The pursuit of cybersecurity certifications is a strategic move for organizations looking to protect their data and bolster their reputation. But how to make it happen?

A cybersecurity certification roadmap is key. Crafting this roadmap at the outset not only saves time and reduces stress but also aligns your team's efforts towards the collective goal of achieving certification. A well-defined roadmap ensures that every step taken is a stride forward together, maintaining focus and momentum towards securing that all-important seal of security compliance.

Understanding cybersecurity certifications

At its core, a cybersecurity certification signifies your organization's adherence to data security guidelines either set by government regulators or industry expectation. 

These security certifications act as trust assets, underscoring your serious commitment to data security and privacy. This commitment, in turn, boosts customer loyalty, helps seal more deals, and enlarges your market presence, positively affecting your bottom line.

Which certifications you need depends largely on the industry your company is in. Take these common frameworks, for example:

• SOC 2 is crucial for technology and cloud service providers, including SaaS companies, who manage customer data, ensuring stringent controls are in place for data protection.
• ISO 27001 benefits a broad range of sectors, from finance and healthcare to technology and manufacturing, by providing a comprehensive approach to information security management. 
• GDPR is pivotal for businesses operating within or dealing with the European Union, impacting virtually every industry by enforcing strict data privacy and protection guidelines. 
• HIPAA is indispensable for the healthcare sector in the United States, including providers, insurers, and their business associates, safeguarding patient health information and ensuring confidentiality and security. 

Security certifications aren’t just about ticking boxes for compliance. They're about managing risk, demonstrating a solid commitment to data security, and assuring clients that their data is in safe hands. 

The cybersecurity certification roadmap

Creating a tailored cybersecurity certification roadmap for your company begins with understanding which certifications align with your business goals and regulatory requirements.

1. Identify the right certifications

Start by pinpointing the certifications that match your business's unique needs. Our security framework guide will show you which ones are most common in your industry.

2. Conduct a risk-assessment

This is really important. And here’s why — a lot of old-school cybersecurity consultants will tell you that you need to address every risk on their comprehensive checklists. It’s an approach that wastes a lot of time and resources. When you assess your risks at the beginning of the certification process, you only need to focus on the vulnerabilities that exist in your unique business case.

Learn more → Download our guide on the benefits of risk-based security compliance

3. Implement controls

Once you’ve identified your company’s security risks, it’s time to implement the necessary controls to close those gaps. Strike Graph’s control library makes this easy, allowing you to choose from (and customize) hundreds of pre-mapped controls.

4. Gather evidence

In order to reach certification, you’ll need to gather evidence to prove that the controls you implemented are effectively mitigating your company’s risks. 

Make it easy → Strike Graph’s low-code integrations and automated evidence collection save time and stress

4. Perform internal audits and other tests

These assessments gauge your progress toward your security goals, evaluate the effectiveness of implemented measures, and uncover any remaining gaps. 

Pro Tip: With Strike Graph’s comprehensive dashboards, integrated vulnerability scans, and pen tests, you don’t have to hire an extra vendor to test your systems. 

5. Get certified

Once you’ve identified your risks, implemented controls, gathered evidence, and tested your security program, you’re ready to have an external evaluator determine if your company has done everything necessary to be certified. This is the scariest part for a lot of companies, but it doesn’t have to be if you’ve followed your cybersecurity road map! 

Not all audits are created equal

When it comes to your certification audit, there are two fundamental approaches. Traditional auditing firms have — and continue to — rely on slow, human-driven processes that are not only costly and time-consuming but also prone to subjectivity and errors. 

New technology has opened a better path. Tech-forward security compliance companies like Strike Graph are building AI-enabled security audits into their platforms, drastically improving the audit process.

AI and other automation technology vastly improve both accuracy and speed of audits, offering a streamlined, cost-effective path to compliance. This modern approach saves valuable resources and significantly reduces the likelihood of errors, ensuring a more robust security posture compared to the conventional methods. 

I’m convinced. Let’s get started! 

Great! First step? Choose the right tools. In the quest for cybersecurity excellence, the journey from choosing the right framework to achieving your certification can be seamless with the right tools at your disposal. Strike Graph's all-in-one compliance platform is designed precisely for this purpose. 

Our software guides you through every phase of your cybersecurity certification roadmap, from initial framework selection to the completion of your final audit. With Strike Graph, you're not just preparing for certification. You're ensuring a future where your data security practices are beyond reproach. 

Let us show you what a difference Strike Graph can make in your certification process — Schedule a demo with one of our cybersecurity experts or create a free account today.