What is an Information Security Program?

An information security program is a set of standards, guidelines, procedures, and policies for your business’s cybersecurity plan and protocol. It provides a road map for successful security management controls and practices. In today’s online business landscape, companies are expected to provide proof that they have programs in place for protecting their own proprietary information as well as keeping customer and client data confidential.

Many companies find that when they start looking into implementing or upgrading an information security program there are so many things to consider it can quickly get overwhelming. Cyber security specialists and providers can help you navigate this challenge to ensure you don’t miss any key components. BitLyft partners with our clients to navigate this process and ensure that all your security and compliance needs are met.

What is the purpose of an information security program?

Today, the risk of a security incident or data breach is higher than it has ever been. Breaches impact organizations across all industries. However, public utilities, healthcare organizations, and financial businesses are popular targets due to the amount of proprietary data they deal with. Nevertheless, it does not matter how big or small your business is, or what sector you operate in, cyber attacks can happen to any business. An information security program ensures you are arming yourself with an effective method of protecting your data.

What is the foundation for an effective and healthy information security program?

An effective information security program has several different components to provide optimal protection. It should be customized to your specific needs and ideally integrate with any existing practices you already have in place. This ensures that the security efforts of your organization are aligned with the objectives of your business. However, there are four main characteristics that every successful security program should start with. Make sure you do the following:

1. Establish a security benchmark: The first thing that you need to do is determine what your current security program involves. This can be done easily through our free security assessment. This way, you have a clear picture of what you have and what you need to bring your security plan to the next level.  
2. Measure against the benchmark: As you investigate upgrades and a Next Generation SIEM, you can easily see how much better your security will be than your current program. This will help you prioritize your security plan. 
3. Enable informed decision-making: An effective communication system allows all relevant members of your IT team to stay updated on changes. It is also important to inform your key stakeholders that your cyber security is up to date. 
4. Support the execution of decisions: The fourth and final piece of the puzzle when it comes to the foundation of your information security policy is that you need to support decision execution. Once a decision has been made you should begin the security projects that have been approved, with regular tracking of the results and progress a must. 

What are the components of a successful security program?

There are certain documents and components that your security program should include. It is important to note that these components are going to change depending on the regulatory requirements and objectives of your organization.

• Framework – The first and most essential component is the framework. After all, this is the structure of your security plans. This tends to be derived from your industry-specific certifications, regulatory requirements, and best practices. It needs to be customized so that it meets the needs and goals of your organization.
• Charter – Your charter is a document that is organizationally approved. It defines how your security program is going to work in the context of your organization overall, with things such as mandate, mission, scope, and other elements. 
• Policies – Your policies define how security issues are going to be addressed and are usually derived from your requirements.
• Processes – These are procedures that make certain that your security program is both efficient and repeatable. This document will help you identify company responsibilities, tools, roles, and rules that are going to be required so you can perform activities relating to security. 
• Measurement – Last but not least, measurement is one of the most pivotal elements of an information security program. After all, if you do not measure how your security efforts are performing, how are you going to know if they are working? How are you going to know what improvements need to be made? 

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding regarding what your information security program should contain. Not only is it imperative when it comes to protecting your critical data and ensuring your business is protected but it also plays a significant role in terms of compliance too. Plus, it will increase consumer and client confidence.