15 customisable OKR examples for Cyber Security
What are Cyber Security OKRs?
The Objective and Key Results (OKR) framework is a simple goal-setting methodology that was introduced at Intel by Andy Grove in the 70s. It became popular after John Doerr introduced it to Google in the 90s, and it's now used by teams of all sizes to set and track ambitious goals at scale.
Creating impactful OKRs can be a daunting task, especially for newcomers. Shifting your focus from projects to outcomes is key to successful planning.
We have curated a selection of OKR examples specifically for Cyber Security to assist you. Feel free to explore the templates below for inspiration in setting your own goals.
If you want to learn more about the framework, you can read our OKR guide online.
Building your own Cyber Security OKRs with AI
While we have some examples available, it's likely that you'll have specific scenarios that aren't covered here. You can use our free AI generator below or our more complete goal-setting system to generate your own OKRs.
Our customisable Cyber Security OKRs examples
We've added many examples of Cyber Security Objectives and Key Results, but we did not stop there. Understanding the difference between OKRs and projects is important, so we also added examples of strategic initiatives that relate to the OKRs.
Hope you'll find this helpful!
1. OKRs to discover and evaluate effective threat hunting tools
Discover and evaluate effective threat hunting tools
Identify and catalogue 15 highly-rated threat hunting tools by the end of quarter
Conduct research to identify 15 threat hunting tools- Evaluate tools based on user ratings and reviews
- Document each tool, ratings and features in a catalogue
- Perform thorough assessments on each identified tool, focusing on effectiveness and efficiency
- Identify tools requiring assessment and list their functions
- Evaluate effectiveness of each tool’s outcome
- Analyze tool efficiency for job performance
- Choose and pilot top 3 identified threat hunting tools in a controlled environment
- Conduct pilot tests for each tool
- Select top 3 threat hunting tools from identified list
- Set up a controlled testing environment
2. OKRs to enhance company security standards to safeguard against potential threats
- Enhance company security standards to safeguard against potential threats
- Achieve a 100% completion rate of all recommended security updates and patches
- Conduct routine audits to ensure all devices and systems have the latest security patches
- Provide ongoing training and awareness programs to educate employees on the importance of installing security updates
- Implement an automated system to regularly scan and identify available security updates
- Establish a policy for prompt installation and deployment of all identified security updates
- Implement a comprehensive training program on cybersecurity for all employees
- Create an online platform to provide ongoing access to cybersecurity resources and learning materials
- Schedule regular training sessions to ensure all employees receive cybersecurity education
- Assign qualified trainers to deliver interactive and engaging cybersecurity training sessions
- Develop a customized cybersecurity training curriculum tailored to different employee roles
- Reduce the average response time to security incidents by 20%
- Streamline incident response workflows to remove unnecessary steps and improve efficiency
- Develop a clear escalation process and ensure all stakeholders are aware and trained
- Conduct regular simulations and exercises to enhance incident response readiness and identify areas for improvement
- Implement automated monitoring systems to identify and alert on security incidents promptly
- Increase the frequency of security audits to at least once every quarter
- Assign specific personnel responsible for conducting security audits
- Develop a standardized reporting format for security audit findings and recommendations
- Implement regular communication channels to track and monitor security audit progress
- Review and update security audit checklist to ensure comprehensive coverage
3. OKRs to enhance Crowdstrike security measures
- Enhance Crowdstrike security measures
- Reduce false positive alerts by 45%
- Regularly review and adjust alert threshold levels
- Provide ongoing staff training for alert management
- Implement more accurate alerting algorithms
- Increase the protection against phishing attacks by 25%
- Conduct weekly cybersecurity training for all staff
- Update email filters to block suspected phishing emails
- Implement two-factor authentication measures on all platforms
- Improve detection speed of threats by 30%
- Regularly update and maintain security software
- Train staff on more efficient threat identification techniques
- Increase investment in advanced threat detection tools
4. OKRs to ensure information security solution meets large customer requirements
