The Human Factor in Cybersecurity
Given a limited budget, I would allocate approximately 60% of the budget to employee training to reduce human error and focus on security awareness. The remaining 40% would be split between crucial cybersecurity technologies and a response and recovery plan.


The Approach
As the Chief Information Security Officer, my main goal would be to reduce risk to the organization by ensuring that both technology and people are properly prepared to mitigate cyber threats. Given a limited budget, it is crucial to strike the right balance between investing in advanced cyber security technology and building up human capabilities through training.

Human Training
I would allocate roughly 60% of the budget to training, since human error contributes significantly to cyber threats. Employees can unintentionally click on phishing emails, use weak passwords, or neglect security protocols. Effective cybersecurity training can reduce these types of risks by teaching employees to recognize threats and follow best security practices. This includes investments in training platforms, simulation tools, and resources for phishing simulations. The training would be ongoing, with quarterly refresher courses and monthly security tips to ensure we are staying up to date with the newest technology.

Technology and Tools
Additionally, I would allocate 30% of the budget to technology and tools. While human training is necessary and crucial, technology protects against the complexity of growing cyber threats. I would ensure that all devices, such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices, are equipped with robust antivirus and endpoint detection and response tools. I would also implement stronger user authentication methods, advanced email filtering and threat detection tools, and firewalls. With the right tools, damage and cyber threats can be reduced by technology when human error occurs. The last 10% would be used for incident and response recovery.

Conclusion
In conclusion, cybersecurity is about creating a layered defense strategy. Technology provides essential protection and detection, while employee training and awareness encourages individuals to make better security decisions. Having a balanced approach of human training, advanced technology, and a recovery plan lessens the likelihood of attacks succeeding and maximizes the overall security posture.