Top FAQs on Designing, Writing & Maintaining Effective Security Policies

Cyber criminals aren’t going anywhere, and you need to have a solid security infrastructure in place to maintain the integrity of your digital assets. This should always begin with the creation of effective security policies.

Sound security policies form the heart of the security mechanism used in your organization. Without an established set of security policies in place, the very foundation of your security system is crumbling, and malicious elements will certainly take advantage of such a glaring weakness.

However, it is very common to see organizations operating without a well-defined security policy in place. This is often because effective security policies are complicated to frame and maintain. This is why many businesses choose to forgo this very essential step.

Nothing could constitute a greater mistake.

An effective set of security policies acts as a guiding light. They not only help in times of actual security breaches but also help to prevent them from occurring in the first place. To help your business design, write and maintain effective security policies, here are some top FAQs.

Do I Actually Need to Put the Security Policy in Writing? 

You should. And by writing we don’t mean you have to write it all out with pen and paper! But be sure to have a well – documented physical copy of your security policy handy to help you in times of need. Often, important security decisions can be made with the help of this document.

Which Employees Should Know About the Policies?

The policies should be shared with all levels of employees across the entire organization. Not only that, third-party vendors and business associates should also be made aware of the security policies that are in effect in your organization. This helps to maintain uniformity in security practices.

Should Security Policies Conform to Regulatory Requirements?

Making sure that your security policies conform to legal regulations is one of the best things you can do in designing your security policies. In case you are an organization that handles personal information such as PHI, you are required to have proper security policies in place that conform to those requirements. Further, the presence of a well- documented security policy set can also help in minimizing fines and other liabilities in case of a breach.

Can I Hire Someone to Write Security Policies for Me?

You can always seek the help of professionals who are experienced in the formulation of security policies. This can go a long way towards ensuring your organization is fully protected.

How Long Will My Present Set of Policies Remain Useful?

The technological landscape is ever – changing, and consequently so are your security requirements. To ensure that your security policies are relevant and up to date, consider reviewing and revising them periodically. This will help guarantee that they are still worth following.

We hope the above answers will be able to help you in formulating the security policies for your organization.