- Ensure information security solution meets large customer requirements
- Adjust our existing information security solution to match found requirements 100%
- Develop and implement changes to fill identified gaps
- Identify gaps in the current information security solution
- Test and fine-tune the updated security solution
- Identify and understand the requirements of 10 major customers by consulting directly
- Schedule one-on-one meetings with each of the 10 major customers
- Review and analyze all customer feedback to understand requirements
- Prepare specific, clear questions for customer consultation
- Successfully pass 10 customer audits confirming solution's compliance with their requirements
- Review and understand all customer's requirements for each solution
- Conduct internal audits to ensure compliance with requirements
- Collect and organize evidence of compliance for audits
5. OKRs to enhance network security measures
- Strengthen network security
- Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and remediation
- Implement two-factor authentication on all devices
- Decrease number of successful network breaches by 50%
- Train 100% of employees on cybersecurity best practices
6. OKRs to become a computer security expert
- Become a computer security expert
- Successfully pass the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) exam with a score of 80% or higher
- Develop and execute a comprehensive security project, receiving positive feedback from industry experts
- Collaborate with industry experts to gather insights and recommendations for improving security measures
- Regularly monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented security measures to ensure ongoing protection
- Develop and implement robust security protocols and controls across all systems and processes
- Conduct a thorough assessment of current security vulnerabilities and risks
- Complete at least two online courses on computer security, scoring above 90% in each
- Ensure mastery of course materials and aim to score above 90% in assessments
- Devote dedicated hours per week to studying and completing the online courses
- Research and identify two reputable online courses for computer security
- Enroll in the selected online courses on computer security
- Implement and manage effective security measures on personal computer resulting in zero malware incidents
- Install a reliable antivirus software program on the personal computer
- Enable automatic software updates for the operating system and all installed applications
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from untrustworthy sources
- Regularly update the antivirus software to ensure the latest protection against malware
7. OKRs to enhance and streamline security governance framework
- Enhance and streamline security governance framework
- Achieve 100% staff completion of cyber security training program
- Enforce disciplinary measures for non-compliance
- Assign mandatory cybersecurity training program to all staff
- Monitor progress of staff training completion weekly
- Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment across all departments
- Evaluate and prioritize each potential risk
- Develop a plan to mitigate identified risks
- Identify the potential risks in each department
- Implement advanced threat detection system in 90% of the network infrastructure
- Test system coverage across the entire network infrastructure
- Identify current gaps in the network's threat detection system
- Procure and install advanced threat detection software
8. OKRs to minimize exposure to compliance and cybersecurity threats
- Minimize exposure to compliance and cybersecurity threats
- Enhance cybersecurity measures to decrease cyber breaches by 30%
- Implement strict password policies and two-factor authentication system
- Perform regular cyber security audits and fix identified vulnerabilities
- Increase employee training on phishing scams and other cyber threats
- Reduce compliance violations by 20% through implementation of stricter internal processes
- Conduct regular audit checks to identify potential violations
- Increase frequency of internal process assessments
- Implement comprehensive employee training on stricter internal processes
- Train 90% of employees on updated compliance rules and cyberthreat awareness
- Develop an updated compliance and cyberthreat training program
- Enroll all employees in the training program
- Monitor employee participation rates to reach 90% completion
9. OKRs to enhance security measures to mitigate OTP attacks
- Enhance security measures to mitigate OTP attacks
- Reduce unauthorized access attempts by 50% through enhanced account lockout mechanisms
- Increase employee awareness and adherence to security protocols through regular training sessions
- Conduct bi-weekly security training sessions for all employees
- Offer incentives or rewards for employees who consistently demonstrate adherence to security protocols
