Once More Unto the Breach: Managing information security in an uncertain world

 

INTRODUCTION

“Once more unto the breach” is a key phrase from the “Cry God for Harry, England and Saint George!” speech of Shakespeare’s Henry V, Act III, 1598. The breach in question is the gap in the wall of the city of Harfleur, which the English army had put under siege. Henry was encouraging his troops to attack the city again, even if they had to “close the wall with English dead”. We read these kinds of battle-cry stories now, in our enlightened and empowered times, and find it hard to countenance such unfailing support for heading into a perilous situation.

As an information security manager (ISM), you enter each day not knowing what it may bring, in spite, perhaps, of a well-formed plan or at least a ‘to do’ list. Each event or incident ...