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What is the difference between Information Security and Cyber Security? How are they the same?

Infosec is a broad topic relating to the security of Data whilst Cybersec is the virtual aspect of data and security in the cyber world. The biggest similarity between both is that they are aimed at securing data from unwanted access.

What are the emerging trends and threats in the field of information security, and how can organizations prepare for them?

Based on our previous classes I would say the biggest emerging trend is how AI is being used for threat detection and response to those threats. Investing into this technology early and making it part of your day-to-day business is a way of preventing other AI threats and growing into the effective use of AI.

How can organizations balance the need for information security with the need for employee access and productivity?

There are two big methods I found, the first one being Multi-Factor authentication, requiring more than one piece of evidence to prove someone's access rights. The second method is Continuous monitoring, where you implement a Continuous Monitoring system that is able to identify and respond to threats as they appear.

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Contributor, Deputy Editor

It's easy to confuse information security (infosec) and cybersecurity, as the two areas overlap in many ways. In fact, cybersecurity is a subset of information security. However, the fields are not quite the same, with each featuring distinct specialties and requiring different skill sets.

Even within the infosec and cybersecurity communities, the distinction between these terms is hotly debated and can be blurry. Many people use "information security" and "cybersecurity" interchangeably. However, understanding the textbook definitions of these terms can help you gain a deeper understanding of how the disciplines compare and interact.

Read on to learn more about the similarities and differences between information security and cybersecurity.

Information Security vs. Cybersecurity

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recognizes information security and cybersecurity as separate career areas. That said, there is certainly an overlap between the two. Below are the key definitions and distinctions of each.

What Is Information Security?

According to NIST, infosec's core function is to safeguard information and information systems against unauthorized access and use. Unauthorized use as NIST defines it can include destroying, modifying or disclosing data, as well as disrupting the functioning of an information system.

The field aims to provide confidentiality, integrity and availability-three guiding principles that form a model commonly referred to as the CIA triad among industry professionals.

One way to understand infosec as compared to cybersecurity is to view the field as an umbrella term that includes all data, not just data stored within cyberspace. Infosec extends its protective umbrella not only over digitally-stored data, but also other forms of data, such as paper-based information. This demonstrates how cybersecurity is a type of information security, but the two fields are not identical.

Information security teams create and implement policies and systems to protect information. For large organizations, strict security systems and standard operating procedures are required to protect customers.

What Is Cybersecurity?

Living in the 21st century means much of an organization's data is stored in computer systems and networks. This is the case for nearly every industry, and the information must be protected to a high degree. Information security professionals with a cybersecurity focus are responsible for securing this digital data.

NIST defines cybersecurity as protecting, preventing damage to and restoring electronic communications services and systems. This includes the information stored in these systems, which cybersecurity professionals work to protect.

Cybersecurity covers everything that has to do with electronic systems and communications. Within the field of cybersecurity are subcategories that entail further specialization. These include areas such as cloud, network, endpoint, and critical infrastructure security.

The Biggest Differences

Confusion between information security and cybersecurity can occur since much of the information we want to store, protect and transmit exists in cyberspace. While cybersecurity is a part of information security, certain aspects of information security are not included within the realm of cybersecurity.

Information security is an overarching term for creating and maintaining systems and policies to protect any information-digital, physical or intellectual, not just data in cyberspace.

An information security expert may develop the means of data access by authorized individuals or establish security measures to keep information safe. Cybersecurity, on the other hand, focuses on protecting information from cyberattacks and threats such as ransomware and spyware.

How Information Security and Cybersecurity Overlap

Cybersecurity leader and SimSpace CISO Jordan Wigley points out, "While there are technically differences between infosec and cybersecurity, many industry professionals have begun using the terms interchangeably. It is important to pay attention to the context in which the terms are used in order to understand the true meaning by an individual or publication."

It's understandable that information security and cybersecurity are often treated as synonymous, since these fields overlap in many ways. In addition to having similar security practices, these disciplines also require similar education and skills.

"While there are technically differences between infosec and cybersecurity, many industry professionals have begun using the terms interchangeably. It is important to pay attention to the context in which the terms are used in order to understand the true meaning by an individual or publication." -Jordan Wigley, SimSpace CISO

Shared Security Practices

The most significant overlap between infosec and cybersecurity is that they use the CIA (confidentiality, integrity and availability of information) triad model to develop security policies.

The first of the triad is confidentiality, ensuring that information is only accessed and modifiable by authorized users. From a consumer perspective, for example, we expect online retailers to store and protect our data such as credit card information, home addresses and other personal information.

Second, the integrity of information ensures that it has not been tampered with and is entirely reliable. Continuing with the online retailer example, the data transmitted between the retailer and your bank must be secure. Otherwise, there may be a discrepancy between the actual cost of your goods and the amount you paid.

Finally, availability of information means that the data is available when you need it. For example, if you need to know how much money you have in your bank account, you must be able to access that information.

Related Education and Skills

At a minimum, many careers in infosec and cybersecurity require a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, computer science, information technology or a related field. These degrees prepare you with foundational knowledge and skills to help you land a job as an analyst, engineer, specialist or tester.

