For many businesses, IT infrastructures have expanded so much that they seem to have no boundaries. Many employees work remotely or in a hybrid model. Cloud-based services have become the norm. Edge computing and the Internet of Things continue to grow.
All of this can be good from the point of view of keeping employees happy, increasing access to data for those who need it, and improving data analysis, among other benefits. But it can also increase cybersecurity risks. Because of this, organizations should revisit their IT policies to see if they need updating, and should remain vigilant in defining new policies as new technology use cases arise.
Here are some important IT policies to consider defining your organization to ensure a more secure business.
Acceptable use policy
It is one of the cornerstones of any cybersecurity program: ensuring the proper use of IT assets across businesses. Acceptable use policies define what organizations determine as acceptable uses of their assets and data. Briefly, this policy describes what is expected of employees while using company property.
By giving users guidelines on what they can do and limits on how they do things, businesses can reduce risk.
“When it comes to IT policies, one of the most important areas to address is the acceptable use of assets and data, including user behavior,” said Esther Strauss, founder of Step by Step Business, a provider of creative Internet guides. businesses.
“This policy is critical to maintaining the integrity and security of an organization’s IT infrastructure,” Strauss said. “An acceptable use policy sets clear guidelines for how employees can use company resources, such as computers, networks, and data.”
This policy is important for several reasons, Strauss said. First, it helps prevent misuse of resources, which can lead to security breaches. “For example, employees may download malicious software by visiting unauthorized websites or use unsecured personal devices,” Strauss said.
For one, an effective usage policy helps protect sensitive data. “It provides guidelines for how data should be handled, stored and transmitted,” Strauss said. “This is important to ensure compliance with data protection laws.”
Policy for using AI
Artificial intelligence continues to grow in importance for many organizations, but the technology is not without risks and users need guidance on how to use the tools and data properly.
“Businesses need to start defining clear policies for the acceptable use of AI,” said Ari Harrison, director of IT at BAMKO, a provider of promotional products. “If there are policies in place about data processing, they should be updated to include specifics about AI” large language models (LLMs). “For example, policies should clearly state that tools such as ChatGPT for company information are strictly prohibited,” he said.
It’s important not only to have acceptable AI usage policies but also to enforce them with defined safeguards, Harrison said. “Microsoft Defender can now track, warn, and block the use of LLMs, ensuring compliance with these policies,” he said. “Implementing these measures helps prevent unauthorized data use and potential security breaches.”
More and more companies are incorporating LLMs while ensuring that these types are not trained in their proprietary data, Harrison said. “This approach helps to avoid risks and maintain control over the use of AI within the organization,” he said.
Using the recently released ISO 42001 AI certification framework can significantly improve an organization’s approach to managing AI, Harrison said. ISO 42001 is specifically designed for AI. “The framework presents a systematic model for managing AI risks and provides a secure approach to AI implementation,” he said.
Data management policy, including data classification
Protecting data, especially highly sensitive information, is an important part of any IT policy strategy.
Companies should have a data protection and privacy policy in place to ensure compliance with data protection laws and protect personal data, says Kayne McGladrey, CISO risk management software provider Hyperproof and an IEEE senior member.
This should include data collection, processing, and storage guidelines;
methods of enforcing policies; security controls for data storage and transmission; and data breach response procedures.
In addition, businesses need a data retention and disposal policy to establish guidelines for storing and safely disposing of data, McGladrey said.
This should include data retention schedules based on data classification; procedures for securely disposing of data no longer required for legitimate business purposes; compliance with legal and regulatory requirements for data retention; and documentation and audit trails of data disposal activities.
Incident response policy
Security teams need to be prepared to respond quickly when any type of breach or other attack occurs. How long it takes to react can mean the difference between thwarting an attack before it does damage and having a major incident.
An incident response policy outlines how to manage and respond to cyber security incidents, McGladrey said.
This should include an explanation of what the event means; roles and responsibilities of the incident response team; steps for incident detection, analysis, containment, containment, and recovery; mandatory reporting windows and contact information for reporting entities; and incident review processes and developments, McGladrey said.
Incident response can be part of a general information security policy that establishes a framework for managing and protecting a company’s information assets, McGladrey said. This should include the objectives and scope of information security, roles and responsibilities related to information security, general security principles and procedures.
Unified and remote access policy
The pandemic changed work models forever, and it is now common for employees to work from home or another remote location at least part of the time. The hybrid/remote model is likely here to stay, and it brings its own set of security challenges.
Among the most common risks are expanded attack surfaces, non-compliance with data privacy laws, increased vulnerability to phishing and other attacks, and improperly secured devices and networks used to access business systems and data.
Organizations need to set policies regarding remote data access. ““Remote access has evolved from an after-hours system management tool to an integral part of modern operations in all industries over the past five years,” said Leon Lewis, CIO at Shaw University. “Information, software, and settings must be easily accessible in the digital age, to be successful [corporate] goals.
Today’s organizations must balance network security with accessibility, Lewis said. Due to increased regulations in financial services, health care, and other sectors, as well as evolving privacy and data protection laws around the world, this task is difficult, Lewis said.
“Remote access solutions allow employees, students, and customers to access resources from anywhere while protecting sensitive data,” Lewis said. “By following strict security rules, firms can protect their infrastructure and encourage innovation.”
Meeting the growing needs of stakeholders, whether they are students and staff in education, patients and medical staff in healthcare, as well as customers and employees in the corporate world, requires secure remote access, Lewis said. He says: “Accessibility and data protection must be balanced with high-quality services and compliance with the law. “Security and accessibility help the next generation of professionals succeed and thrive.”
Source link