How to Implement an Information Security Program

How to Implement an Information Security Program

Managing risk is a fundamental part of doing business. As technology and systems evolve, so do the risks businesses face. Implementing an information security program is essential for:

Equally important is fostering security awareness among your employees, as human error is often a key factor in breaches.

In this post, we’ll guide you through how to implement an information security program that addresses IT vulnerabilities and reduces risks to your business operations.

Do You Need an Information Security Program?

If your company doesn’t handle sensitive or proprietary data, you might think that developing an information security program isn’t something you need to worry about. But you’d be very, very wrong. While it’s important to protect your clients’ personal data, data breaches and cybercrime can expose you to a wide variety of losses:

Did You Know? The average cyber security incident takes 197 days to discover. On average, 67% of the impact of a breach is felt in the first year after it occurs, 22% in the second year, and 11% in the third year.

The types of security policies and processes you need to implement will vary based on the information and infrastructure encompassed in your systems, but every information security program should cover three key factors.

Do You Need an Information Security Program

3 Key Factors of Information Security Program

Proactive risk management is essential for an effective information security program. At a minimum, your program should address these three critical factors:

1. Confidentiality

Sensitive information must be protected from unauthorized access and sharing. Strong password policies, up-to-date encryption protocols, two-factor authentication, and unique user IDs can help with your network firewall and router security.

2. Integrity

Data must be kept whole and uncorrupted by unauthorized changes or accidents. Carefully structured user permissions, access controls, strict version controlling, and cloud backups are all tools that can help you protect your data’s integrity.

3. Availability

Your information must remain accessible to those who need it, even when things go wrong. This includes protecting against data loss and ensuring that your network is always running efficiently and securely. Sometimes delayed access can be just as damaging as lost access, especially with so many people working from home.

How to Implement an Information Security Program: A 4-Stage Strategy

Information Security Strategies

Your information security program should include four main stages. Skipping any of these stages will compromise your information security program.

Prediction
Prediction
Prevention
Prevention
Detection
Detection
Response
Response

Prediction

Before you can protect against cybersecurity risks, you have to understand what threats and vulnerabilities you’re working against. The best way to do this is by conducting an IT risk assessment and employing tools like penetration testing to identify weaknesses in existing protections. Be sure to account for risks associated with atypical circumstances like remote work so that your business is protected, no matter what.

Prevention

Once you’ve identified known vulnerabilities and threats, the next step in your information security program development is to take steps to reduce the chances of an incident occurring. At this stage, it’s important to establish a system of governance: a chain of command that ensures someone has ownership of the preventative measures put in place. Appointing a CISO (chief security information officer) can be valuable if your organization lacks a specific person to oversee this process.

Detection

All the prevention in the world can’t guarantee that you’ll never face a cybersecurity incident. Whether your systems are compromised by criminals with malevolent intent, an unintentional action by a member of your team, or a new weakness that simply went overlooked, the results can be catastrophic. Ensure you have regularly updated systems to monitor for unwanted intrusion so that you can respond quickly.

Response

If and when the worst happens, a carefully planned and rapidly enacted incident response plan can help ensure the threat is quickly contained and the damage mitigated. The response stage of your information security program should also include recovery aspects as needed. A solid understanding of cybersecurity law can help ensure you address all facets of the incident in a way that limits harm to your clients and your business.

Trusted Guidance for Your Information Security Program

Do you need help developing or implementing an information security program? The experts at AISN are here to guide you through every step of the process, from planning and development to ongoing support and awareness training. We’ll help you safeguard your data, strengthen security awareness, and protect your systems from threats and vulnerabilities.

If you’re ready to learn more about how to implement an information security program, contact us today — we’re here to provide solutions!

Laurie Head

AISN - A Partner You Can Trust

If you have questions about our cloud, cyber and app solutions and services, we have answers. Our experts are always happy to discuss your needs, so get in touch with us today.