Understanding solution building

In order to get started developing a cybersecurity architecture, we need to gather a few raw materials first. These are the items that will set the context for all the design work that we will undertake in subsequent chapters. Specifically, we need to first obtain a baseline understanding of the organization itself; this helps ensure that the measures we will later incorporate into designs are appropriate, practicable, and in line with the context. This is, in turn, because the nuances and specifics of the organization – everything from its goals, to its culture, to its "mission" and unique needs – will ultimately drive the design. Everything about the design – the scope, security measures, implementation, operational constraints, and functional requirements – must account for the context in which it will operate. That context is an extension of the organization itself.

As an example of what we mean here, consider...