What is an example of an Operational Control?

Access control is indeed a critical aspect of operational controls within an organization's security framework. It involves the mechanisms and policies that govern who is allowed to enter and use specific information systems or physical locations, thereby ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information or critical assets.

Operational controls focus on the day-to-day procedures that help ensure ongoing compliance with security policies and protect assets effectively. Access control as an operational control encompasses practices such as user account management, authentication processes, and least privilege principles, which collectively help maintain the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information systems.

While configuration management, contingency planning, and incident response also play essential roles in an organization's cybersecurity posture, they represent different categories of controls. Configuration management relates to managing changes in systems, contingency planning involves preparing for unexpected disruptions, and incident response focuses on reacting to security breaches or incidents after they occur. Access control, being a proactive measure, aligns well with operational control objectives by directly managing user permissions in real-time to mitigate risks.