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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. Explanation: The full form of SPP is Program Policy of security.
And it's part of security policies. There are three types of security defined by the administration. These are the general or security program policy, the issue-specific security policy, and the system-specific security policy. Defines a set of rules, procedures and policies designed to ensure that all end users and networks in an organization have computer security and data protection. The system-specific security policy aims to focus on the information security policies of particular systems, such as policies for customer-facing applications, payroll systems, or data archiving systems.
Technical security policies describe the configuration of technology for ease of use; body safety policies address the way in which all people should behave. It defines the audience to which the information security policy applies and identifies those audiences that are outside the scope of the information security policy. Exabeam's security operations platform applies artificial intelligence and automation to security operations workflows to take a holistic approach to combating cyber threats and providing the most effective threat detection, investigation and response (TDIR). 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.
The Varonis data security platform can be a perfect complement to designing, implementing and adjusting your security policies. An information security policy is a formal high-level statement or plan that encompasses an organization's general beliefs, objectives, goals, and acceptable procedures regarding information security. Management should consider the areas where security is most important and prioritize their actions accordingly; however, it is important to contact all departments to learn about potential security breaches and ways to protect against them. Below are examples of square security policy measures that organizations use around the world to protect their vital assets and resources.
To ensure that their staff and other users follow security policies and processes, organizations must adopt an information security policy. Security policies are an essential component of an information security program and must be properly designed, implemented and enforced.
