They offer a means to measure compliance with security policies and regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of legal and financial repercussions. By tracking KPIs, organizations can allocate resources more effectively, focusing on areas that require improvement or pose a higher risk. Furthermore, these indicators assist in communicating security posture to stakeholders, justifying investments in security infrastructure, and demonstrating due diligence to customers and partners who are increasingly concerned about data protection.
KPI |
Definition
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Business Insights [?]
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Measurement Approach
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Standard Formula
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Access Control Violation Rate More Details |
The rate of incidents where users attempt to access resources beyond their permissions.
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Reveals the effectiveness of access control mechanisms and potential risks in unauthorized access.
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Number of access control violations detected divided by the total number of access attempts.
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(Number of Access Control Violations / Total Number of Access Attempts) * 100
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- An increasing access control violation rate may indicate weaknesses in the permission management system or an increase in unauthorized access attempts.
- A decreasing rate could signal improved user training on access policies or enhanced security measures.
- Are there specific resources or areas within the organization that are experiencing a higher frequency of access control violations?
- How does our access control violation rate compare with industry benchmarks or similar organizations?
- Regularly review and update user access permissions to ensure they align with current roles and responsibilities.
- Implement multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security for accessing sensitive resources.
- Provide ongoing training and awareness programs to educate users about the importance of adhering to access control policies.
Visualization Suggestions [?]
- Line charts showing the trend of access control violation rates over time.
- Pie charts to visualize the distribution of access control violations across different user groups or resource categories.
- High access control violation rates can lead to data breaches, unauthorized information access, and potential legal or compliance issues.
- Frequent violations may indicate weaknesses in the overall security posture of the organization.
- Identity and access management (IAM) solutions to centralize and automate user access control processes.
- Security information and event management (SIEM) tools to monitor and analyze access control violation patterns.
- Integrate access control violation data with incident response systems to quickly address and mitigate unauthorized access attempts.
- Link access control violation tracking with employee performance evaluations to reinforce the importance of following access policies.
- Reducing the access control violation rate can enhance overall cybersecurity posture and reduce the risk of data breaches.
- However, implementing stricter access controls may also impact user convenience and productivity, requiring a balance between security and usability.
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Advanced Threat Defense Effectiveness More Details |
The effectiveness of the organization's advanced threat defense measures in detecting, analyzing, and responding to sophisticated cyber threats.
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Provides insights on the ability of security systems to detect and mitigate sophisticated cyber threats.
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Number of advanced threats detected and neutralized divided by the total number of advanced threats attempted.
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(Number of Advanced Threats Detected and Neutralized / Total Number of Advanced Threats Attempted) * 100
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- An increasing effectiveness in advanced threat defense may indicate improved detection and response capabilities.
- A decreasing trend could signal a rise in successful cyber attacks or a need for stronger defense measures.
- Are there specific types of cyber threats that the current defense measures struggle to detect?
- How does the organization's advanced threat defense effectiveness compare with industry benchmarks or best practices?
- Regularly update and patch all security software and systems to ensure they can effectively defend against the latest threats.
- Invest in employee training and awareness programs to reduce the risk of successful phishing attacks or social engineering tactics.
- Implement a multi-layered defense strategy that includes network, endpoint, and email security solutions.
Visualization Suggestions [?]
- Line charts showing the effectiveness of advanced threat defense over time.
- Heat maps to identify periods of increased cyber threat activity and the corresponding defense effectiveness.
- Low advanced threat defense effectiveness can lead to data breaches, financial losses, and damage to the organization's reputation.
- Failure to adapt defense measures to evolving cyber threats can leave the organization vulnerable to sophisticated attacks.
- Security information and event management (SIEM) platforms to centralize and analyze security data for better threat detection.
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to quickly identify and respond to potential threats on individual devices.
- Integrate advanced threat defense effectiveness with incident response and IT service management systems to ensure a coordinated response to cyber threats.
- Link with threat intelligence platforms to stay informed about emerging cyber threats and adjust defense measures accordingly.
- Improving advanced threat defense effectiveness can reduce the risk of costly data breaches and regulatory penalties.
- However, increased security measures may also impact user experience and productivity, requiring a balance between security and usability.
