IT Security Levels

Cybersecurity Simplified

Take Control of Your Cybersecurity

Do you know what you need to do to upgrade your business’s cybersecurity? Many business leaders are tasked with improving their organization’s security without a clear understanding of how to accomplish that. Aldridge’s cybersecurity experts developed these IT Security Levels to assist businesses undertaking security initiatives by providing tangible security goals to work towards. Take a look at our IT Security Levels diagram below to determine…

Which Security Level your organization is at currently
What Security Level your business should be at
The actions needed to get your security to the right level

Page Contents

1. The Levels

2. The Levels Explained

3. In-Depth Video Walkthrough

4. Security Level 4 Conceptual Map

Aldridge’s IT Security Levels

PDF Version

Security Levels Explained

Not every business needs to get to Security Level 4 + a CIO. Your recommended Security Level depends on your business’s unique risk factors, your IT footprint, and the industry that you are in. Read through the explanation of each Security Level to gain an understanding of where your business should be.

Level 1 Lagging

Organization’s at this level only have a few basic unmanaged security tools. These tools are likely to be poorly maintained because there is no one actively monitoring them. This level is not recommended for any business; however, a home-based or hobby businesses with a small IT footprint and minimal risk factors could be here.

Level 2 Managed

Recommended baseline security level for every business. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Recovery Readiness planning, and MDR alone will protect you from a significant number of cyberattacks. If your organization does not have each of the security elements listed in this level, getting them should be your first priority.

Related Articles

MFA | MDR | Recovery Readiness

Level 3 Infrasec

Any business that recognizes the value of cybersecurity should aim to get to this level. This level represents a dramatic increase in your organization’s security. SOC + SIEM will give your business a specialized security team that is monitoring your environment for threats 24/7. At this level, you are no longer just reacting, you are proactively managing your vulnerabilities.

Related Articles

SOC + SIEM | External Vulnerability Scanning | Dark Web Monitoring

Level 4 Infosec

Businesses that are in regulated industries, or that work with highly valuable data should be at this level. Getting to this level will require a large investment of resources and cultivating a security-minded culture. A top-down security culture is necessary to get your team to follow the strict policies & procedures that come along with this level of security.

Related Article

Internal Vulnerability Scanning

CIO Chief Information Officer

A Chief Information Officer or CIO is the executive that is in charge of information technology within an organization. While a CIO isn’t a Security Level by themselves, they will improve the performance and efficiency of your security elements included in each Security Level. A CIO will:

Tune your security tools so that they are performing optimally in your environment
Creates customized security policies & procedures to suit your unique risk factors and operations
Control your costs so that you are paying for only what you truly need
Keep you informed on emerging threats and relevant updates on the security industry
Review your security solution on a regular basis, synching it with your overall business direction

Related Articles

Fractional CIO | The CIO Role | [Video] What is a CIO?

Aldridge’s IT Security Services

Need help getting your security to where it needs to be? As an IT Outsourcing client, you will have everything you need to reach Security Level 2 Managed. For organizations with greater security needs, our add-on service Security+ will bring you up to Security Level 3 Infrasec. Click here to learn more.