Cybersecurity Glossary: Security strategy

Business organizations develop and maintain strategic plans for most of the activities they carry out. Strategic plans define the need for an action, the impact of that particular action and driving forces behind the action. Security strategy in any organization starts with an in-depth analysis of their business. A security strategy document details the series of steps necessary for an organization to identify, remediate and manage risks while staying compliant. 

An effective security strategy is comprehensive and dynamic, with the elasticity to respond to any type of security threat. Developing a security strategy is a detailed process that involves initial assessment, planning, implementation and constant monitoring. It may also include a combination of actions that counter imaginable threats and vulnerabilities: policies and procedures, access management measures, communications systems, technologies, and systems integration practices.

The security strategy document defines and prioritizes information assurance and security initiatives that the organization must commence to enhance the protection of information and related technology. Ideally an organization should consolidate previously identified and executed projects (where practical), provide scope and definition for each of the identified efforts, detail the general risks addressed by the initiative and provide a foundation that can later be refined by senior management. Additionally, to support higher-level evaluation of initiatives that can be undertaken when required, the security strategy planning process needs to identify any significant dependencies associated with the initiative. 

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