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Change Management Compliance Rate More Details |
The percentage of changes to systems and applications that are performed in compliance with the organization's change management policies.
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Highlights adherence to change management protocols and identifies potential for unauthorized or erroneous changes.
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Number of changes that followed the change management process divided by the total number of changes made.
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(Number of Compliant Changes / Total Number of Changes) * 100
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- An increasing change management compliance rate may indicate improved adherence to policies and better control over system changes.
- A decreasing rate could signal a breakdown in change management processes or a lack of awareness and training on policy requirements.
- Are there specific departments or teams consistently falling short in complying with change management policies?
- How does the change management compliance rate vary across different types of system changes (e.g., software updates, infrastructure modifications)?
- Provide regular training and awareness programs for employees involved in making system changes.
- Implement automated change management tools to enforce policy compliance and streamline approval processes.
- Conduct regular audits and reviews of change management processes to identify and address any non-compliance issues.
Visualization Suggestions [?]
- Line charts showing the change management compliance rate over time to identify any long-term trends.
- Pie charts to compare compliance rates across different departments or business units.
- Low change management compliance rates can lead to increased security vulnerabilities and system instability.
- Inconsistent compliance may result in regulatory non-compliance and potential legal consequences.
- Change management software like ServiceNow or Jira to automate and track change requests and approvals.
- Security information and event management (SIEM) tools to monitor and analyze system changes for compliance violations.
- Integrate change management compliance data with incident management systems to identify any security incidents related to non-compliant changes.
- Link compliance rates with employee performance evaluations to incentivize adherence to change management policies.
- Improving change management compliance can enhance overall system stability and reduce the risk of security breaches.
- However, stringent compliance measures may slow down the pace of system changes and innovation, impacting agility and time-to-market for new solutions.
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CORE BENEFITS
- 54 KPIs under Information Security
- 15,468 total KPIs (and growing)
- 328 total KPI groups
- 75 industry-specific KPI groups
- 12 attributes per KPI
- Full access (no viewing limits or restrictions)
FlevyPro and Stream subscribers also receive access to the KPI Library. You can login to Flevy here.
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Cloud Security Compliance Rate More Details |
The percentage of cloud services and infrastructure that comply with the organization's security policies.
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Measures how well cloud services align with organizational security policies and compliance requirements.
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Number of cloud services meeting security compliance standards divided by total cloud services used.
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(Number of Compliant Cloud Services / Total Cloud Services Used) * 100
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- Increasing cloud security compliance rate may indicate improved awareness and adherence to security policies.
- A decreasing rate could signal a lack of enforcement or understanding of security policies.
- Are there specific cloud services or infrastructure components that consistently fail to comply with security policies?
- How does our cloud security compliance rate compare with industry standards or best practices?
- Regularly update and communicate security policies to all relevant stakeholders.
- Provide ongoing training and resources to ensure understanding and implementation of security policies.
- Utilize automated monitoring and enforcement tools to maintain compliance across cloud services and infrastructure.
Visualization Suggestions [?]
- Line charts showing the trend of cloud security compliance rate over time.
- Pie charts to visualize the distribution of compliant and non-compliant cloud services.
- Non-compliant cloud services and infrastructure may pose significant security risks to the organization.
- A consistently low compliance rate could lead to regulatory penalties or data breaches.
- Cloud security and compliance management platforms such as AWS Config or Microsoft Azure Security Center.
- Security information and event management (SIEM) tools for real-time monitoring and analysis of cloud security compliance.
- Integrate cloud security compliance data with incident response and threat intelligence systems to proactively address security issues.
- Link compliance metrics with vendor management systems to ensure third-party cloud providers adhere to security policies.
- Improving cloud security compliance can enhance overall cybersecurity posture and reduce the risk of data breaches.
- However, stringent enforcement of security policies may require additional resources and could impact the agility of cloud operations.
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Continuous Monitoring Coverage More Details |
The extent to which continuous security monitoring is applied across the organization's digital assets.
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Assesses the extent to which the organization is actively monitoring for security incidents across its infrastructure.
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Percentage of critical systems and networks under continuous monitoring.