These careers also call for familiarity with technologies such as database user interface and query software, network monitoring software, virus protection and web platform development.

Common Careers

Many information security and cybersecurity careers use similar or interchangeable language in their job descriptions. This is because employers often want infosec professionals with a broad array of security skills, including those in cybersecurity.

Information Security Roles

We reference salary data from Payscale and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in this section.
Information Security Analyst

Career Overview: With so much of our valuable information stored on computers, information security analysts often perform similar tasks to cybersecurity analysts. These professionals are responsible for planning, implementing, upgrading and monitoring security measures to protect computer networks and information. They may also create and share reports about security metrics and data breaches.

Average Annual Salary: About $112,000

Information Security Specialist

Career Overview: An information security specialist's role is similar to that of an information security analyst. While day-to-day duties may vary depending on the specific position, these professionals are part of teams that develop and implement information risk management frameworks, standards and policies. They also participate in risk assessments and assist users in accessing databases.

Average Annual Salary: Around $82,000

IT Security Consultant

Career Overview: As an IT security consultant, you use your infosec experience to assess and recommend improvements to an organization's information security. Your responsibilities may include supporting, implementing and following up on data privacy improvements, identity access management systems, cybersecurity management and operations.

Average Annual Salary: Over $88,000

Cybersecurity Roles
Cybersecurity Analyst

Career Overview: Cybersecurity analysts focus on protecting data from cyberattacks. These professionals perform threat and incident detection and respond to data breaches. Depending on the employer, cybersecurity analysts may develop cybersecurity awareness training and forensic analysis of information systems.

Average Annual Salary: Around $81,000

Cybersecurity Engineer

Career Overview: A cybersecurity engineer's role is expansive, overseeing the development of cybersecurity procedures and policies. This job includes building and maintaining firewalls to ensure secure transmission of information, developing security controls to protect digital files and monitoring and responding to security breaches. If you're wondering how to become a cybersecurity engineer, start with a bachelor's degree or cybersecurity bootcamp.

Average Annual Salary: Around $102,000

Penetration Tester

Career Overview: Penetration testers hackers with good intentions whose efforts improve information protection practices. Through simulated internal and external cyberattacks, these professionals breach and exploit systems and gain access to sensitive information to identify vulnerabilities. They then design and suggest security solutions to address said vulnerabilities. Pen testers also find system weaknesses and suggest improvements to bolster defenses against malicious attacks.

Average Annual Salary: Around $94,000

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Information Security vs. Cybersecurity

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Information Security Vs. Cybersecurity: What's The Difference?

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It's easy to confuse information security (infosec) and cybersecurity, as the two areas overlap in many ways. In fact, cybersecurity is a subset of information security. However, the fields are not quite the same, with each featuring distinct specialties and requiring different skill sets. Even w

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Cyber Attack and Implications and Responses 

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Cyber Attack and Implications and Responses 

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What are the potential consequences and implications of cyber-attacks on organizations, and how can organizations prioritize cybersecurity efforts to protect  data?

Data and information can be leaked which can lead to financial losses, operational disruption, and most importantly loss of customer trust and a good reputation.

In order to prioritize cybersecurity it is important to look at the risk assesment and implement security controls. You can also implement employee training and awarness to prevent the issue before it happens.

How can organizations effectively respond to ransomware and cyber  attacks, and what are the key factors to consider in developing an incident response plan?

When planning and preparing for a ransomware attack it is important to establish a incident and response team with a direct plan to ensure a coordinated response.

A key factor to consider is definng a object and scope of individually focus on data that may be impacted and what to do if that data is impacted. From there it is easier to design a response plan.

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Information Security Policy and Planning - Key Considerations

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Information Security Policy and Planning - Key Considerations

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1. Risk Assessment

1. Identifying threats, vulnerabilities, and potential impacts to inform the prioritization of security measures.

2. Compliance Requirements

1. Organizations must be aware of and adhere to relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards that impact their information security practices

3. Security Awareness and Training

1. Regular training on security policies, procedures, and threat awareness is essential.

4. Data Encryption and Protection

1. Encrypting sensitive information both at rest and in transit helps in protecting it from unauthorized access.

5. Access Control

1. Determining who has access to what information and ensuring that access levels are appropriately assigned and monitored is vital for preventing unauthorized access.

Balancing security measures with user convenience and productivity

1. Implement security tools and procedures that are user-friendly and integrate seamlessly with daily workflows, minimizing disruptions to productivity.

2. Implement access controls that are strict enough to secure information but flexible enough to allow employees to perform their duties effectively.

3. Use Single Sign-On and Multi-Factor Authentication

Ethical Considerations

1. Privacy Rights

2. Transparency

3. Ethical Hacking

Challenges to balance

1. Evolving Threat Landscape

2. User Resistance

3. Data Sharing vs. Data Protection

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Cyber Attach and Implications and Response Website 

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Cyber Attach and Implications and Response Website 

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The threat of ransomware looms large over businesses across various industries, with the latest insights from the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report underscoring its pervasive nature. Organized crime actors are behind more than 62% of ransomware incidents, while financial motivations drive 59% of such cases.

