The information security plan for companies: how to create it

A well-executed information security plan is invaluable to any company and can make all the difference in today's digital environment.

Behind the information security plan are objectives as important and varied as the protection of the company' s critical assets, its reputation or regulatory compliance, among many others. It is therefore a fundamental strategic investment, ensuring that the company places the protection of its business at the center and lays the foundations for a true culture of cybersecurity.

In this context, we take a look at what exactly an information security plan is, its importance, what its key elements are and a step-by-step guide to implementing it.

What is an information security plan?

An information security plan is a set of measures and policies designed to protect an organization against IT threats.

It is a plan that encompasses cybersecurity in a comprehensive manner and therefore covers a wide variety of aspects: from intrusion prevention, to attack detection, incident response and recovery and business continuity in the event of a security compromise.

At the same time, it is worth mentioning that the information security plan is often governed by the ISO 27032 standard, which serves as a tool for planning the actions needed to armor an organization.

Objectives

• Protect critical assets
• To guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of the organization's sensitive information.
• Ensure the availability of systems against denial-of-service attacks or other failures
• Control and verify identities for users and systems in accessing the organization's resources
• Logging, auditing and monitoring of user activities
• Ensure compliance with regulations and legal standards
• Lay the foundation for recovery and cyber resilience in the event of compromise
• Put in place awareness and training plans to educate employees on information security policies and best practices, fostering a culture of cybersecurity
• Preserve the organization's reputation and ensure business continuity even after a cybersecurity incident has occurred

Importance: why the information security plan is crucial

The information security plan is an essential tool in a field such as cybersecurity, which requires action on many different fronts.

For example, actions to ensure secure software installation and maintenance have little to do with training activities. However, they all fall within the same framework, that of cybersecurity. In this context, the information security plan acts as a structure and skeleton, capable of giving coherence to all actions related to cybersecurity.

Likewise, incident prevention or mitigation resulting from an effective plan is essential to avoid the huge economic costs often associated with this type of attack. In this sense, a well-implemented information security plan represents a strategic investment to save costs and prevent reputational problems.

How to create an information security plan?

Key aspects to be included in the plan

Asset identification and classification

All of the organization's critical information assets must be identified and cataloged. It is necessary to have complete visibility over the entire set of digital assets (hardware, software, systems and data) but also to understand which are most valuable, called the crown jewels, so that protection efforts can be prioritized.

Risk assessment

The plan should also incorporate a risk assessment, so that potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect the security of the information assets listed in the previous section are analyzed.

Security policies

This point deals with establishing the rules to be followed to protect the organization's information assets. A variety of actions will be determined here (from establishing access policies based on IAM, to data encryption or any other technical measure) that will need to be implemented to safeguard the information and systems.

It is also here that the responsibilities around policy implementation are determined, so that roles are well defined.

These policies should be clear and easily understood by all employees, and mechanisms should also be put in place to achieve true cybersecurity awareness and a culture of cybersecurity.

Technical controls and security measures

These are the tools and technologies capable of implementing the security policies established in the previous point. Examples include the deployment of firewalls, intrusion detection systems, or antivirus, among other actions.

It is recommended that mention be made in the document of the degree of maturity of these tools, adding an additional point of visibility into the state of cybersecurity in the organization.

Compliance policies

The plan should also incorporate the methods and actions to ensure compliance with regulatory and normative aspects. In this specific point it is particularly helpful to address the ISO/IEC 27002:2022 standard.

Incident response plan

An essential element of the information security plan, it sets out the procedures to be followed in the event of a security incident. Therefore, it details aspects such as roles and responsibilities within the organization to deal with the incident, as well as notification procedures and possible corrective actions.

Employee training and awareness

Managing the human element is critical to protecting an organization. In short, the plan should outline what actions will be put in place to ensure that everyone in the organization is aware of the security policies and understands how to comply with them on a day-to-day basis. In addition to training actions, the ultimate goal should be to establish a cybersecurity culture that recognizes digital protection as a priority for the organization.

Key steps to create an information security plan.

1. Information asset assessment

Identify and classify the organization's critical information assets, relating to data, intellectual property, key systems, devices, and so on.

An essential first step, bearing in mind that each of them may be exposed to a specific threat or intrinsic risk.

2. Establish the scope of the plan

It is possible to apply the plan to a specific area of the organization, although, in general, a common scope is to prioritize sets of systems or processes according to their criticality. This allows for more in-depth measures to be taken and focuses on ensuring business continuity.

3. Identification of threats and vulnerabilities

This involves identifying cybersecurity risks that may affect assets, including, among others, external and internal threats, technological and human risks.

It is at this point that cybersecurity audits stand out, capable of detecting vulnerabilities in order to support the subsequent implementation of corrective measures.

4. Risk assessment

At this point, the impact and probability of occurrence of each identified threat and vulnerability must be determined. This is key because it allows prioritizing efforts and resources according to objective risk levels.

In the risk assessment comes the moment to put on the table the risks that, according to the specific needs of the organization, are unacceptable, so that the appropriate measures can then be implemented.

5. Definition of objectives

On the basis of the information gathered, the objectives to be met through the information security plan must be established. These serve as a guide for determining which actions are to be implemented and where to prioritize efforts.

This is also the time to determine the requirements regarding compliance with standards and legal provisions, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

6. Policy development and implementation

After the preliminary steps, it is time to establish the security policies and procedures that will be put in place to protect the organization's assets.

Some of the most common elements and projects that are delineated in security policies include:

• Access policies
• Password management
• Data encryption
• Management commitment
• Best practices for use of assets such as internet, mobile devices or email
• Key aspects of data protection
• ICT continuity plan
• Training and awareness actions for personnel and management
• Backup policies
• Regulation of services provided by third parties
• Creation of incident response plan
• Implementation of security controls and measures

7. Planning, implementation and monitoring

Once the key elements for corporate information security have been identified, it is necessary, as a last step, to plan the actions to be taken to align the risks with the identified security requirements. This planning, which results in the information security plan itself, must be fulfilled over time. To guarantee this compliance, S2 Grupo recommends continuous monitoring of the execution, measuring its results and identifying deviations in time, so that they can be corrected.

As we have just seen, the process to create the information security plan covers a multitude of aspects and facets to take into account, all with the aim of creating a real seamless shield for organizations.

Cybersecurity involves a complex field of knowledge that is also constantly evolving. In a way, companies only have in their favor the ability to prepare themselves proactively and through robust cybersecurity measures based on an understanding of the real threats.

In this process, it is essential to have cybersecurity experts capable of bringing experience and expertise to the creation of a truly useful information security plan.

Beyond creating the plan as such, involving experts means knowing how to apply all aspects of the plan rigorously and efficiently, so that the controls and protection measures are truly effective.

From the implementation of audits to the development of a plan for cybersecurity culture and regulatory compliance actions, it is a matter of acting productively on a wide variety of aspects. In this sense, the help of cybersecurity professionals stands out to develop and implement an information security plan with real results for the organization.

At S2 Grupo we work to become the cybersecurity allies that companies need in today's changing and complex digital landscape. With two decades of experience behind us, we position ourselves as a reference company in Europe and LATAM in cybersecurity, cyberintelligence and cyberdefense.

A glance at our cybersecurity solutions reveals a portfolio of services ready to accompany organizations in all their protection needs.

Proof of this is our success story on the implementation of a comprehensive cybersecurity master plan, a read that provides further context on what to expect from the process of developing such a plan and what our role is in the process.

Want to learn more about how to implement an information security plan that's right for your organization? At S2 Grupo we can help you. Contact us and find out how.