During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Lebanese businesses have an opportunity to review how they manage cyber risk and prepare for disruption. Effective protection depends on leadership, employee awareness and the ability to recover when an incident occurs.
According to Dr André Gholam, Managing Director at Logica, IT Audit Consultant at BDO Lebanon, Advisor on IT Audit, Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation and President of the ISACA Lebanon Chapter, one of the biggest misconceptions among Lebanese businesses is that cybersecurity is primarily the responsibility of the IT department and that investing in security tools provides sufficient protection.
Some organisations also assume that being small, operating locally or relying on cash transactions makes them unlikely targets.
These assumptions can leave important risks unaddressed. Technology plays an essential role, while management decisions, everyday working practices and recovery planning also shape an organisation’s resilience.
“In reality, cybersecurity is a business-wide responsibility requiring management commitment, employee awareness, and continuous improvement.”, says Dr André Gholam.
Three priorities can help Lebanese businesses strengthen their approach.
Governance and leadership
Cybersecurity should form part of the organisation’s approach to business risk. Management needs to establish clear accountability, remain involved in key decisions and provide adequate resources.
Clear responsibilities help ensure that cyber risks receive attention across the business and that decisions about protection reflect operational priorities.
Prevention and awareness
Security tools need support from clear policies, regular risk assessments, employee training and continuous monitoring.
Employees should understand their responsibilities and know how to recognise and report potential threats. Regular reviews help organisations identify weaknesses and adapt their controls as risks and working practices change.
Resilience and recovery
Every organisation needs to prepare for the possibility of a cyber incident. Incident response, business continuity and disaster recovery plans should define how the business will respond, maintain essential activities and restore operations.
Regular testing helps establish whether these plans work in practice and whether the people responsible understand their roles. The objective is to minimise disruption and strengthen the organisation’s ability to withstand, respond to and recover from an attack.
How BDO Lebanon can help
BDO Lebanon can help your organisation assess its cybersecurity risks, review governance and controls and identify priorities for improvement. Contact us to request a proposal for a cybersecurity assessment. Share your priorities and existing arrangements so our team can discuss an appropriate scope covering governance, controls and recovery readiness.