Organizations often need guidance on creating IT Security Policies. This article addresses common questions about policy purpose, content, and implementation to help you develop effective security documentation.
What Are IT Security Policies?
IT Security Policies are written documents that outline the standards your company will use to protect its data, employees, and customers. These documents function as organizational standards guides, similar to constitutional frameworks, detailing both required and prohibited actions regarding:
- Data handling and protection
- Technology deployment
- Software development practices
- Access control procedures
- Incident response protocols
What's in a Policy Name?
The terms "IT Security Policy," "Information Security Policy," "Technology Security Policy," "IT Policy Set," and "Security Policies" are used interchangeably in practice. They all describe comprehensive written policies defining company security standards.
How to Organize Your Policies
Organizations can structure policies in various ways:
- Single comprehensive document - One large document containing multiple policies as sections or chapters
- Individual policy documents - Separate documents for each policy area
- Control family groupings - Organizing by control families (common with FISMA/FedRAMP approaches)
The best approach is whichever method is easiest for your organization to maintain and update over time.
What Goes Into a Policy?
Security policies should address high-level requirements without becoming bogged down in specific technologies or software. For example, a backup policy should specify:
- Backup frequency requirements
- Recovery time objectives (RTO)
- Recovery point objectives (RPO)
- Retention periods
Rather than naming particular software tools or machines, policies should be technology-agnostic to remain relevant as systems change.
Why Do You Need Security Policies?
Policies serve multiple critical functions:
- Define rules - Establish clear technology and security guidelines
- Align goals - Create common organizational objectives around security
- Standardize practices - Ensure consistent system security across departments
- Simplify configuration - Provide clear standards for system setup
- Reduce overhead - Decrease personnel resources needed for security oversight
Example: If one department backs up systems every 12 hours while another uses weekly schedules, you have inconsistent standards that complicate disaster recovery efforts. Policies eliminate this ambiguity.
How to Write IT Security Policies
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements
Start with applicable laws or regulations for your industry:
- Healthcare organizations - Focus on HIPAA compliance
- Payment processors - Address PCI-DSS standards
- Government contractors - Follow NIST 800-171 or CMMC requirements
- General organizations - Consider neutral frameworks like CIS v8 or ISO 27001
Step 2: Define Your Organization Structure
Select an easily understood structure such as single documents per control family or topic area.
Step 3: Create Policy Outlines
Define what each policy covers and map compliance controls to specific policy statements.
Step 4: Use Plain Language
Keep your language simple. Policies should be written in very plain language and should be easily readable and understandable by any future readers. Avoid legal jargon—policies function as usable operational documents for employee reference.
Can You Use Policy Templates?
Templates available online may satisfy compliance checkboxes but provide limited practical value. Here's why custom policies are better:
- Relevance - Effective policies reflect your specific organizational needs
- Usability - Custom policies serve as functional guides for daily employee work
- Legal standing - Policies carry legal importance for compliance requirements (HIPAA, CCPA, CMMC 2.0)
- Insurance coverage - May factor into cyber insurance coverage determinations
Key Considerations
When developing your IT security policies, keep in mind:
- Policy development from scratch requires significant time investment
- Comprehensive outlines expedite the creation process
- Policies require regular maintenance as living documents
- Custom policies better serve organizations than generic templates
- Review and update policies at least annually or when significant changes occur
Developing effective IT security policies is an investment in your organization's security posture and compliance readiness. Whether you're starting from scratch or updating existing documentation, well-crafted policies provide the foundation for consistent, effective security practices across your entire organization.