Security sells: leverage your security program to boost sales

In today's competitive environment, with the increasing need to show a unique value proposition, a stellar information security program can offer a company a unique differentiator to discuss with their prospective customers. The information security function (along with IT) is typically viewed as a cost center, not a revenue generating arm of the organization. Security tactics are often viewed as a must-do line item to check off the list, not as a competitive advantage. Well, I'd like to change that mindset.

As an information security professional, it can be frustrating when achievements aren't recognized outside of the immediate team (let alone external to the organization). The problem isn't that security achievements are less important than other project achievements. On the contrary, security projects are often mission critical to helping companies avoid negative press, million dollar fines, and the loss of customers. The problem centers around lack of understanding of the value of security initiatives, and how they tie to servicing customers or generating company revenue.

Here are some thoughts on how information security professionals can shine a light on achievements, and position their work as differentiators a company can use to use to generate more revenue.

Sell Your Strengths: Think about what your company's security strength is and sell it. I'm not talking about giving away the keys to the farm and talking about HOW you are doing things. That would defeat the purpose of having security controls in place. But the basic standard of keeping the bad people out and enabling the authorized users to securely do business has many interesting facets, and there are many ways to achieve this level of security.

I like to call this the art of information security: What your company is doing + How they are doing it = The differentiator

Is it a sophisticated physical security turnstile badging system leveraging the latest technology to reduce manual intervention? Is it enabling your company's regulatory compliance through cutting edge processes and technology? Whether you are in the business of securing bank account information, human resources files, medical records, or customer credit card information, talk about what you are doing that makes your information security program a key to reducing operational waste and gives employees the time to focus on meeting customer expectations.

Case-in-point, one of my clients, a Fortune 500 bank for high net worth individuals and corporations, has a world class access control program in place. Their information security group designed a set of identity management (IdM) processes based on securely enabling business functions. To gain operational efficiencies in system access request and set up, they customized a leading IdM technology and automated much of their IdM workflows.

Why is this important to a bank customer? The SVP of Information Security can tell you why. He can articulate the value that this brings to a bank customer in terms that are meaningful to a customer -- speed of access to critical account reporting applications AND the reassurance that only those authorized are seeing the account information. He's called on by relationship managers to help sell the value of doing business with this bank and communicate the edge this institution has over another. The SVP has the soft skills necessary to navigate a conversation with clients and prospects. And the instinct to know what aspects of the information security program matter most to each client. These soft skills are really the differentiator for his company's information security organization. It's not just about what a security organization is doing but also about how they tie it back to meeting customer expectations.

Develop Soft Skills: Let's face it, information security is technical, and as a result the people that are really passionate about security tend to be very technical. But when that passion comes out in a way that's easy to understand and meaningful to those on the receiving end, you've got a value proposition worth telling would-be customers. The challenge is developing the soft skills necessary to communicate that value proposition. As an information security manager, it's just as important to develop the communication and soft skills in your staff as it is to keep them technically trained and abreast of the emerging threats. These soft skills also come in handy when communicating to executives the funding required to execute your security program goals and why they are important.

I recently had the pleasure of hearing Sara Santerelli, Chief Network Security Officer at Verizon, speak at a conference in October. Sara spoke about the duty that information security managers have to articulate a security program less in terms of tactics and more in terms of long term strategy. This helps executive management understand the drivers, which in turn gains their support and the funding necessary to execute. She also hit on the importance of alignment of your security plan with business goals and defining the trade-off between the cost associated with your security initiatives and the risk of not doing them. All of this articulation requires soft skills and big picture thinking.

Information security is a compelling value proposition if communicated in meaningful terms to prospective customers. In some situations, the CSO can be viewed as an extended arm of the sales team. Whether the title is CSO or VP of Information Security, the people within an information security organization can really help sell the benefits of doing business with the company. In a climate where standing out in the crowd matters, companies should look to their CSO for the extra push needed to turn a prospect into a customer.

How does your information security program help differentiate your company? Comments welcome!

How Information Security Can Help You Sell More Business

As an IT professional, have you ever thought of the Chief Security Officer function as an extended arm of the sales organization? Maybe you should. Whatever the title - CSO, VP of Information Security - these guys and gals can really help sell the benefits of doing business with your company. The number one value prop they can tell your existing clients and prospects - Here's why your sensitive information is safer with us than the competition. These guys can explain why. In today's competitive environment, with the increasing need to show differentiation and a unique value proposition, information security seems like a no-brainer to talk about. Here are a few tips for developing your Information Security Organization into a key differentiator for your company.

Sell Your Strengths: Think about your company's Security strength and sell it. Now, I'm not talking about giving away the keys the farm and talking about HOW you are doing things. That would defeat the purpose of having security controls in place. But the basic standard of keeping the bad people out and enabling the authorized people to securely do business has many interesting facets and there are many ways to achieve security. I like to call this the "art of information security" - What your company is doing + how they are doing it = differentiator. Is it a sophisticated physical security turnstile badging system leveraging the latest technology to reduce manual intervention? Is it enabling your company's regulatory compliance through cutting edge processes and technology? Whether you are in the business of securing bank account information, human resources files, medical records, or customer credit card information you can talk about what you are doing and how you are doing it that makes your Information Security Program a key in your company's ability to meet customer expectations.

