What does a preventive control aim to do?

A preventive control is designed to stop security incidents from occurring in the first place. Its primary goal is to mitigate risks by proactively addressing potential security vulnerabilities and threats before they can be exploited. By implementing measures such as firewalls, access controls, encryption, and security policies, organizations can create barriers that thwart unauthorized access and potential breaches.

This contrasts with other types of controls that focus on different aspects of security management. For instance, measures that detect errors after they occur are classified as detective controls, which aim to identify and alert organizations to incidents after they have already transpired. Similarly, corrective controls are implemented to fix vulnerabilities and address issues once they have been detected or exploited. Finally, incident management controls involve responding to and managing incidents that have already been identified. Therefore, the focus of preventive controls is distinctly on averting issues before they materialize, underscoring their critical role in an effective security strategy.