I get so sick and tired of the whining. There is an incessant amount of whining about some of the most fundamental components of security. Many of which have been discussed in my columns on Back to Basics. We have too damned many people coming into the infosec field without the foggiest idea of what it is and proclaiming themselves to be experts. (arrgghhh ... rant)
I prefer to begin with the big-picture view of what security means in the context of the business process before drilling down to the bits and bytes. I argue that unless top management is involved in the process of making the business successful (no matter what kind of business it is) and infosec gets used as a component of that success, infosec remains a bastard stepchild without corporate parental guidance.
Before Infosec can be successfully integrated within the organization, you have to find yourself a Managerial Evangelist ... that is, a senior executive who you can convince that infosec, and the money spent on it, is worthwhile to the long-term productivity, security and efficacy of the company.
So, I suggest, and I have seen this work, take some time to develop a plan; a mini-business plan and find yourself an Angel, just like Broadway producers do. Find that senior executive who can help you get budgeted and staffed as is proper for your firm. And don't forget in-house counsel, CFO and comptrollers, audit execs, board members and other VP's who might well be impacted if security efforts fail.
Of course, make sure you don't shoot yourself in the foot by angering your chain of command. Instead, create an Allied Security Coalition, and work on it as a team or with permission. And if you don't get results, there are plenty of companies out there who would be happy to engage you and your enthusiasm!
Good luck.
Winn Schwartau is a security maven, writer and speaker. His recent book "Time Based Security," creates a new paradigm for measuring and quantifying security in any network. His hit books include "Information Warfare" in all three editions. He owns www.infowar.com, the worlds' biggest site for security and information warfare. His team provides extensive security consulting on three continents. In addition, he is a popular, inventive and exciting speaker a boon to any event. Winn can be reached at winn@infowar.com or (727) 393-6600.
RELATED LINKS
