In this introduction to ISO 27001 Policies for Information Security you will learn
- What ISO 27001 Policies for Information Security are
- Introductory compliance guidance
I am Stuart Barker and this is ISO 27001 Policies for Information Security Explained Simply.
Table of contents
ISO 27001 Policies for Information Security
Policies are a foundation stone of an information security management system. They are approved by senior management and outline an organisation’s approach to safeguarding sensitive data. Furthermore, they include both high-level and low-level guidelines, ensuring that all employees understand their responsibilities in maintaining data confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Subsequently, policy reviews, stakeholder communication, and a formal change management process are crucial for maintaining the effectiveness of this critical element of an organisation’s information security management system.
Basically they are intended to ensure the ongoing suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of management direction and support for information security, aligning with all applicable business, legal, statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
Who owns it?
The Senior leadership team is responsible for developing, approving, and implementing appropriate information security policies.
Compliance Guidance
The following is compliance guidance for Policies for Information Security.
Organisations must have an “information security policy” approved by top management. This policy outlines the organisation’s approach to managing information security.
Policy Requirements
The policy should address:
- Business needs: Align with business strategies and requirements.
- Legal and contractual obligations: Comply with all relevant laws, regulations, and contracts.
- Security risks: Consider current and potential threats to information security.
The policy should include statements on:
- Defining information security: Clearly define what constitutes information security for the organisation.
- Setting security objectives: Establish clear information security goals or a framework for setting them.
- Guiding principles: Outline principles for all information security activities.
- Compliance: Commit to meeting all applicable information security requirements.
- Continuous improvement: Commit to ongoing improvement of the information security management system.
- Responsibilities: Assign responsibility for information security management to specific roles.
- Handling exceptions: Establish procedures for handling exceptions to security policies.
Top management must approve any changes to the main policy.
Topic Specific Policies
Topic-specific policies provide more detailed guidance on implementing specific security controls. These policies should align with and support the main information security policy.
Examples of topic-specific policies include:
- Access control
- Physical security
- Asset management
- Data transfer
- Device security
- Network security
- Incident management
- Data backup
- Cryptography
- Data classification
- Vulnerability management
- Secure development
Policy Review
Relevant personnel with the necessary authority and expertise should develop, review, and approve topic-specific policies.
Regular policy reviews are essential. These reviews should assess:
- Changes to the organisation’s business strategy.
- Changes in the organisation’s technology.
- Updates to laws, regulations, and contracts.
- Evolving security risks and threats.
- Lessons learned from security incidents.
Management reviews and audits should inform policy review processes.
Policy Communication
Communication is key. Policies must be communicated to all relevant personnel and stakeholders in a clear, accessible, and understandable format. Recipients should acknowledge their understanding and agreement to comply.
The organisation can choose the format and names for these policy documents. Topic-specific policies can be called standards, directives, or other suitable names.
When distributing policies outside the organisation, care must be taken to protect confidential information
Supplementary Guidance
Topic-specific policies can vary across organisations.
Table 1: Information Security Policy vs. Topic-Specific Policies
| Information security policy | Topic-specific policy | |
|---|---|---|
| Level of detail | General or high-level | Specific and detailed |
| Documented and formally approved by | Top management | Appropriate level of management |
ISO 27001 Policy Templates
The following are prewritten and fully ISO 27001 compliant ISO 27001 Policy Templates.
