Don't Leave Your Cyber Strategy to Luck, Use These 5 Principles to Construct Your Strategy

Zoe

So, when it comes to cybersecurity, especially in CRE, the first thing to understand is that you can’t just wing it or hope for the best. I mean, luck isn’t exactly a strategy, right?

Kelly

Oh my gosh, totally. Like, winging it is great for road trips, not for protecting your multimillion-dollar building data. Right?

Zoe

Exactly. And I think that’s where these principles come in. They give you a framework, a game plan. Let’s start with number one — know what you’re protecting. Your data, your assets, your properties. If you don’t know what’s valuable, how can you protect it?

Kelly

It’s like locking your house doors, but you don’t know which ones actually open in the first place.

Zoe

Right, it’s all about identifying vulnerabilities. Which leads to principle number two — assess your risks. You need to know what’s out there, and what could potentially harm your business. This means running regular risk assessments and staying, you know, ahead of the game.

Kelly

Oh, I love that. Like, not just waiting for something bad to happen but actually being proactive. It’s kinda like pre-emptively putting sunscreen on because you know, the sun is gonna show up — it always does.

Zoe

That’s...a creative analogy, but yes, being proactive. Okay, third principle — build layers of security. We’re talking multi-factor authentication, firewalls, secure networks. Cybersecurity isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s about stacking your defenses.

Kelly

Ohhh, like an onion!

Zoe

Basically. Although not as smelly.

Kelly

Haha, right, okay so, layers of security. Got it. What’s next?

Zoe

Number four is all about constant education. Threats are evolving all the time, so if you’re not keeping your team up to date—

Kelly

You’re behind. Like, major behind.

Zoe

Exactly, training your team to recognize phishing attempts, or knowing how to handle potential breaches is crucial. And last, principle number five, is to have a response plan. If something does go wrong, you need a playbook ready. Who’s responsible, how to mitigate damage, how to recover—it all needs to be outlined.

Kelly

So basically like a fire drill...but for, uh, hackers?

Zoe

That’s right. And when you pull all these pieces together—identifying your assets, assessing risks, building security layers, educating your team, and having a response plan—you’re setting yourself up for success. You’re minimizing risk and maximizing resilience.

Kelly

Okay, that was seriously super helpful. I’m already rethinking how I handle my online accounts...and I don’t even own a building!

Zoe

Well, it’s about the mindset. And for CRE professionals, it’s a no-brainer. You need a solid strategy, and you can’t leave it to chance.

Kelly

Alrighty, on that note, let’s wrap things up.

Zoe

Remember—plan ahead, stay informed, and keep those cyber doors locked. And If you find yourself wondering where to begin, or how to beef up your cyber strategy, reach out to us at 5Q to learn more about all of our cyber security solutions! Thanks for tuning in!

Kelly

Until next time, stay safe, and we’ll see you then!