A solid information security program is an essential component of running a business in the digital age—a time when the number of data breaches and security incidents are increasing exponentially. Without a security program, you leave your company, customers, and data at risk. Let’s explore the components of an information security program, and walk through a step-by-step guide on how you can implement one at your organization. Show What is an Information Security Program?Think about your organization’s information security culture, policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines. Together, these elements create a security program by outlining how your organization plans for and acts when it comes to security management. The purpose of the program is to make certain the data and information you’re responsible for is safe. By safe, we mean your organization ensures three vital principles: confidentiality (secured from unauthorized access), integrity (accurate and free from tampering), and availability (accessible in a timely manner) of its data. Information security programs need to:
9 Steps on Implementing an Information Security ProgramBARR Advisory’s experienced team has outlined the following nine steps you can take to establish a working, future-ready information security program: Step 1: Build an Information Security TeamBefore you begin this journey, the first step in information security is to decide who needs a seat at the table. One side of the table holds the executive team, made up of senior-level associates responsible for crafting the mission and goals of the security program, setting security policies, risk limitations, and more. On the other side of the table sits the group of individuals responsible for daily security operations. As a whole, this group designs and builds the framework of the security program. Step 2: Inventory and Manage AssetsThe security team’s first job is to understand which assets exist, where those assets are located, ensure the assets are tracked, and secure them properly. In other words, it’s time to conduct an inventory of everything that could contain sensitive data, from hardware and devices to applications (both internally and third party developed) to databases, shared folders, and more. Once you have your list, assign each asset an owner, then categorize them by importance and value to your organization should a breach occur. Step 3: Assess RiskTo assess risk, you need to think about threats and vulnerabilities. Start by making a list of any potential threats to your organization’s assets, then score these threats based on their likelihood and impact. From there, think about what vulnerabilities exist within your organization, categorize and rank them based on potential impact. These vulnerabilities can consist of people (employees, clients, third parties), processes or lack thereof, and technologies in place. Look at the two lists you’ve created and find where threats and vulnerabilities may intersect, showing you where your greatest levels of risk exist. A high-impact threat with high vulnerability becomes a high risk, for example. Contact us if you need assistance putting together a risk analysis like this. Step 4: Manage RiskNow that you have your risks ranked, decide whether you want to reduce, transfer, accept, or ignore each risk.
Step 5: Develop an Incident Management and Disaster Recovery PlanWithout an Incident Management and Disaster Recovery Plan, you put your organization at risk should any security incident or natural disaster occur. This includes things like power outages, IT system crashes, hacking, supply chain problems, and even pandemics like COVID-19. A good plan identifies common incidents and outlines what needs to be done—and by whom—in order to recover data and IT systems. Step 6: Inventory and Manage Third PartiesMake a list of vendors, suppliers, and other third parties who have access to your organization’s data or systems, then prioritize your list based on the sensitivity of the data. Once identified, find out what security measures high-risk third parties have in place or mandate necessary controls. Be sure to consistently monitor and maintain an updated list of all third-party vendors. Step 7: Apply Security ControlsYou’ve been busy identifying risks and deciding on how you’ll handle each one. For the risks you want to act on, it’s time to implement controls. These controls will mitigate or eliminate risks. They can be technical (e.g., encryption, intrusion detection software, antivirus, firewalls), or non-technical (e.g., policies, procedures, physical security, and personnel). One non-technical control you’ll implement is a Security Policy, which serves as the umbrella over a number of other policies such as a Backup Policy, Password Policy, Access Control Policy, and more. Step 8: Establish Security Awareness TrainingConduct frequent security awareness trainings to share your information security plan and how each employee plays a role in it. After all, new security measures and policies do nothing if employees working with the data are not educated on how to minimize risk. Any time an element of your security program changes, your employees need to be aware. And be sure to document and retain evidence of trainings for future auditing purposes. Step 9: Audit, audit, auditThe best way to determine the effectiveness of your information security program is to hire a third-party auditor to offer an unbiased assessment on security gaps. In some cases, this is mandatory to confirm compliance. Third-party assessors can also perform vulnerability assessments, which include penetration tests to identify weaknesses in your organization’s networks, systems, and applications, along with audits against criteria such as ISO 27001, PCI DSS, FedRAMP, and HITRUST; as well as SOC 2® reports using the AICPA Trust Service Principles. Your company can also conduct internal audits to assess controls, policies, procedures, risk management, and more. Learn more about how BARR can help you build and manage a comprehensive cybersecurity program here. And if you have a few questions first, don’t hesitate to contact us. Every organization, regardless of size or revenue generated, needs an information security program. It’s an essential collection of initiatives that form the basis for any cyber security initiative involving confidential data. Having a well-developed information security program enables your organization to take an inclusive approach to protecting data like protected health information (PHI), personally identifiable information (PII), and more. However, not all organizational leaders can define an information security program, nor pinpoint the crucial components that make up an effective set of projects. Without this foundational knowledge, confidential information may be susceptible to exposure or theft by cyber criminals. This blog post will highlight the important parameters and provide insight into how a robust information security program can keep your organization’s sensitive data safe. What is an Information Security Program?An information security program consists of a set of activities, projects, and initiatives that support an organization’s information technology framework. These initiatives also help organizations accomplish all related business objectives and meet corresponding benchmarks. Your information security program practices allow you to safeguard key business processes, IT assets, and employee data from potentially prying eyes. It also identifies individuals or technological assets that may impact the security or confidentiality of those assets. Constructing an effective program involves identifying your information security goals. The more specific these objectives are to your organization’s reality, the more meaningful and dynamic the underlying initiatives will be. Once those are established, you can define the IT tools and other information security assets needed to create, launch, and successfully maintain each project. The Elements of an Effective Information Security ProgramWhile the strength of your information security program will depend on the goals you aim for and the assets at your disposal, there are several common elements that will put you in a position to succeed. Essentially, the program should go beyond merely assessing risk and offering a handful of prevention recommendations. Your information security strategy must play an active role in targeting issues (especially those related to human risk) and mitigating risk through diverse, inclusive projects. Outlined below are the steps to follow when defining an information security program. First, it is necessary to determine the expected results that come with accomplishing desired information security goals. These can be defined according to security objectives or the desired state in terms of security. Then, it’s necessary to determine your organization’s current state of information security. In conjunction with a business impact assessment or security audits, a risk assessment will provide a clear understanding of the current security situation, as well as the weak points in that infrastructure. Again, the more details you drill down in the beginning, the easier this process will be. After that, a gap analysis determines the difference between the current state and the desired state and facilitates a security strategy aimed at achieving the desired state. A roadmap can be produced to promote the development of the security program that will realize this strategy. This roadmap generally includes the people, the processes, the technology, and any other required resources. It is used to describe the approach to be followed and the steps that should be taken to execute the strategy. The next step is to effectively manage the security program to achieve the objectives and meet the expected results. The program in questions must be designed to provide an appropriate level of availability, integrity, and company information confidentiality. A program also requires various resources, as well as the proper support of your organization’s management. Here are some more detailed elements that should be included in a security program:
The information security program must have an exact assignment of roles and responsibilities concerning security. It should be noted that information security awareness training is a critical element of the strategy because users are often the weakest security link. Therefore, they must know and understand the policies, standards, and procedures to adopt safe practices and be vigilant against various threats. Various laws and regulations now require an awareness and training program. However, evidence suggests that employees, in many organizations, are still not sufficiently aware. Multiple studies have demonstrated that cyber security awareness training provides more effective control in improving overall security.
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