Compensating control (alternative control)

A compensating control is an alternative control that is put in place to mitigate the risk of a potential security breach. This type of control is often used when the primary control is not feasible or practical to implement. For example, if a company is unable to encrypt their customer data, they may put a compensating control in place that requires all data to be password protected.

What is the difference between a compensating and mitigating control?

There are two types of compensating controls: technical and organizational. Technical compensating controls are used to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to customer data, while organizational compensating controls are used to mitigate the impact of a data breach.

Organizational compensating controls may include incident response plans, customer notification procedures, and post-breach analysis. Technical compensating controls may include data encryption, access control measures, and activity monitoring.

What is compensating control in cyber security?

Compensating control is an effective alternative measure that organizations can implement to address risk and vulnerabilities when implementing primary controls is not possible or practical. When compensating controls are used, it is important to ensure that they are commensurate with the risk that they are designed to mitigate.

In the context of cyber security, compensating controls may be necessary when primary controls such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems are not possible or practical to implement. For example, if an organization is unable to implement a firewall due to budget constraints, a compensating control could be to implement a host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS) on critical servers.

Compensating controls should be regularly reviewed and updated as the risk landscape changes. For example, if a new vulnerability is discovered that cannot be mitigated by the existing compensating controls, a new control should be implemented.

What is a compensating control in NIST? Compensating controls are used to mitigate risks that cannot be eliminated through other means. In the context of customer data management, compensating controls might be used to protect customer data that is stored in an unsecure location, or to compensate for a lack of security around customer data that is shared with third parties.

Which of the following best describes compensating controls?

Compensating controls are a type of security measure that is implemented in order to mitigate the risk of a potential security issue. They are typically put in place in addition to other security measures, and are designed to fill in any gaps that may exist. For example, if a company has a policy that all data must be encrypted, but there is a potential for data to be transmitted over an unencrypted connection, a compensating control could be implemented that requires all data to be encrypted before it is transmitted.

Is insurance a compensating control?

Yes, insurance can be considered a compensating control for customer data management. This is because insurance can help to cover the cost of any damages that may occur as a result of a data breach.

However, it is important to note that insurance is not a perfect solution, and it will not cover all potential costs associated with a data breach. For example, insurance may not cover the cost of reputational damage that may occur as a result of a data breach. Therefore, it is important to consider all potential risks and costs associated with a data breach before deciding whether or not to purchase insurance.