From the TOP

 Alice P. Frazier

​  ICBA Chair
  President & CEO, Potomac Bank, Charles Town, WV 

Bolstering cybersecurity through your team, training and tools 

Cyberattacks top the list of concerns for every community bank CEO. No matter the parameters we put in place, there are always new data breaches and schemes that keep us up at night. Fortunately, having the right mix of technology and talent in place can make a huge difference in our resilience against these attacks.  

People-first solutions 

Strong cybersecurity starts with having knowledgeable staff you can trust to build and maintain the most current systems possible and to properly allocate enough resources to protect your environment. 

And while the responsibility for cybersecurity starts at the top, to be successful, the full organization needs to make it a priority. Our chief information officer regularly points out that the most important thing we do is train our team. By giving them credentials to access our systems, our employees have the keys to the kingdom, and there are no fail-proof safeguards to prevent improper use. 

So, by partnering with the right providers, we can regularly test our prowess against cyberthreats, and if we fail, we earn additional training. We move in this continuous cycle of test, train, test, to remain constantly vigilant against emerging dangers.  

A layered approach 

People alone do not make up a cyber defense. Cybersecurity needs to be a layered approach. It is not just having knowledgeable and vigilant staff; community banks also must have the best equipment and rules to prevent problems, access controls, ongoing training, network segmentation, antivirus protections and 24/7 monitoring. This multi-pronged method ensures we are doing everything in our power to protect our banks and customers.  

Appropriate risk management is the key to success. Fortunately, our technology partners are responsive, improving their solutions to detect additional types of fraud. Network and security services providers deliver timely alerts and reporting to ensure that we have the safest configuration possible. We can also turn to ICBA through its ThinkTECH Accelerator, Preferred Service Providers and Corporate Members to identify vetted solutions as we need to bolster our cybersecurity platforms.  

Ultimately, cybersecurity centers on having the right team, training and tools in place, and that layered approach will serve as our biggest defense. Knowing we have set up the right safeguards with continuous checks for chinks in our armor, we can sleep a little better at night.  

Quote of the Month 

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  

-- Benjamin Franklin