Have you heard about Information Security Governance (ISG)? What is it? And how do you make an effective one for your business?
If you want to know more, keep on reading.
Information Security Governance
Information Security Governance or ISG. This is a system that controls the company’s information security (Infosec) activities. Thus, it directs the way they take care of their Infosec.
Further, ISG has three main aims:
- aligning Infosec goals and plans with the business goals and plans
- delivering value to stakeholders, employees, and customers
- keeping risks at bay
So, to reach these, you need to know what makes a good ISG. Get to know its principles and put them into practice.
What, then, are these principles?
Information Security Governance Principles
Install Infosec All Throughout
First, you need to install Infosec in your whole company. Do not choose only a few teams to follow policies and more.
You need to create unity. Why? Because it can keep your company safe from any attacks and accidents. Thus, protecting your vital data.
Also, one of the ways to do this is to assign roles that everyone must play. Then, make them responsible for any actions they take.
Risk-based Approach
Making decisions about Infosec needs to be on the basis of risk. Take note that you cannot take away all the risks.
And doing steps to ensure security is also a risk. So, make sure you take note of the risks first and see if you can handle those.
Also, make sure to have strong security risk management to help you out.
Investment Decisions
Next up is planning the direction of your investments. Where do you want to go? How do you want to go there?
To find the right investment, you need to have a good plan. Base it on where you want to go and what your goals are.
Ensure that your Infosec plan aligns with your processes.
Internal and External Compliance
Your Infosec will also need to follow any laws and regulations. So, you need to keep up when new ones arise.
May it be internal or external ones. Like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is vital so you do not lose face in front of your customers.
But also for you to not face any fines in the future.
Positive Security Environment
The human factor in Infosec is very crucial. It sets the tone of your ISG and helps you keep strong security throughout.
So, make sure you train and educate everyone about Infosec from the top-down. Thus, letting them build strong security habits.
Performance Analysis
The last one is analyzing your Infosec performance. See how it can fare with threats. Then find out what impact it can have on your business once it fails to deliver value.
If you see any weak spots, go ahead and find ways to solve them. Do constant tweaks and improvements.
Make the Right One
So, these are the key principles for a good ISG. Make sure you follow these six to ensure you have a strong ISG installed.
