DayBlink supported a Fortune 500 company in enhancing its cybersecurity by automating maturity reporting and visualization
Read the full case study here: Automated Tracking and Reporting for a Cybersecurity Maturity Assessment
Introduction
A leading Fortune 500 company faced escalating challenges in its cybersecurity posture following a significant security breach. With a history of audit fatigue and inefficient data practices due to over-reliance on audit-focused assessments, the firm sought a transformation in its cybersecurity strategy—from mere recovery to proactive maturity tracking and development. The security teams required a less resource-intensive solution, while the Governance, Risk, and Compliance team demanded a robust reporting system for quick, domain-specific assessments adaptable for diverse audiences. DayBlink Consulting addressed these gaps by refining the company’s annual cybersecurity maturity assessment using a U.S. Department of Energy framework. This approach segmented maturity measurement across cybersecurity domains, enabling strategic improvement identification and dynamic, interactive BI tool integration. By establishing an automated, lightweight process, DayBlink empowered the company to track maturity, optimize assessment procedures and derive strategic insights crucial for annual strategic planning.
Problem
After a major cybersecurity incident, our client adopted an automated approach to efficiently enhance cybersecurity maturity
In the wake of a major cybersecurity incident, a Fortune 500 company aimed to revamp their cybersecurity strategy from recovery to tracking and building maturity. Previously, the company had faced audit fatigue and struggled with inefficient data practices due to reliance on audit-focused assessments provided by a previous vendor. The security teams advocated for a more lightweight solution that would not monopolize extensive team resources during the discovery phase. Meanwhile, the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) team required a robust reporting package that could facilitate swift turnarounds of domain-level assessments tailored to various audiences. Although initial implementations of the new maturity-based assessments established a baseline, they had not yet driven a set of actionable outcomes. The security team realized the need to transition to a more effective strategy that could provide meaningful insights without overwhelming their resources.
Bridging this critical gap, the DayBlink team stepped in to evolve the company’s approach to their annual cybersecurity maturity assessment. Utilizing a framework provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, the focus was on the segmented measurement of maturity progression within each of the company’s cybersecurity domains. This process identified strategic opportunities for improvement across these domains and presented them through a robust and interactive BI layer. By establishing an automated tool coupled with a simplified, repeatable process, DayBlink laid the groundwork for the firm to efficiently track maturity, refine assessment processes, and derive a clear set of strategic insights.
Solution
We created an automated maturity assessment tool used by cybersecurity leadership to efficiently track, report, and improve their cybersecurity posture across multiple domains
DayBlink’s engagement facilitated over 350 detailed evaluations of maturity levels across various domains. By orchestrating working sessions with the senior leadership of the cybersecurity teams, our team fostered a collaborative environment to swiftly achieve consensus on the implementation levels of maturity across all areas.
The automation of the assessment process—from data gathering to analysis—significantly improved the clarity and coherence of the outcomes. Utilizing an automated architecture that integrated self-assessment tools and stakeholder feedback within a centralized database, the model evolved beyond merely presenting maturity levels. It now leveraged historical data to track progressions, regressions, and insights critical for future strategic initiatives. The BI layer introduced a low-friction adoption experience, featuring filters on different owners and domains, resulting in an easy-to-use, accessible database.
In evolving the approach, the main elements included the following:
- Enhancing any administrative or procedural workflows within the data collection, stakeholder validation, and executive presentation steps of the project through automated tooling (e.g., self-assessment spreadsheet solution, interactive BI reporting, etc.)
- Expediting the validation of the self-assessment surveys so working sessions with leadership could be aimed at identifying improvement opportunities instead of solely confirming/tracking maturity levels from prior assessments
- Tailoring the C2M2 cybersecurity framework to match organizational needs and objectives
- Collecting an inventory of common themes (“Key Objectives”) mapped to each domain, domain owner/team, and improvement opportunities with robust user story requirements, maturity improvement potential, and all associated metadata required for comprehensive PMO tracking.
Outcome
By utilizing automated tools with a clear and repeatable framework, the Fortune 500 company’s cyber organization achieved a 75% reduction in per-person time to complete their maturity assessments.
This updated solution not only led to the assessments being completed in record time but also enabled the organization’s leadership to transition their focus from tracking maturity progression to actively steering the company towards a more innovative and forward-thinking cybersecurity posture. The transition was marked by detailed improvements that were directly integrated into strategic planning for the following year. Our comprehensive analysis delivered a meticulous 175+ page report that outlined the levels of implementation and detailed progressions or regressions.
DayBlink’s approach not only streamlined the entire assessment process but also established a scalable and sustainable model for ongoing improvements in cybersecurity maturity. The solution included configuring a browser-based BI tool that simplified the reporting of assessment results and observations across various audiences. Moreover, we mapped improvement opportunities to each cybersecurity domain, complete with robust user story requirements, maturity improvement potentials, and all associated metadata essential for effective PMO tracking. The culmination of these efforts saw the full assessment process completed approximately 50% faster than previous, audit-based assessments, while also significantly minimizing the impact on practitioner schedules, thereby enhancing overall productivity and focus.