Security policies and procedures are highly important to any business with data in its possession. In this blog, 777 Networks discusses the benefits of implementing information security policies and procedures into your business. 

 

So what are the benefits of information security procedures? The main benefits of information security policies and procedures include increasing security, complying with data protection laws and maintaining a positive reputation for your business. Having these procedures in place means everyone in the business knows the correct steps to take. 

 

Read on to find out more about the benefits of information security procedures.

How Can Information Security Policies and Procedures Benefit Business?

Any business that has sensitive information in its possession is required to protect it from unauthorised access, theft and damage. You are also required to make sure that all data is up to date and easily available upon request from the original owner. This is where information security policies and procedures are the ideal solution. Here are some of the ways information security policies and procedures can benefit your business:

Increases Security

Having an information security policy in place ensures all members of the business are aware of the steps to take in the event of a disaster. It provides an opportunity to identify potential security risks and create a clear plan of action to avoid breaches and what to do if a breach occurs. These steps should be relayed to the entire team to avoid weak links in the business’ security. Examples of points to include are regularly updated, unique passwords, restricted access to data and documentation. 

Avoid Fines or Penalties

To avoid fines and penalties for your business, you must comply with laws surrounding data protection including The Data Protection Act. implementing information security policies and procedures into the business is the first step in ensuring compliance. We have a full blog available on how companies can prevent security breaches and comply with data protection laws, therefore avoiding fines and penalties.

Maintains Positive Reputation

Being transparent and honest with your customers, clients and stakeholders is the ideal way to maintain a positive reputation for your business. When it comes to information security, although you can take steps to protect the data within your possession, unfortunately mistakes and incidents do occur. The first step is to identify the source of the error so it can be resolved and prevented in the future. Then you must inform any affected parties so they can take necessary action to protect their devices and accounts from any further malicious activity. Attempting to hide security breaches can be a costly mistake if it is ever discovered as this can portray your business as untrustworthy.

What Are the Different Types of Information Security Policies and Procedures?

There are many types of information policies and procedures that can be implemented into a business to ensure sensitive data, software and hardware are protected from breaches. These can include but are not limited to:

 

Remote Working Employees are working from home more and more each year, meaning you need a plan for protecting their devices and data. You can implement a remote working policy that includes the use of public Wi-Fi, how to securely access sensitive data and how devices should be stored.
Secure Passwords Weak passwords are a common cause of data breaches. A password policy can guide your employees in how to set up secure passwords such as using a mnemonic to remember obscure passwords. Other important things to include is that passwords should not be anything that can be easily guessed based on personal information (names, birthdays, etc) or stored/written down in an easily accessible location.
Portable media Removable devices from an unknown source should never be used as this is an easy way for malware to impact devices. This can then spread across a businesses entire IT system. To minimise the risk of this occurring in your business, you can completely ban removable devices, or if this is not an option, introduce a policy where these devices are limited in use. 

 

How Do You Implement Information Security Policies and Procedures into Your Business?

To create effective information security policies and procedures in your business, you should start with choosing the appropriate policy for your business’ requirements. The different types of security policy include program, issue-specific and system-specific. In this blog, we will focus on program policies, which are the highest level of policy and cover the entire information security program. 

An information security policy should set clear expectations of what is required of all employees to protect data within their possession. This provides them with the knowledge, training and tools required to effectively deal with security threats. These policies should also include preventative measures to hopefully stop breaches before they occur. Another important aspect of information security policies is that they should be continuously updated with new procedures where necessary, then passed on to the team so everyone follows the same policies. 

IT Security at 777 Networks

At 777 Networks, we understand the importance of managing your IT security so you can focus on your important work. We provide your business with the tools and technologies and help you set up an effective IT security strategy. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you business. 

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