Bitwarden enables BJG Consulting to foster a security culture

Founded: 2008

Industry: Marketing

Locations: Washington and Florida

BJG Consulting is a communications and marketing consulting firm founded by Brianna J. Grantham. Headquartered in Seattle and Fort Myers, Florida, the organization offers its clients full-service marketing strategy consulting and plan development, proposal and RFP response support, and marketing content creation. Seeking to ensure 360° security for the organization and offer a robust defense against threats to data, BJG opted to deploy a password manager that would serve as a foundation for a strong security culture.

Creating a solid security culture has its challenges. One of the most significant obstacles to a security culture is employee buy-in. Employees may view security awareness as a burden or an afterthought rather than an integral part of their job. To overcome this, organizations must communicate the importance of cybersecurity and provide regular security awareness training and initiatives. Deploying the right security tools can make life much easier for employees - and, by extension, help ensure data remains protected.

The BJG team believes home habits become organizational habits as personal behaviors transfer to the workplace and vice versa. If an employee writes down passwords on sticky notes at home, there’s a good chance they’re also bringing that behavior into the office.

“It’s very important to solidify cybersecurity policies. This starts with determining who is in charge of setting policy and deciding what takes precedence. For example, how often do cybersecurity reviews of vendors need to happen? What intake reviews need to be done before a vendor can be onboarded? You need to conduct a risk assessment to determine where the risks lie and who needs to be involved in these decisions.” ~ Brianna J. Grantham

BJG is particularly focused on creating a frictionless environment because it wants to incentivize full-scale, consistent adoption of its security toolkit. “We don’t want people to get fatigued and stop using things,” said Grantham. “One of the many benefits of Bitwarden is that the user only needs to remember one good password.” Additionally, the comprehensive security measures built into Bitwarden Password Manager ensure multiple layers of protection are in place to safeguard data.

“Bitwarden checks all of the boxes,” said Grantham. “I love Bitwarden because it is secure, has such a phenomenally user-friendly app, and offers plug-ins that make doing business much more seamless.”

Prior to using Bitwarden, Grantham personally relied on an alternative password manager but found it severely lacking. It was a headache to maintain, didn’t sync across devices, and wasn’t user-friendly.

According to Grantham, Bitwarden has played a key role in helping build a strong security culture around the documentation of access management, ensuring that employees and clients understand that only the people who truly need access to something have access. Said Grantham, “The more people who have access, the more issues you may have.”

Grantham also believes that cultivating a continuous, sustainable security culture starts at the top. “Cybersecurity culture starts at home, top-down, and senior employees have to lead from the beginning,” said Grantham. “Individuals are cybersecurity. Organizations are only as secure as their members. And there is always room for improvement. Cybersecurity will only increase in its complexity and need. This is why ongoing employee education is crucial to ensure that staff are up-to-date with the latest security practices and can effectively contribute to the organization's security culture. That’s where we all have the opportunity to play our part and continue improving.”

Security awareness is no longer a luxury but a necessity. As technology advances and cyber threats evolve, organizations must prioritize security awareness to protect their assets, reputation, and customers. A security-first mindset is essential for creating a strong security culture where employees understand the importance of security and take proactive steps to prevent security risks.

Security awareness is not just about compliance; it’s about creating a security culture framework that permeates every aspect of an organization. It’s about empowering employees to make informed security decisions and to take ownership of their actions. By fostering a security-first mindset, organizations can reduce the risk of security breaches and external threats, protect sensitive information, and maintain customer trust.