What Are Security Controls in Companies?

Security controls are safeguards that companies put in place to protect against potential threats. They can be physical or logical in nature and serve to detect, prevent, and respond to security incidents. Security controls matter because they help ensure the safety of an organization's assets and personnel.

There are two main types of security controls:

• Preventive controls, designed to stop incidents from happening in the first place, and
• Detective controls, designed to uncover incidents that have already occurred.

Preventive Controls 

Preventive controls are proactive measures designed to fend off potential threats before they have a chance to materialize. The three main types of preventive controls are administrative, technical, and physical controls.

• Administrative controls involve implementing policies and procedures that help reduce the likelihood of an incident. For example, a company might introduce a policy requiring employees to use strong passwords and change them regularly.
• Technical controls include the tools and systems used to protect a company's assets. For example, a company might set up a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to its network.
• Physical controls refer to the physical security measures taken to protect a company's premises and personnel. For example, a company might install surveillance cameras or hire security staff.

Detective Controls 

Detective controls serve to identify incidents that have already occurred. The three main types of detective controls are audit trails, intrusion detection systems, and virus scanners.

• Audit trails record events that take place within an organization's systems. They can be used to trace malicious activity after the fact.
• Intrusion detection systems (IDS) monitor a network in real time for unusual or suspicious activity. When something unusual is detected, an alert is generated so appropriate action can be taken.
• Virus scanners check files for viruses, trojans, and other malware. They can detect and remove any malicious software already installed on a system.

Security controls matter because they protect companies from potential threats. There are two main types of security controls: preventive and detective. Preventive controls aim to fend off threats before they occur, while detective controls aim to uncover incidents after they've already happened. Both types play an important role in protecting organizations from harm.