Cybersecurity performance should be measured with clear, objective indicators—not just ad hoc updates or reactive reporting. While IT leadership often bears the burden of communicating cyber risk, boards and executives need structured, strategic insights to make informed decisions—especially during a crisis.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) help organizations:
- Track progress toward cybersecurity goals.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of training, insurance coverage, and incident response.
- Benchmark performance using recognized standards such as NIST, COBIT, ISO 27001, and CIS.
Dashboards that consolidate and visualize these KPIs over time support better governance, resource allocation, and strategic planning.
What Should Cybersecurity KPIs Measure?
KPIs should be relevant, reader-friendly, and designed to convey meaning, highlight change, and enable dialogue. Recommended categories include:
- Security Incidents: Frequency, severity, and trends.
- Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR): Indicators of monitoring and response effectiveness.
- Vulnerability Management: Number of vulnerabilities identified, severity ratings, and remediation timelines.
- User Awareness: Training completion rates, phishing simulation results, and incidents caused by user error.
- Compliance Metrics: Audit results, system alignment with standards, and resolved violations.
- Budget Allocation: Spending breakdowns, comparisons with peer organizations, and funding gaps.
These metrics should be presented in concise, visual formats that support decision-making without overwhelming non-technical audiences.
14 Cybersecurity KPIs to Track in Vendor Risk Management
To demonstrate vendor risk management efforts, organizations should track these 14 KPIs. Each is framed as a question to guide performance improvement and stakeholder reporting.
1. Level of Preparedness
How well is your organization equipped to prevent, detect, and respond to threats?
Includes metrics like:
- Number of incidents resolved.
- Frequency of phishing simulations.
- Patch coverage and backup testing.
- Security awareness training participation.
2. Unidentified Devices on Internal Networks
How many devices are untracked or unauthorized?
Includes:
- Asset inventory accuracy.
- IoT and BYOD security.
- Rogue access point detection.
3. Intrusion Attempts
How many unauthorized access attempts were blocked?
Includes:
- IDS/IPS performance.
- Firewall logs.
- Investigation and escalation timelines.
4. Security Incidents
What types of incidents occurred and what was their impact?
Includes:
- Incident frequency and resolution time.
- Root cause analysis.
- Downtime and financial impact.
5. Mean Time to Detect (MTTD)
How quickly are threats identified?
Includes:
- Average detection time.
- Alert triage and prioritization.
- False positive/negative rates.
6. Mean Time to Resolve (MTTR)
How long does full remediation take?
Includes:
- Response coordination.
- Root cause identification.
- Restoration and stakeholder communication.
7. Mean Time to Contain (MTTC)
How fast are threats isolated?
Includes:
- Containment effectiveness.
- Cross-department coordination.
- Reduction in incident frequency and cost.
8. First-Party Security Ratings
What is your organization’s current security score?
Includes:
- Benchmark comparisons.
- Rating trends.
- Improvement actions.
9. Average Vendor Security Rating
How secure are your vendors?
Includes:
- Vendor tiering and reassessment.
- Rating systems and monitoring.
- Communication of issues.
10. Patching Cadence
How frequently are patches applied?
Includes:
- Patch prioritization.
- Legacy system management.
- Patch validation and exceptions.
11. Access Management
How well is access to sensitive systems controlled?
Includes:
- MFA implementation.
- Privileged account controls.
- Access audits and training.
12. Company vs Peer Performance
How does your security posture compare to peers?
Includes:
- Benchmarking KPIs.
- Competitive intelligence.
- Strategy alignment.
13. Vendor Patching Cadence
Are vendors patching vulnerabilities promptly?
Includes:
- Scan frequency.
- Remediation tracking.
- SLA enforcement.
14. Mean Time for Vendor Incident Response
How fast do vendors respond to incidents?
Includes:
- MTTR tracking.
- Coordination and communication.
- SLA monitoring.
Best Practices for KPI Implementation
- Align KPIs with Strategic Goals
Ensure indicators reflect organizational priorities and risk appetite. - Use Recognized Standards
Benchmark against frameworks like NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and CIS Controls. - Automate Data Collection
Use tools that integrate with existing systems to streamline reporting. - Update Dashboards Regularly
Maintain relevance by refreshing data and adjusting metrics as threats evolve. - Tailor Dashboards to the Audience
Provide executive summaries for leadership and detailed views for technical teams.
Local Government Cybersecurity Alliance 