- Provide employees with updated written materials outlining security protocols
- Utilize interactive training methods, such as quizzes or simulations, to engage employees
- Improve OTP delivery and verification mechanisms to ensure prompt and secure delivery
- Implement multi-factor authentication for all critical systems and user accounts
- Select and implement a reliable and user-friendly multi-factor authentication solution
- Regularly monitor and review multi-factor authentication logs and make necessary enhancements
- Notify all users of the upcoming implementation and provide necessary training and guidelines
- Conduct a thorough inventory of all critical systems and user accounts
10. OKRs to improve Security Operation Centre Incident Response
- Improve Security Operation Centre Incident Response
- Reduce average incident response time by 15%
- Deploy automated incident detection and response tools
- Train team on efficient incident management practices
- Regularly conduct response time drills
- Increase team's cyber security certification levels by 30%
- Plan and allocate budget for necessary certification exams and trainings
- Identify current cybersecurity certification levels of all team members
- Enroll team in targeted cybersecurity training programs
- Implement new incident tracking software with 100% team adoption
- Train team on new software usage
- Evaluate and select suitable incident tracking software
- Monitor and ensure full team adoption
11. OKRs to strengthen cybersecurity to reduce incidents by 50%
- Improve cybersecurity to minimize incidents
- Create and test updated incident response and disaster recovery procedures
- Develop and document updated incident response and disaster recovery plans
- Identify stakeholders and their roles in incident response and disaster recovery
- Train employees on updated procedures and conduct mock drills
- Evaluate effectiveness of updated procedures and make necessary adjustments
- Increase the number of cybersecurity training sessions attended by employees
- Regularly communicate the importance of cybersecurity to employees
- Develop engaging cybersecurity training content
- Offer incentives for attending cybersecurity training sessions
- Implement mandatory cybersecurity training for all employees
- Conduct two external security audits to identify vulnerabilities
- Review and implement audit findings
- Monitor security vulnerabilities and take appropriate actions
- Share relevant security information
- Hire third-party audit firms
- Implement two-factor authentication for high-risk data access
- Implement authentication for high-risk data
- Choose two-factor authentication method
- Train employees on new authentication method
- Test and monitor authentication effectiveness
12. OKRs to enhance organizational cybersecurity compliance
- Enhance organizational cybersecurity compliance
- Get certification in ISO 27001 standard for information security management
- Develop and implement an information security management system
- Research and understand the requirements of ISO 27001 certification
- Apply for ISO 27001 certification and prepare for audit
- Achieve 90% reduction in cybersecurity incidents by bolstering intrusion detection systems
- Engage staff in regular cybersecurity training sessions
- Enhance existing security measures across all digital touchpoints
- Implement advanced intrusion detection system software
- Implement cybersecurity training for 100% of employees by quarter-end
- Track employee attendance and progress
- Develop comprehensive cybersecurity training curriculum
- Schedule mandatory training sessions for all employees
13. OKRs to enhance our organization's cybersecurity risk assessment approach
- Enhance our organization's cybersecurity risk assessment approach
- Implement corrective measures for at least 75% of identified risks
- Establish appropriate solutions for identified risks
- Apply corrective measures to prioritized risks
- Identify and list all the existing business risks
- Conduct training to improve cybersecurity knowledge for 90% of all team members
- Source or develop effective cybersecurity education materials
- Schedule and implement mandatory cybersecurity training sessions
- Identify cybersecurity training needs and desired outcomes for team members
- Identify and document 100% of existing and potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities
- Document identified vulnerabilities in a detailed report
- Continually monitor for potential new vulnerabilities
- Conduct a comprehensive cybersecurity audit across all systems
14. OKRs to enhance security posture and governance as CISO Manager
- Enhance security posture and governance as CISO Manager
- Reduce the number of security incidents by 20%
- Enhance employee training on cybersecurity practices
- Increase monitoring and intrusion detection efforts
