Essential policies to include in an IT Security strategy
Mobile Computer Services, a managed IT services company, shares the most important IT security policies that organizations must implement. These policies are aimed at protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems and data. Policies can be customized based on the organization’s valuable assets and biggest risks. They can be altered, shortened, or combined with others, but more or less the policies mentioned below form the core of all IT security strategies, across most organizations.
10 Critical IT Security Policies
1. Written Information Security Plan (WISP)
This document provides the administrative and technical policies and procedures to help reduce the likelihood of a cyber incident and the entailing liabilities if such an incident does occur. It provides the basis for an organization’s minimum security controls, compliance requirements, and the security policies that support them. The WISP informs all staff on how to implement data protection at the appropriate levels of security for all data.
2. Asset Management Policy
Asset management is essential to understanding an organization’s technology footprint which is critical to provide foundational security controls. Technology devices and hardware are assets that are expensive, valuable, and require protection -- from failure, loss, destruction, theft, damage, and related harm.
3. Acceptable Use Policy
This policy outlines the acceptable use of computer equipment. It defines inappropriate use of information systems and the entailing risks of such usage such as compromised network systems and legal consequences. This document imparts a clear understanding to employees, contractors, and third parties on what an organization’s resources and sensitive information can and cannot be used for.
4. System and Device Baseline Security Policy
Systems and network devices should always have a minimum-security configuration implemented before being put into use. The system and device baseline security policy is a requirement of many security frameworks and defines what is needed for device and operating system baseline hardening. This minimum security baseline is indispensable for the protection of most organizations.
5. Account and Password Policy
Passwords are a concrete defense used to verify user identities and obtain access to company systems or sensitive information. This policy provides guidance on developing, implementing, and reviewing a documented process for appropriately creating, changing, and safeguarding strong and secure passwords to protect from data breaches. Besides instructions on password complexity and strength, the document must define the different types of accounts, their use, and management lifecycle, as well as any additional controls to be used such as One Time Passwords (OTP) or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
6. Security Logging Policy
The primary purpose of enabling security logging is to support forensic investigations around potential or realized breaches. This allows for an effective response and mitigation in the case of any breach. This policy should drive what is logged, how logs are transmitted, log rotation, retention, storage, and so on.
7. Endpoint Security Policy
Endpoint security is the practice of securing endpoints or entry points of end-user devices such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices from being exploited by malicious actors and campaigns. This security has evolved from traditional antivirus software to providing comprehensive protection from sophisticated malware and evolving zero-day threats. This is one of the most effective controls to reduce the risk of a successful attack.
8. Vulnerability Management Policy
The purpose of the Vulnerability Management Policy is to establish the rules for the review, evaluation, application, and verification of system updates to mitigate vulnerabilities in the IT environment and the associated risks. It is a crucial step towards understanding an organization’s risk posture as well as how effective system and device patching processes are.
9. Data Retention Policy
This policy controls how it saves data for compliance or regulatory reasons, as well as how it disposes of data once it is no longer required. From clarifying how records and data should be formatted, how long they must be retained to the appropriate storage system or device the data should be stored on, all factors will typically be based on the rules of the regulatory body governing the industry.
This policy is essential to businesses that store sensitive information.
10. Security Incident Response Policy
This policy is a part of an organization’s Business Continuity Plan. Incidents are inevitable, and therefore it is critical to have an understanding of responsibilities, communication strategy, containment, and reporting processes to minimize loss and damage to an organization. Phases of incident response include:
- Preparation
- Identification
- Containment
- Eradication
- Recover
- Post- Incident
Management should regularly test the incident response plan to ensure its effectiveness.
Other Policies to Consider
- Cloud Services
- Cloud Provider Governance (Azure/AWS/GCP)
- Data Protection and Privacy
- Encryption
- Penetration Testing
- Privileged Access Management (PAM)
- Perimeter Security
- Mobile Device Management (MDM) Policy and Procedures
- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
- Encryption and Decryption Policy
- SPAM Protection Policies
- HR Policy Set
- System Maintenance Policy
Why Mobile Computer Services?
Mobile Computer Services is a professional IT services company that works with small and medium-sized businesses in Wake Forest. The services include:
- Managed IT services - 24x7 proactive monitoring and management of the company's IT infrastructure.
- Network services: Comprehensive care for the network systems provided by certified technicians.
- Business continuity planning: Get the business back on its feet swiftly during and after disasters.
- IT consulting: High-caliber advice from professional consultants to help achieve business goals.
- Security: Safeguard business from malicious hackers and cyber attacks.
- On-demand services: Day or night, the dedicated support staff is always available to assist.
- Office move: Professional office relocation and network cabling services.
- VoIP: Reduce telecom expenses and improve communications with powerful phone systems.
- Email protection: Protect mail systems from spam and malware.
Contact Mobile Computer Services, Inc. at Wake Forest today at (919) 230-2900 for IT support, services and solutions.
