructure and effectively handle evolving cyber threats, the framework extends supply chain security guidelines and sets forth guidelines for cybersecurity risk management objectives, risk appetite, and strategic direction. These directives are in line with the National Cybersecurity Strategy.
Initiatives like the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Program, managed by the Office of Acquisition Management (OAM) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, align with these national strategies. This program includes advising leadership on program-related risks, creating policies and procedures for risk assessment and management, and managing risks connected to IT systems. In order to assure audit resolution, the OAM also establishes procedures and works with departmental offices to manage GAO and OIG audit follow-ups. To maintain compliance with the Federal Manager’s Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA), the OAM also oversees non-financial internal controls.
The importance of the ERM Program cannot be overstated. It directly impacts the security of our digital infrastructure, which affects everything from personal data protection to national economic stability. The OAM’s work in advising leadership on program-related risks, developing risk assessment policies, and managing IT system risks is essential in an era where cyber threats can have far-reaching consequences. Moreover, their oversight of GAO and OIG audit follow-ups ensures accountability and continuous improvement in our national security measures. In essence, the ERM Program is a cornerstone in protecting our national interests and ensuring that our government operates efficiently and securely in the face of evolving digital threats.
The Right Way: Put Your Eggs in the Correct Basket
We live in an interconnected world where traditional approaches of focusing on specific vulnerabilities or areas of risk no longer suffice to maintain a strong security posture. What is now required is a holistic risk management strategy that leverages advanced technologies, including Artificial intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), to scale the team’s capacity and enhance the agency’s cyber defense capability. Agencies must go beyond simply having security measures in place and ensure they have a clear, integrated view of their assets, relationships, and risks.
DX360°® Security ARMOR® is a comprehensive solution that provides the necessary single-pane view to prioritize resources effectively, respond to risks with agility, and empower operation, cyber, and mission-edge teams to focus on the work as an integrated ecosystem. NetImpact’s DX360°® Security ARMOR® offers an all-in-one solution allowing you to put your eggs in the right baskets – proactively protecting your systems, networks, applications, virtualized assets, and more.
Your asset portfolio becomes your risk portfolio and as it scales in complexity, so does your attack surface and scope of vulnerabilities. DX360°® Security ARMOR® provides enterprise-level and asset-level management and control of risks – creating a visual portfolio to manage the interrelated investments and enabling continuous monitoring for compliance, security risk identification, and remediation for the entire IT portfolio.
DX360°® Security ARMOR® application provides real-time analytics and potential risk assessments, enabling teams to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. Utilizing compliance processes and centralizing security operations enhances both the efficiency and effectiveness of the US federal government. The result is a more resilient security posture that not only defends against current threats but also adapts to future challenges, ensuring that federal agencies remain one step ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity.
With smart automation, including one-click generation of your System Security Plan (SSP), It streamlines compliance, enhances security, and allows teams to concentrate on protection without compromising on quality and compliance. DX360°® Security ARMOR® is essential for safeguarding the nation’s digital infrastructure. Learn how DX360°® Security ARMOR® can simplify your cyber security management, automate policy compliance, and fortify your organization’s defenses effortlessly with a personalized demo today: demo@netimpactstrategies.com
Netlmpact Strategies
Netlmpact Strategies