- Implement routine system updates and security patches
- Conduct quarterly cybersecurity training for all employees
- Schedule and announce training sessions to all employees
- Identify relevant cybersecurity topics for training modules
- Develop comprehensive yet straightforward training materials
- Implement multi-factor authentication for 90% of systems
- Identify which systems currently lack multi-factor authentication
- Monitor and report regularly on progress until 90% completion
- Instigate the addition of multi-factor authentication to necessary systems
15. OKRs to enhance log analysis for reduced risk and improved security compliance
- Enhance log analysis for reduced risk and improved security compliance
- Implement an automated log analysis system that reduces manual processes by 60%
- Research and select suitable automated log analysis software
- Train staff in the operation and maintenance of the new system
- Identify current manual processes involving log analysis
- Improve security compliance score by 15% through proactive risk management measures
- Provide staff with cybersecurity training and awareness programs
- Implement robust password policies and two-factor authentication
- Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and audits
- Decrease reported risks by correcting identified vulnerabilities by 25%
- Develop and implement corrective measures for identified risks
- Regularly monitor systems and adjust security as needed
- Conduct thorough vulnerability assessments on all systems
Cyber Security OKR best practices to boost success
Generally speaking, your objectives should be ambitious yet achievable, and your key results should be measurable and time-bound (using the SMART framework can be helpful). It is also recommended to list strategic initiatives under your key results, as it'll help you avoid the common mistake of listing projects in your KRs.
Here are a couple of best practices extracted from our OKR implementation guide 👇
Tip #1: Limit the number of key results
Focus can only be achieve by limiting the number of competing priorities. It is crucial that you take the time to identify where you need to move the needle, and avoid adding business-as-usual activities to your OKRs.
We recommend having 3-4 objectives, and 3-4 key results per objective. A platform like Tability can run audits on your data to help you identify the plans that have too many goals.
Tability's audit dashboard will highlight opportunities to improve OKRsTip #2: Commit to weekly OKR check-ins
Having good goals is only half the effort. You'll get significant more value from your OKRs if you commit to a weekly check-in process.
Being able to see trends for your key results will also keep yourself honest.
Tability's check-ins will save you hours and increase transparencyTip #3: No more than 2 yellow statuses in a row
Yes, this is another tip for goal-tracking instead of goal-setting (but you'll get plenty of OKR examples above). But, once you have your goals defined, it will be your ability to keep the right sense of urgency that will make the difference.
As a rule of thumb, it's best to avoid having more than 2 yellow/at risk statuses in a row.
Make a call on the 3rd update. You should be either back on track, or off track. This sounds harsh but it's the best way to signal risks early enough to fix things.
How to turn your Cyber Security OKRs in a strategy map
Your quarterly OKRs should be tracked weekly in order to get all the benefits of the OKRs framework. Reviewing progress periodically has several advantages:
- It brings the goals back to the top of the mind
- It will highlight poorly set OKRs
- It will surface execution risks
- It improves transparency and accountability
Most teams should start with a spreadsheet if they're using OKRs for the first time. Then, once you get comfortable you can graduate to a proper OKRs-tracking tool.
Tability's Strategy Map makes it easy to see all your org's OKRsIf you're not yet set on a tool, you can check out the 5 best OKR tracking templates guide to find the best way to monitor progress during the quarter.
More Cyber Security OKR templates
We have more templates to help you draft your team goals and OKRs.
- OKRs to boost the volume of organic traffic to our website
- OKRs to amplify our brand's unique value and differentiate from competitors
- OKRs to improve Employee Retention
- OKRs to integrate security controls into development sprints
- OKRs to maximize interaction and engagement from audience members
- OKRs to establish successful strategy execution for value realization
OKRs resources
Here are a list of resources to help you adopt the Objectives and Key Results framework.
- To learn: What is the meaning of OKRs
- Blog posts: ODT Blog
- Success metrics: KPIs examples
What's next? Try Tability's goal-setting AI
You can create an iterate on your OKRs using Tability's unique goal-setting AI.
Watch the demo below, then hop on the platform for a free trial.