Writing And Managing An IT Security Plan
IT systems are vulnerable to attacks. It is imperative for businesses to create comprehensive IT security plans, in order to ensure that the IT systems, and data they use is safeguarded against potential threats.
The objective of an IT security plan is to determine how vulnerable your systems are to threats. Your IT security plan should help you identify the flaws in the existing security system and provide contingency plans for potential security compromises.
Additionally, it is important for businesses to draft their IT security plans in tune with the data policies of the country, such as the Data Protection Act, 1998. All important aspects related to IT software and hardware should be included in the plans, in addition to policies regarding data usage by any third party IT support London services.
Preparing And Maintaining The Perfect IT Security Plan
Do you provide or use managed IT support in London? Do you have any data security policies in place? If no, it’s time to create a detailed IT security plan.
• Take stock of your IT assets
From smart phones to data centers, your IT assets could include a wide range of systems. Your IT could also be intangible assets in the form of patents, intellectual property and data. The first step in the creation of an IT security plan is to identify what constitutes your list of IT assets and what are the possible security threats associated with each.
• Undertake a comprehensive risk assessment
Identify areas that are vulnerable to security compromises and narrow down the reasons for the same. This will help you get a 360 degree view of your existing IT security system and will help you set the necessary contingency plans in place.
• Choose a trusted adviser to draft the security plan
An experienced personnel or company adviser should be chosen to create the IT security plan. Your IT security is sensitive information and no one other than those you allow, should be privy to this knowledge.
• Have an implementable disaster recovery plan
Every company, irrespective of whether they provide or use IT support, should have a disaster recovery plan in place. The plan should be created by trusted people when they are in a calm frame of mind and are unencumbered by threats to IT security. It is advisable to utilize the services of expert business IT services to draft your recovery plans, as their extensive experience in the field of business IT will make them best placed to assist you in your security needs.
• Update your plan as your business evolves
As your business grows, so will your data and IT requirements. This will put your IT systems at a greater risk. In order to cope with the ever changing needs of the business, IT security plans need to be dynamically updated and changed. Reviewing the policies every half-yearly or yearly will help you identify any vulnerabilities in the plan and will help you analyze success of implementation.
• Communicate your plan to all personnel
From your security staff to senior level management, every single personnel should be educated about IT security. In fact, employees must be trained on what constitutes an IT security breach, how to identify it, what to do in case of a security vulnerability and who to report the incident to.
If you are using third party technical support for any of your business functions, be sure to keep them in the loop about the security measures you intend to implement. At the end of the day, success of your IT security plan lies on its implementation by your personnel.