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On-demand instructional and training videos on the Varonis DSP. Misuse of poorly configured Salesforce communities for data recognition and theft A security policy (also called an information security policy or IT security policy) is a document that details the rules, expectations, and the general approach that an organization uses to maintain confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your data. Security policies exist at many different levels, from high-level constructs that describe a company's general security objectives and principles to documents that address specific issues, such as remote access or the use of Wi-Fi. A security policy is often used in conjunction with other types of documentation, such as standard operating procedures.
These documents work together to help the company achieve its security objectives. The policy defines the general strategy and security posture, and the other documents help to build a structure around that practice. You may think that a security policy responds to “what” and “why”, while procedures, rules and guidelines respond to “how”. A security policy does not provide specific low-level technical guidance, but it does detail the intentions and expectations of senior management in relation to security. It is then up to the security or IT teams to translate these intentions into specific technical actions.
For example, a policy may state that only authorized users should have access to private company information. The specific authentication systems and access control rules used to implement this policy may change over time, but the general intent remains the same. Without a starting point, security or IT teams can only guess the wishes of senior management. This can lead to an inconsistent application of security controls across different business groups and entities. Without a security policy, each employee or user will have to decide what's appropriate and what's not. This can lead to disaster when different employees apply different standards.
Is it appropriate to use a company device for personal use? Can a manager share passwords with their direct reports for greater convenience? What about installing unapproved software? Without clear policies, different employees can answer these questions in different ways. A security policy should also clearly explain how compliance is monitored and enforced. A good security policy can improve an organization's efficiency. Its policies keep everyone on the same page, avoid duplication of efforts, and provide consistency in monitoring and enforcing compliance. Security policies should also provide clear guidance on when exceptions to policies are granted and by whom.
To achieve these benefits, in addition to being implemented and enforced, the policy must also be aligned with the business objectives and culture of the organization. The specific policies for each topic are based on the generic security policy and provide more concrete guidance on certain issues relevant to an organization's workforce. Some common examples might include a network security policy, a bring your own device (BYOD) policy, a social media policy, or a remote work policy. These may address specific technological areas, but are usually more generic.
A remote access policy may state that external access is only possible through a compatible, company-approved VPN, but that policy probably won't name a specific VPN client. In this way, the company can change suppliers without the need for major updates. A system specific policy is the most granular type of IT security policy and focuses on a particular type of system, such as a firewall or web server, or even an individual computer. Unlike issue-specific policies, system-specific policies may be more relevant to the technical staff who maintain them.
NIST states that specific system policies must consist of both a security objective and operational rules. IT and security teams are actively involved in creating, implementing, and enforcing specific system policies, but the key decisions and rules remain taken by senior management. This is especially important for program policies. Remember that many employees have little knowledge about security threats and may consider that any type of security control is a burden.
A clear and detailed mission or purpose statement at the top level of a security policy should help the entire organization understand the importance of information security. Every security policy, regardless of its type, must include a scope or statement of applicability that clearly indicates to whom the policy applies. This can be based on the geographical region, business unit, position of work, or any other organizational concept, as long as it is properly defined. Security policies are designed to communicate the intent of senior management, ideally at the senior management or board level.
Without the acceptance of this level of leadership, any security program is likely to fail. To be successful, your policies must be communicated to employees, updated regularly, and enforced in a coherent manner. The lack of management support makes all of this difficult, if not impossible. While it may be tempting to base your security policy on a model of perfection, you must remember that your employees live in the real world.
A policy that is too onerous is not likely to be adopted on a generalized basis. Likewise, a policy without an enforcement mechanism could easily be ignored by a significant number of employees. Remember that the hearing of a security policy is usually not technical. Concise, jargon-free language is important, and any technical terms in the document must be clearly defined.
Risk can never be completely eliminated, but it's up to each organization's management to decide what level of risk is acceptable. A security policy must take this risk into account, as it will affect the types of topics covered. For a security policy to help build a true culture of security, it must be relevant and realistic, with complete and concise language. If that sounds like a difficult balancing act, that's because it is. While there are many templates and real examples to help you get started, each security policy must be precisely tailored to the organization's specific needs.
You can also be inspired by many real-world security policies that are publicly available. However, simply copying and pasting someone else's policy isn't ethical or safe. Schedule a demo with us to see Varonis in action. We'll customize the session based on your organization's data security needs and answer any questions.
See an example of our data risk assessment and learn about the risks that could persist in your environment. The Varonis DRA is completely free and offers a clear path to automated remediation. Follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube and X (Twitter) for detailed information on everything related to data security, such as DSPM, threat detection, AI security, and more. Varonis addresses hundreds of use cases, making it the ultimate platform for stopping data breaches and ensuring compliance. Compliance with security policies, standards and procedures is mandatory because they establish the necessary framework to achieve and maintain security within a organization.
If your organization lacks an information security policy for any area of concern, security in that area is likely to be disorganized, fragmented, and ineffective. In this chapter, the term computer security policy is defined as the documentation of computer security decisions, which encompasses all of the types of policies described above. Security benchmarks serve to define the minimum security levels that all systems must comply with, ensuring a basic level of protection against potential threats. Security guidelines differ from security policies and standards in their level of flexibility and optional compliance.
However, appropriate physical security measures should also exist to limit access to the printer's output or the desired security objective would not be achieved. Security policies establish general safety objectives and requirements, while standards provide specific instructions on how to meet those objectives. Ultimately, compliance with security policies, standards, and procedures is essential for maintaining comprehensive security and minimizing risks across the organization. Security policies are an essential component of an information security program and must be properly designed, implemented and enforced. Security policies may seem like just another layer of red tape, but the truth is that they are a vitally important component of any information security program.
Among the most common standards referred to in relation to security bases are the criteria for evaluating reliable computer systems (TCSEC), the information technology security evaluation standards and criteria (ITSEC), and the standards of the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). However, it's important to note that IT security policies are often extensions of an organization's information security policies to manage information in other ways (e.g., even when not explicitly required, a security policy is often a practical need to develop a strategy that meets increasingly stringent data security and privacy requirements).
