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Cyber security KPI: what needs to be monitored? 

Integrating cyber security KPIs into business decisions is critical to protecting sensitive information and ensuring resilience. A KPI dashboard helps monitor progress, identify gaps, and communicate the value of security investments.

Monitoring of information security measures

Table of contents

  • How to measure the effectiveness of cyber security with KPIs
  • The importance of a cyber security KPI dashboard
  • Cyber security KPIs: focus on key metrics
  • The three key areas to monitor
  • The metrics for KPIs
  • Turning data into action

How to measure the effectiveness of cyber security with KPIs

In today’s landscape, increasingly marked by cyber threats and attacks, monitoring the right cyber security KPIs is crucial to ensure data protection and business continuity.

These metrics translate technical information into tangible results, effectively communicating with stakeholders and management. Cyber security KPIs not only help identify potential vulnerabilities but also provide a clear picture of the security measures in place. 

The importance of a cyber security KPI dashboard

An effective cyber security KPI dashboard provides a real-time overview of the state of cyber security. This platform enables the monitoring of key parameters such as the number of intrusion attempts, security incident responses, and the number of unidentified devices detected. 

Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) are tasked with monitoring and managing cyber threats, translating the technical language of security into a comprehensible and useful context for business. To do so, they must rely on key performance metrics (KPIs) that aid in informed decision-making. 

Example
Monitoring the time to detect (MTTD) and time to resolve (MTTR) a potential security incident helps evaluate the efficiency of the IT team. Reducing the time required to identify and mitigate a threat can make the difference between a minor event and significant damage, such as a data breach

Cyber security KPIs: focus on key metrics

To effectively measure cyber security, organizations must focus on specific key metrics. Let’s explore a few: 

  • Digital asset management 
    Knowing the number and status of all devices and software in use is essential to prevent unauthorized access and improve vulnerability management. A comprehensive inventory allows for the identification of unidentified devices and reduces the risk of misconfigurations. 
  • Vulnerability management 
    Vulnerability management relies on metrics like mean time to patch (MTTP) and mean time to remediate (MTTR). These parameters help understand how long critical vulnerabilities remain exposed, minimizing risk exposure
  • Quantifying cyber risk 
    Calculating the risk exposure of a potential security incident can be complex but is fundamental. For instance, combining the likelihood of a breach with its economic impact provides a concrete risk estimate. 

The three key areas to monitor

Managing cyber security requires a structured approach that connects technical operations to business objectives. According to experts at Balbix, the KPIs that a CISO should monitor can be divided into three main areas: asset inventory, vulnerability management, and cyber risk quantification.

Let’s delve into each of these categories to better understand their role in security and business. 

Asset inventory

Asset inventory is the first step in building a robust security strategy. You can’t protect what you don’t know-which is why it is critical to have a clear and up-to-date overview of all your company’s digital assets.

  • Asset inventory coverage
    This KPI measures the percentage of devices and systems for which detailed information is available, such as category (server, notebook, IoT devices), location, and associated users. A coverage above 95% is considered a good result.

    Improving visibility into business assets allows for the identification of unmanaged devices and reduces costs from unused resources.
  • Software inventory coverage
    Monitoring the software versions installed on each asset helps identify critical vulnerabilities (CVE) and optimize costs by removing outdated or unused software. This KPI also helps prevent unexpected disruptions from exploits.
  • Security controls coverage
    Ensuring that all assets are protected by essential tools, such as antivirus, backups, and multi-factor authentication, significantly reduces the risk of incidents. Complete coverage minimizes downtime related to breaches and improves compliance.

Vulnerability management 

Vulnerabilities pose one of the biggest threats to modern businesses. It is not just about outdated software but also misconfigurations and insufficient security measures.

Effective vulnerability management reduces exposure time and enables rapid response to threats. 

  • Vulnerability assessment coverage
    This KPI measures how many assets are monitored with specific tools to identify weaknesses like weak passwords or misconfigurations. Improving this coverage provides a more comprehensive risk overview. 
  • Open vulnerabilities duration
    Reducing the average time that vulnerabilities remain unresolved is essential to limit exploit opportunities. 
  • Mean Time to Patch (MTTP) and Mean Time to Remediate (MTTR)
    These KPIs evaluate how quickly an organization can implement patches or other corrective solutions. Rapid intervention is crucial to prevent severe damage, reduce unplanned downtime, and enhance overall security. 

Cyber risk quantification 

While the KPIs in the first two areas are more operational, those related to cyber risk quantification focus on the economic impacts of threats.

