A solid information security management is a must in this digital age. Without it, your company is at the risk of getting cyber-attacked.
What is An Information Security Management System?
An information security management system (ISMS) is a framework of policies that an organization implements to protect its data. Implementing an ISMS based on the ISO/IEC 27001 standard is voluntary. Yet, having an ISO certification proves that your company complies with mandated legal requirements
More organizations decide to implement an ISMS because of various reasons. Two main reasons are: (1) industry-specific requirements, (2) build the trust of their customers.
Furthermore, these elements work together to outline a company’s security management:
- Culture
- Policies
- Procedures
- Standards
- guidelines
The primary goal of an ISMS is to ensure that the company’s data is safe. Moreover, it ensures the following vital principles:
- Confidentiality – prevents unauthorized persons from accessing data
- Integrity – ensures that data is safe from unauthorized modification or deletion
- Availability – authorized persons access data in a timely manner
Steps In Implementing An Information Security Management
If your company decided to define and implement an ISMS, it is a smart move to consult an information security consultant. Moreover, the following steps will help you create an effective information security management system.
It starts from the top
You must always have the support of the top management. This group decides the allocation of resources for the ISMS. Moreover, they are responsible for setting objectives. Furthermore, the communication and supervision fall under their responsibility.
Setting objectives is no easy task. Moreover, it requires yearly updates. Furthermore, the objectives of the ISMS must come from the top management. Also, those objectives must reflect the business’ goals and ensures that it complies with industrial and legal regulations.
Conduct a risk assessment
Identify the potential threats to your organization and list them. Take note that you must evaluate the risk that is only crucial to information processing. Afterward, rank those threats based on their likelihood and impact.
Furthermore, you must list down the vulnerabilities in your organization and rank them based on potential impact. Keep in mind that those vulnerabilities are not limited to systems. It may also consist of people, processes, and technologies in place.
It is impossible to protect your organization against 100% of risks. Decide which of your listed risks will you reduce, ignore, accept, or transfer.
You may apply fixes to counter the risk. Some of such fixes include setting up a firewall or patches. Moreover, another option is purchasing asset insurance or another third-party to take a risk. However, accepting the risk is a good option when mitigating it is more expensive than the damages themselves. Yet, the least recommended option is to deny the existence of a risk.
System maintenance and monitoring
You must ensure that the information security management system works within the organization. That is before applying for certification.
Certification audit
An ISMS certifying body will conduct a certification audit. Hence, If your systems pass the assessment, your company will be issued an ISO/IEC 27001 certification. Yet, regular follow-up audits are a must if you want to maintain the certification.
