The security lifecycle is a 6-phase process that organizations should follow to ensure their security programs meets or exceeds industry standards. The process is designed to guide organizations through the complex and iterative steps needed to establish a sound security program.  Security is an overall process, so there is no one-entry point into the lifecycle.

• Assess • Plan • Design • Deploy • Maintain • Respond •

The lifecycle is repeated over and over with no endpoint.  It is important to remember that security is a process that requires constant attention to continue to protect your environment from potential threats.