Case-in-point, one of my clients, a Fortune 500 bank for high net worth individuals and corporations, has a world class Access Control program in place. Their Information Security group designed a set of Identity Management processes based on securely enabling business functions. To gain operational efficiencies in system access request and set up, they customized a leading IdM technology and automated much of their IdM workflows. Why is this important to a bank customer? The SVP of Information Security can tell you why. He can articulate the value that this brings to a bank customer in terms that are meaningful to a customer - Speed of access to critical account reporting applications AND the reassurance that only those authorized are seeing the account information. He's called on by relationship managers to help sell the value of doing business with this bank and communicate the edge this institution has over another. The SVP has the soft skills necessary to navigate a conversation with clients and prospects. And the instinct to know what aspects of the Information Security Program matter most to each client. These soft skills are really the differentiator for his company's Information Security organization. It's not just about what a security organization is doing but also about how they tie it back to meeting customer expectations.

Develop Your People: Let's face it, Information Security is technical. The people that are really passionate about security tend to be very technical. But when that passion comes out in a way that's easy to understand and meaningful to those on the receiving end you've got a value proposition worth telling would-be customers. The challenge is developing the soft skills necessary to communicate that value proposition. As an information security manager it's just as important to develop the communication and soft skills in your staff as it is to keep them technically trained and abreast of the emerging threats. These soft skills also come in handy when communicating to executives the funding required to execute your Security program goals and why they are important. I recently had the pleasure of hearing Sara Santerelli, Chief Network Security Officer at Verizon, speak at a conference in October. Sara spoke about the duty that information security managers have to articulate a security program less in terms of tactics and more in terms of long term strategy. This helps executive management understand the drivers, gains their support, and the funding necessary to execute. She also hit on the importance of alignment of your security plan with business goals and defining the trade-off between the cost associated with your security initiatives and the risk of not doing them. All of this articulation requires soft skills and big picture thinking.

Information Security is a compelling value proposition if communicated in meaningful terms to your customers. I would love to know how you are talking about your Information Security program and how it helps differentiate you. Comments welcome!

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Google Apps For the Family "Enterprise"

My family runs on the Google platform. The same tools that I use every day at work managing projects have proved very effective at home.

We have a shared family Google calendar through Gmail that contains appointments, birthdays, and weekend plans. Some weeks my husband and I are like two ships passing in the night, if it's not on the calendar , it doesn't happen.

I have a 1 year old with a few different baby sitters and nannies. I quickly realized that it was more effective to publish his developmental milestones and instructions once rather than remember who knew what. I didn't have time in the morning to bring someone up to speed. Babies change too quickly! So I created a Google Group especially for my son. Fondly known as "Jack's" Portal. I invited his caretakers to join and instantly had an group email address I could use to reach them all at once (which comes in handy when I need to send an emergency babysitting request). I use the Discussion Group to store eating habits, nap schedules, and important contact information.

I've also created a shared nanny/babysitting calendar where each person can self manage the dates they are available to watch my son. This gets me out of the business of managing a schedule and acting as middle man when someone needs to change days. It's brilliant! The caretakers just pick the dates that work best and add it to the schedule.

Thank you Google for giving me tools transferable between work and home life, that are practical, and easy to use!

Would love to hear comments on how your family uses technology to make life easier.

How to Improve Your Current Project: Comunicate

How to Deliver Successful Projects: Have a Dialogue

Talk, talk, talk, and then ... talk some more. You cannot talk enough when you're leading any type of change management effort. And that's what a technology project boils down to -- implementing a change to the way things are today. So how do you manage your change efforts? What should you talk about? And to whom should you talk? My company uses John Kotter's Eight Stages of Change as a framework for structuring the conversation with those involved in projects. Here are some guidelines for getting your conversations started.

Do your homework before you start talking ...
Create Urgency: You may have communicated the purpose of your project, but does it have teeth? Paint a picture of what happens if you don't complete the project. What happens if the status quo remains? And what are the benefits that can be realized when the project is done? Often the improvement is crystal clear to technologists, but murky for others. Especially if the project is something ambiguous to a non-technical business counterpart, such as an infrastructure upgrade or an information security tactic.

Create a Vision: Realized benefits are a great way to frame how your project will make the world a better place (at least the world inside the walls of your organization). Give thought to the bigger picture of your project, so that you can paint the "future state" for your stakeholders. Whether your project will result in internal or external customer facing deliverables, painting a picture -- early and often -- is critical for gaining acceptance.

Form a Guiding Coalition: Formally organizing internal support is extremely important, because it helps sow the seeds of change. We've all heard of steering committees. Well, let's put them to work. First, it's important to get the right people on-board -- those who will help you sow the seeds of change. Ask yourself: How can they help spread the message about the project vision? How can they help contribute to defining the vision, so that it speaks to and resonates with the needs of a particular business area or customer segment? A guiding coalition is important, but the team won't work without a sponsor, leader, or visionary enlisted for the long haul. This is the person continuously driving the vision forward and helping the project team stay the course.

