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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 Establish a general approach to information security,Document security measures and user access control policiesDetect and minimize the impact of compromised information assets such as misuse of data, networks, mobile devices, computers and applications
Protect the reputation of the organization
Comply with legal and regulatory requirements like NIST, GDPR, HIPAA and FERPA Protect their customer's data, such as credit card numbers Provide effective mechanisms to respond to complaints and queries related to real or perceived cyber security risks such as phishing, malware and ransomware
Limit access to key information technology assets to those who have an acceptable use.
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 a Third-Party Risk Management framework and Vendor Risk Management program are now essential inclusions in an 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. Purpose
Outline the purpose of your information security policy which should:
Preserve your organization's information security.
Detect and preempt information security breaches caused by third-party vendors, misuse of networks, data, applications, computer systems and mobile devices.
Protect the organization's reputation
Uphold ethical, legal and regulatory requirements
Protect customer data and respond to inquiries and complaints about non-compliance of security requirements and data protection
2. Audience
Define 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 Objectives
These 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:
Confidentiality: data and information are protected from unauthorized access
Integrity: Data is intact, complete and accurate
Availability: IT systems are available when needed
4. Authority and Access Control Policy
This 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 Classification
An 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:
Level 1: Public information
Level 2: Information your organization has chosen to keep confidential but disclosure would not cause material harm
Level 3: Information has a risk of material harm to individuals or your organization if disclosed
Level 4: Information has a high risk of causing serious harm to individuals or your organization if disclosed
Level 5: Information will cause severe harm to individuals or your organization if disclosed
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 Operations
Once 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,Data protection regulations: Organizations that store personally identifiable information (PII) or sensitive data must be protected according to organizational standards, best practices, industry compliance standards and regulation,Data backup requirements: Outlines how data is backed up, what level of encryption is used and what third-party service providers are used, Movement of data: Outlines how data is communicated. Data that is deemed classified in the above data classification should be securely communicated with encryption and not transmitted across public networks to avoid man-in-the-middle attacks
7. Security Awareness Training
A 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, Social engineering: Teach your employees about phishing, spear phishing and other common social engineering cyber attacks, Clean desk policy: Laptops should be taken home and documents shouldn't be left on desks at the end of the work day
Acceptable usage: What can employees use their work devices and Internet for and what is restricted?
8. Responsibilities and Duties of Employees
This is where you operationalize your information security policy. This part of your information security policy needs to outline the owners of:
Security programs
Acceptable use policies
Network security
Physical security
Business continuity
Access management
Security awareness
Risk assessments
Incident response
Data security
Disaster recovery
Incident management.
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