Security Return On Investment (SROI)

Good Information Security practices are one of the few improvements a company can make that will actually provide a positive Security Return on Investment (SROI). The costs that a business spends on preventative Information Security practices can dramatically reduce expenses throughout the company.

Key Takeaways - Security Return On Investment (SROI)

Cybersecurity spending provides a positive Security Return on Investment (SROI) by preventing far more costly incidents.
Documentation proves due care and due diligence. The difference between being compliant or being found negligent.
Insurance will cover data breach costs if you can prove compliance at the time of the breach. And will deny coverage if you can't.
Well-implemented security reduces IT support costs, downtime, virus outbreaks, spam waste and improves overall productivity.
ComplianceForge products save organizations thousands of hours compared to writing documentation from scratch.

The Business Case

Why Security Return On Investment Matters

The benefits of Information Security for Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) are many:

Reduced IT Support Costs

Fewer security incidents mean fewer emergency IT support calls, less firefighting and more time for strategic projects and improvements.

Fewer Virus & Malware Outbreaks

Proper endpoint protection, patching and awareness training dramatically reduce malware incidents and the costly remediation that follows.

Less wasted time from opening spam e-mail;

Proper spam filtering and protection, which also reduces instances of phishing incidents.

Less Downtime From Data Loss

Backup procedures, disaster recovery plans and business continuity documentation reduce the duration and impact of data loss events.

Proven Due Care & Due Diligence

Documentation is the evidence that separates compliant organizations from negligent ones. It provides the legal foundation for your defense.

Compliant vs Negligent

In legal proceedings, documentation can be the difference between a defensible position and a finding of negligence. With massive financial implications.

When Insurance Will Cover Data Breach Costs

Insurance will cover data breach costs if you are able to prove you were compliant at the time of the breach.

When Insurance Will Not Cover Data Breach Costs

Insurance will not cover data breach costs if you were non-compliant at the time of the breach.

Improved Productivity

Good security policies reduce distractions. Blocking inappropriate sites, limiting personal use, and keeping networks and systems performing efficiently.

Reduced Distractions From Common Issues

Good Information Security policies reduces distractions from common issues:

Block inappropriate web sites;
Reduce or limit personal use (wasted time);
Operations are more efficient with better performing network & computers;
You can hold employees liable for what they do and fail to do on your network at with company assets;
Better accountability of assets & resources; and
Better educated & trained employees.

Operational Efficiency

Productivity Gains

Beyond risk reduction, well-implemented security practices create a more efficient, accountable and productive work environment.

Good cybersecurity policies reduce distractions from common issues by establishing clear boundaries and expectations. Organizations with mature security programs report better asset accountability, more efficient network performance and employees who are better educated about their responsibilities.

When employees understand the rules, and the organization has the documentation to enforce them, you can hold people accountable for their actions on the network and with company assets. This accountability drives better behavior and reduces the casual misuse that wastes time and creates risk.

Common Questions

Frequently-Asked Questions

Here are answers to common questions about the cost of cybersecurity documentation:

What is security return on investment (SROI)?

Security return on investment (SROI) compares what an organization spends on security with the losses and costs that spending avoids. Good information security practices are one of the few IT improvements that can produce a positive SROI, because preventing breaches, outages and malware outbreaks is usually cheaper than responding to them. Indirect gains count too, such as fewer emergency support calls and less lost productivity.

How does a cybersecurity program reduce IT costs?

A cybersecurity program reduces IT costs by preventing incidents that consume support time and cause downtime. Most of the savings come from fewer emergency calls, fewer virus and malware outbreaks thanks to patching and endpoint protection, less time lost to spam and phishing, and shorter outages when backup and recovery procedures are documented. Lower incident volume also frees your IT staff to work on planned improvements instead of crisis response.

How does cybersecurity documentation reduce legal risk?

Cybersecurity documentation reduces legal risk by providing evidence of due care and due diligence. Documentation is often the evidence that separates a compliant organization from a negligent one, and it forms the legal foundation for a defense. Some laws require it outright. For example, the HIPAA Security Rule requires covered entities to keep their security policies and procedures in written form and to keep a written record of required actions, activities and assessments.

Can cybersecurity policies improve employee productivity?

Yes, security policies can improve productivity by blocking inappropriate websites, limiting personal use of company systems, and improving network performance. Clear rules also create accountability, because they let you hold employees responsible for what they do and fail to do on the network and with company assets. Policies also bring better accountability for assets and resources.

How much time do cybersecurity documentation templates save?

Cybersecurity documentation templates can save thousands of hours compared to writing policies, standards and procedures from scratch. Writing documentation internally means researching framework requirements, drafting, reviewing and getting approval. Starting from a framework-aligned template lets your staff spend that time on tailoring and implementation instead. Templates still need customization, so most of the savings come from not having to research and draft the baseline content.