Start Talking ...
Communicate the Vision: Talking about your vision isn't a one-time event done via a mass e-mail. You need a plan that identifies who, when, how, and how often they should hear your message. Look for opportunities to get your vision in front of people -- status meetings, town halls, or messages and alerts in an existing system of upcoming milestones. This is not only an opportunity to communicate, but also an opportunity to sell. And like it or not, your vision is for sale. Your buyers are the people impacted by the changes, and also those individuals whose help you need for the project to be a success.

Get others talking (and doing) ...
Empower Others to Act on the Vision: You may be wondering who is the "you" that I keep referring to in this post. It's anyone and everyone who has a role in contributing to the goals of the project. The guiding coalition helps define the vision and pushes it forward. But in order for the vision to be a reality, others need to get on-board. If people feel boxed in, not supported by management or peers, or lacking access to the necessary tools, your project will fail. Make sure the barriers are removed so others can act on your vision.

Plan for and Create Short Term Wins: This is a great way to start showing progress and proving your theories. It also helps everyone realize that their effort is valuable while keeping momentum going. Think about your project plans in terms of, "how quickly can I get something useful out?" "Useful" doesn't have to mean "perfect"; you can always fine tune later. But showing visible progress sooner, even with a few warts, will provide great insights early-on into what is really important to your stakeholders. This allows your team to correct the course sooner, so be sure to create a formal feedback process to capture stakeholder input.

Don't Declare Victory Too Soon, Sustain the Momentum for Change: We've all experienced it – the anticipation of the much celebrated release party. Celebrating milestones is important, but equally as crucial is being cautious to not signify "it's over". The real work begins when the initial visible change is released outside the project team. That's when things really get started and when it's important to keep up the momentum. Change isn't easy and it's not a static, one-time event.

Institutionalize The New Approaches: We call this "business as usual". If you are implementing something new (technology, process or both), you want it to become the new method of operation. Repetition and reinforcement makes something new feel natural, as if it was the way it had always been. So, you haven't talked enough until you feel like a broken record, and others are repeating your messages and finishing your sentences.

As always, looking forward to any comments and knowledge sharing on the topic!

RBAC...Why Bother? 4 Reasons to Start an RBAC Program Today

Role Based Access Control (RBAC) is the process of granting people within similar job functions the same access to resources (systems, data etc..) required to do their job. The concept centers on putting into business friendly terms the logical grouping of resource access. These resource access groupings are called "roles". It's a daunting task when you consider all the various systems that can exist within an enterprise - there are the common applications everyone uses like email, the company portal, conference scheduling systems. And the one-offs that are very specific to performing a job function - HR payroll processing apps, CRM tools for Sales personnel, other business specific applications... So why do it? What are the benefits?

Simplification

The process of ensuring that new hires have access to what they need when they need it on day one is not easy. Often it requires several system set up requests before the right access is granted. Not to mention decomposing what someone else in a similar job function has access to. Wouldn't it be easier to have access automatically granted based on the job function someone is in? It's not an "auto-magic" process. There is upfront work involved in establishing the link between job function and system access needs. But once it's done (and the maintenance process is established) the on-boarding of new hires and department transfers becomes a lot easier and quicker.

Action: Get a sense for how much work you are in for. Look at a slice of the enterprise - one job function within one business unit or department. Analyze the system access granted to a few people within the same job function.

Consistency

Even if you know what access is required to do your job the process for getting that access established may vary. You make a phone call to so-and-so to get access to system A, send an email to a mail group to get access to system B, and submit a request through an intranet based system to get access to system C. Sound familiar? With all of these disconnected and differing processes for granting access, how can an organization know that the appropriate scrutiny is being applied to verifying who SHOULD have access to certain applications and information? Is the same approval required for all resource access? In an RBAC environment the role setup process is defined and can evolve as necessary. Based on the specific requirements of an organization the proper controls required for assigning access by job function area established and consistently applied each time that role is requested for a person. Ensuring the right level of approval is applied.

Action: Pick a set of applications and for each ask the question "Who needs to know who is accessing this application?". If the answer results in a Visio diagram, consistency is important.

Accountability

Central to an RBAC model is the governance. Governance takes the form of placing accountability for role definition with those most appropriate to validate what a role should have access to. For roles mapped to job functions that means accountability is placed within the business unit or department where that job function exists. Using business friendly terminology to link a system access permission to a job function is also key. Those accountable for making sure people in that role have what they need to need to understand what the underlying components of a role are.

Action: How easily understood is the system access terminology within your organization? Take one application and create business friendly descriptions to describe the access levels. This will kick start the analysis necessary for establishing a framework to maintain these business friendly descriptions.

Risk Mitigation

If it wasn't apparent already, all the of the above are risk mitigation tactics. The easier and more consistently something can be done, the more predictable the outcome. Predictability helps control risk. An RBAC model reduces the risk that inappropriate access is granted to or retained by someone that shouldn't have it. RBAC is a key control in information protection.

What benefits has your organization seen from an RBAC? implementation?