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(Number of Systems Under Continuous Monitoring / Total Number of Critical Systems) * 100
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- Increasing coverage may indicate a proactive approach to security and risk management.
- Decreasing coverage could signal resource constraints or a lack of focus on continuous monitoring.
- Are there specific digital assets or areas of the organization that are not currently included in continuous monitoring?
- How does the coverage align with the organization's risk assessment and threat landscape?
- Regularly review and update the scope of continuous monitoring to ensure all critical assets are included.
- Invest in automation and advanced monitoring tools to expand coverage without significantly increasing resource requirements.
- Implement a risk-based approach to prioritize monitoring efforts based on the value and sensitivity of digital assets.
Visualization Suggestions [?]
- Line charts showing the trend of coverage over time.
- Pie charts to visualize the distribution of coverage across different asset categories.
- Inadequate coverage may result in undetected security incidents and breaches.
- Uneven coverage across digital assets can create blind spots and uneven protection against threats.
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems for real-time monitoring and analysis of security events.
- Vulnerability management tools to identify and prioritize assets for continuous monitoring based on their exposure to potential threats.
- Integrate continuous monitoring data with incident response and security operations to enable rapid detection and response to security events.
- Link monitoring coverage with asset management systems to ensure that new assets are automatically included in the monitoring scope.
- Improving coverage can enhance overall security posture and reduce the likelihood of security incidents, but it may require additional investment in technology and resources.
- Insufficient coverage can lead to compliance violations and reputational damage in the event of a security breach.
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Crisis Management Plan Effectiveness More Details |
The effectiveness of the organization's crisis management plan during actual security incidents, measured by outcomes and stakeholder feedback.
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Evaluates how effectively the crisis management plan handles various emergency situations.
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Number of crisis scenarios successfully managed divided by the total number of crisis scenarios tested.
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(Number of Successfully Managed Crises / Total Number of Crisis Scenarios Tested) * 100
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- An increasing effectiveness of the crisis management plan may indicate improved response protocols and stakeholder communication.
- A decreasing effectiveness could signal gaps in incident response, lack of stakeholder involvement, or outdated plan documentation.
- Are there specific types of security incidents where the crisis management plan has been particularly effective or ineffective?
- How do stakeholders perceive the organization's response to security incidents, and what feedback have they provided?
- Regularly review and update the crisis management plan based on lessons learned from actual security incidents.
- Conduct regular drills and simulations to test the effectiveness of the plan and identify areas for improvement.
- Seek feedback from stakeholders after each security incident to understand their perspectives and incorporate their input into plan enhancements.
Visualization Suggestions [?]
- Line charts showing the trend of effectiveness over time, with annotations for specific security incidents.
- Pie charts comparing the distribution of stakeholder feedback (positive, neutral, negative) across different incidents.
- Low effectiveness of the crisis management plan can lead to prolonged security incidents, increased damage, and reputational harm.
- Over-reliance on the plan without regular updates and testing may result in outdated or ineffective response strategies.
- Incident management platforms like ServiceNow or Jira to track and analyze the effectiveness of the crisis management plan.
- Communication tools such as Slack or Microsoft Teams for real-time collaboration and information sharing during security incidents.
- Integrate the crisis management plan effectiveness with incident response workflows to ensure seamless execution of response strategies.
- Link stakeholder feedback with employee performance management systems to recognize and address individual contributions to crisis management.
- Improving the effectiveness of the crisis management plan can enhance the organization's resilience to security incidents and minimize potential damages.
- Conversely, a decline in effectiveness may lead to increased operational disruptions, financial losses, and regulatory scrutiny.
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In selecting the most appropriate Information Security KPIs from our KPI Library for your organizational situation, keep in mind the following guiding principles:
It is also important to remember that the only constant is change—strategies evolve, markets experience disruptions, and organizational environments also change over time. Thus, in an ever-evolving business landscape, what was relevant yesterday may not be today, and this principle applies directly to KPIs. We should follow these guiding principles to ensure our KPIs are maintained properly:
By systematically reviewing and adjusting our Information Security KPIs, we can ensure that your organization's decision-making is always supported by the most relevant and actionable data, keeping the organization agile and aligned with its evolving strategic objectives.