This approach enables CISOs to translate technical risks into terms understandable to business management. 

  • Breach probability
    Calculating the likelihood of a breach helps identify the most critical weak points, based on factors such as the severity of vulnerabilities and available security controls. 
  • Breach impact
    Estimating the economic cost of an attack, considering direct expenses (detection, investigation, remediation) and indirect costs (customer loss, fines, reputational damage), is essential for planning defense strategies and allocating resources. 
  • Breach risk
    Multiplying the breach probability by its economic impact provides a clear picture of overall risk. This KPI aids in strategic decisions, such as increasing security investments or negotiating insurance contracts. 
A cyber security KPI dashboard

The metrics for KPIs

See below the cyber security KPIs with examples.

Asset inventory coverage 

Metric: Percentage of enterprise assets for which complete and accurate attribute information is available, including category (servers, containers, notebooks, IoT devices, S3 buckets, EC2 instances, etc.), location, users, and other relevant data.

Example
92% of company assets (like servers, containers, and IoT devices) have complete information about their location, owner, and usage categories. Mobile devices still lack detailed data. 

Software inventory coverage 

Metric: Percentage of assets with a detailed software inventory, including versions. 

Example
85% of company laptops have an updated software inventory, detailing installed versions of tools like Microsoft Office and Adobe Suite. Cloud containers have only 70% software coverage. 

Security controls coverage 

Metric: Percentage of assets protected by required security controls (EPP/EDR, IAM, VPN/ZTNA, DLP, backup, etc.). 

Example
80% of company servers are protected by EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) and regular backups. Only 60% of mobile devices have active VPN configurations. 

Vulnerability assessment coverage

Metric: Percentage of assets subjected to vulnerability assessment tools.

Example
95% of critical assets, such as production servers and business databases, are regularly scanned with vulnerability assessment tools. However, 30% of IoT devices remain unassessed.

Vulnerability exposure period

Metric: Average duration (in days) that vulnerabilities remain open.

Example
On average, vulnerabilities on production servers remain open for 21 days before being mitigated.

Mean Time to Patch (MTTP)

Metric: Average time taken to apply patches to critical software vulnerabilities that are actively exploited.

Example
The average time to apply patches to critical vulnerabilities, such as those actively exploited (e.g., Log4Shell), is 12 days.

Mean Time to Remediate (MTTR)

Metric: Average time required to complete remediation (MTTR, in days)

Example
The average time to complete remediation of all vulnerabilities detected on company laptops is 9 days.

Breach probability

Metric: Probability (%) that a breach will occur.

Example
The risk analysis indicates a 25% probability of a breach occurring in the next year, considering the current security configuration.

Breach impact

Metric: Evaluation of the economic impact of a breach (in euros).

Example
In the event of a customer database breach, the estimated economic impact is 250,000 euros, considering legal costs, GDPR fines, and reputational damage.

Breach risk

Metric: Evaluation of the economic risk associated with a breach (in euros).

Example
With a 25% breach probability and an estimated impact of 250,000 euros, the associated economic risk is 62,500 euros.

Turning data into action

Integrating cyber security KPIs into business decision-making is not just best practice; it is imperative to ensure the protection of sensitive information and company resilience.

Tools like a cyber security KPI dashboard help continuously monitor progress, identify gaps, and effectively communicate the value of security investments. 


Questions and answers

  1. What are cyber security KPIs?
    Cyber security KPIs are metrics used to monitor the effectiveness of cyber security measures.
  2. What are the main examples of cyber security KPIs?
    Examples include Mean Time to Detect (MTTD), Mean Time to Resolve (MTTR), and the number of intrusion attempts.
  3. Why is a cyber security KPI dashboard important?
    To have a comprehensive, real-time view of the performance of security measures.
  4. What do MTTD and MTTR mean?
    MTTD is the average time to detect a threat; MTTR is the average time to resolve it.
  5. How to calculate cyber risk?
    Multiply the probability of a breach by its economic impact.
  6. What is the importance of vulnerability management?
    It reduces risks by identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
  7. How to prevent a data breach?
    By implementing advanced security controls and continuously monitoring KPIs.
  8. What risks do unidentified devices pose?
    They can facilitate unauthorized access and security incidents.
  9. What tools support KPI monitoring?
    Dashboards and security management platforms like SIEM and SOAR.
  10. What is the business value of cyber security KPIs?
    They help justify security investments and minimize exposure to risks.
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