What should be included in an information security program?
What Information Security Policies Do You Need?Why do you need information security policies? What role do policies play in your organization’s security structure? You’re probably familiar with basic policies such as a Disaster Recovery Policy, Data Backup Policy, or Risk Assessment Policy, but there are other must-have information security policies that you should be implementing. The point of having extensive policies in place is to provide clarity for your employees, direction for proper security procedures, and proof that you’re doing your due diligence to protect your organization against security threats. We’ve gathered a list of 15 must-have information security policies that you can check your own list of policies against to ensure you’re on the path towards security: Show
Information Security Policies Are Not the Finish LineNow that you know 15 must-have information security policies, you should also know that policies are not the finish line. You also need to implement procedures and standards to give your employees tangible direction on how to follow information security policies – plus, developing procedures and standards are required for compliance with information security frameworks. It’s also not enough to just have written policies and procedures. You need to make sure every employee in your organization has a chance to read, understand, and acknowledge their your policies. That’s why it’s important to develop an Employee Handbook and require each employee to sign a Policy Acknowledgement. These steps help to ensure those 15 must-have information security policies are implemented well and further your information security goals. How KirkpatrickPrice Can Help You Develop an Information Security PolicyWhen you engage in a gap analysis with KirkpatrickPrice, the auditor assigned to work with your organization determines if there are any gaps in your information security structure. Many times, we find organizations are missing policies that give structure to their information security plan. After completing a gap analysis, you can elect to have one of KirkpatrickPrice’s Professional Writers develop customized policies to help you meet your specific compliance requirements. Writing or adding to your information security policies based on your gap analysis results will aid in your remediation efforts. If you’re looking to develop strong policies and procedures or have further questions about how you can partner with KirkpatrickPrice to meet your compliance goals, contact us so we can help you develop standards that fit your organization. More Policy ResourcesSOC 2 Academy: Expectations of Policies and Procedures Quickstart to Information Security Policies for Startups Auditor Insights: Policies and Procedures are Better Than Gold An information security policy (ISP) is a set of rules, policies and procedures designed to ensure all end users and networks within an organization meet minimum IT security and data protection security requirements. ISPs should address all data, programs, systems, facilities, infrastructure, authorized users, third parties and fourth parties of an organization. What is the Purpose of an Information Security Policy?An information security policy aims to enact protections and limit the distribution of data to only those with authorized access. Organizations create ISPs to:
Why is an Information Security Policy is Important?Creating an effective information security policy and that meets all compliance requirements is a critical step in preventing security incidents like data leaks and data breaches. ISPs are important for new and established organizations. Increasing digitalization means every employee is generating data and a portion of that data must be protected from unauthorized access. Depending on your industry, it may even be protected by laws and regulations. Sensitive data, personally identifiable information (PII), and intellectual property must be protected to a higher standard than other data. Whether you like it or not, information security (InfoSec) is important at every level of your organization. And outside of your organization. Increased outsourcing means third-party vendors have access to data too. This is why third-party risk management and vendor risk management is part of any good information security policy. Third-party risk, fourth-party risk and vendor risk are no joke. What are the Key Elements of an Information Security Policy?An information security policy can be as broad as you want it to be. It can cover IT security and/or physical security, as well as social media usage, lifecycle management and security training. In general, an information security policy will have these nine key elements: 1. PurposeOutline the purpose of your information security policy which should:
2. AudienceDefine who the information security policy applies to and who it does not apply to. You may be tempted to say that third-party vendors are not included as part of your information security policy. This may not be a great idea. Third-party, fourth-party risk and vendor risk should be accounted for. Whether or not you have a legal or regulatory duty to protect your customer's data from third-party data breaches and data leaks isn't important. Customers may still blame your organization for breaches that were not in your total control and the reputational damage can be huge. 3. Information Security ObjectivesThese are the goals management has agreed upon, as well as the strategies used to achieve them. In the end, information security is concerned with the CIA triad:
4. Authority and Access Control PolicyThis part is about deciding who has the authority to decide what data can be shared and what can't. Remember, this may not be always up to your organization. For example, if you are the CSO at a hospital. You likely need to comply with HIPAA and its data protection requirements. If you store medical records, they can't be shared with an unauthorized party whether in person or online. An access control policy can help outline the level of authority over data and IT systems for every level of your organization. It should outline how to handle sensitive information, who is responsible for security controls, what access control is in place and what security standards are acceptable. It may also include a network security policy that outlines who can have access to company networks and servers, as well as what authentication requirements are needed including strong password requirements, biometrics, ID cards and access tokens. In some cases, employees are contractually bound to comply with the information security policy before being granted access to any information systems and data centers. 5. Data ClassificationAn information security policy must classify data into categories. A good way to classify the data is into five levels that dictate an increasing need for protection:
In this classification, levels 2-5 would be classified as confidential information and would need some form of protection. Read our full guide on data classification here. 6. Data Support and OperationsOnce data has been classified, you need to outline how data is each level will be handled. There are generally three components to this part of your information security policy:
7. Security Awareness TrainingA perfect information security policy that no one follows is no better than having no policy at all. You need your staff to understand what is required of them. Training should be conducted to inform employees of security requirements, including data protection, data classification, access control and general security threats. Security training should include:
8. Responsibilities and Duties of EmployeesThis is where you operationalize your information security policy. This part of your information security policy needs to outline the owners of:
9. Other Items an ISP May IncludeVirus protection procedure, malware protection procedure, network intrusion detection procedure, remote work procedure, technical guidelines, consequences for non-compliance, physical security requirements, references to supporting documents, etc. What are the Best Practices for Information Security Management?A mature information security policy will outline or refer to the following policies:
There is a lot of work in each of these policies, but you can find many policy templates online. UpGuard Can Improve Your Information SecurityUpGuard can protect your business from data breaches, identify all of your data leaks, and help you continuously monitor the security posture of all your vendors. UpGuard also supports compliance across a myriad of security frameworks, including the new requirements set by Biden's Cybersecurity Executive Order. Test the security of your website, CLICK HERE to receive your instant security score now! What is included in an information security program?What is an Information Security Program? An information security program is the practices your organization implements to protect critical business processes, data, and IT assets. It identifies the people, processes, and technology that could impact the security, confidentiality, and integrity of your assets.
What are the things needed to consider in developing information security programs?Critical Components of an Information Security Program. Establishing standardized policies and procedures.. Training staff.. Managing user access policies.. Maintaining compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.. What are the 3 major key components of information security?When we discuss data and information, we must consider the CIA triad. The CIA triad refers to an information security model made up of the three main components: confidentiality, integrity and availability.
What are three 3 areas of information security that require a security program priority?Regardless of security policy goals, one cannot completely ignore any of the three major requirements—confidentiality, integrity, and availability—which support one another. For example, confidentiality is needed to protect passwords.
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