Having an incident response plan in place is essential to ensure the safety of an organization's digital assets and overall security. Due to the continuous evolution of cyber threats, a well-defined plan is no longer just a precautionary measure, but an absolute necessity. As cyberattacks, particularly those involving ransomware, are becoming more prevalent, companies need to take a proactive approach.

By implementing a well-structured plan, organizations can respond swiftly and efficiently in the event of an attack. An established incident response team enables companies to quickly assess the situation, contain any potential damage, and work towards restoring systems to normalcy. This approach minimizes downtime and data loss. The impact is often measured in terms of the amount of data protected from compromise. In addition to operational considerations, an incident response plan assists organizations in navigating the legal and compliance landscape associated with cyber incidents.

Creating Your Incident Response Plan

An effective incident response plan meticulously outlines your organization's strategy and specific actionable steps for detecting, containing, mitigating, and recovering from cyber threats, including ransomware attacks. This strategy should encompass activities such as risk assessment, detection, in-depth investigation, and seamless restoration. By following these steps, your organization can effectively streamline its incident response process, mitigate the impact of any potential incidents, and maintain business continuity:

step 1. define objectives and scope

For an effective ransomware response plan, it is vital to establish clear objectives and identify the systems and data that will be impacted.

step 2. Establish an Incident Response Team

Formulate an incident response team comprising IT, cybersecurity, legal, and executive leadership experts. Assigning roles and responsibilities within the team ensures a coordinated response to ransomware incidents.

step 3. Develop an Incident Classification Framework

Craft a framework for classifying ransomware based on severity and impact. This aids in prioritizing responses and resource allocation in the event of an attack.

step 4. Detection and Identification of Ransomware Threats

Implement robust monitoring and detection systems to identify ransomware infections early. Employ intrusion detection, anomaly detection, and anti-malware solutions to flag potential ransomware dangers.

step 5. Containment and Eradication of Ransomware

Define procedures to isolate affected systems, preventing the spread of ransomware. Develop protocols for investigating and thwarting malicious actors, ensuring the quarantine of affected systems.

step 6. Recovery and Data Restoration

Establish a recovery plan for data and system restoration post-ransomware attack. Regularly back up critical data and test the restoration process for effectiveness.

step 7. Communication Protocols

Develop communication protocols for both internal and external stakeholders during ransomware incidents. Specify when and how to notify employees, customers, and regulatory authorities. Maintain open lines of communication throughout the response plan.

Step 8: Legal and Compliance Considerations

Collaborate with legal counsel and law enforcement to understand the legal and regulatory implications of ransomware. This includes data breach notification requirements and the consequences of paying the ransom.

Step 9: Documentation and Reporting

Document all actions taken during the process, including containment, eradication, and recovery efforts. Prepare incident reports for post-incident analysis and regulatory compliance. Regularly review and update the plan to accommodate changes in technology, threats, and organizational structure.

Step 10: Training and Awareness

Regularly train the incident response team and relevant employees on the ransomware response plan. Conduct tabletop exercises and simulations to ensure preparedness for an effective response to a ransomware attack.

FOCUS ON 3 KEY CATEGORIES

1. Detect Ransomware Behavior:

Employ anti-malware with machine learning and AI capabilities to effectively identify the multitude of threats generated daily.

2. Enhance Email Security and URL Filtering:

Update countermeasures to detect and filter threats before they infiltrate your system.

3. Improve Visibility:

Monitor and log activities across infrastructure using tools like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to identify malware, intrusions, and unauthorized access.

4. Network and Endpoint Security:

Eliminate network exposures, harden endpoints by disabling unused services, and segment internal networks.

5. Enhance Access Management:

Strengthen password and access management practices, restricting access to systems containing admin tools and sensitive data.

1. Security Awareness Training:
Implement training programs to help employees identify suspicious phishing attempts.

2. Automate Vulnerability Scanning and Patch Management:
Utilize automation to swiftly locate and address vulnerabilities, alleviating the IT team of this critical yet cumbersome task.

3. Simplify Endpoint Management:
Streamline the number of agents on endpoints and consoles, which may have accumulated over the years.

4. NIST Framework Implementation:

Regularly assess and update defenses and mitigation strategies using the NIST framework.

1. Data Protection:
Establish a robust data protection regimen as a final defense line. Conduct live tests of plans to validate strategies and processes regularly.

2. Disaster Recovery Solution:
Consider a disaster recovery solution to quickly resume operations by switching to replicated applications and data.

In the aftermath of an attack, leverage the incident response plan to identify and close vulnerabilities.

Start Your Incident Response Plan Today

At Systems X, we have a team of cybersecurity experts who are dedicated to helping you create a strong incident response plan that is specifically tailored to meet the needs of your organization. Our team has a wealth of experience in cybersecurity, and we are skilled at developing comprehensive strategies that are aligned with your goals. We take a proactive approach to cybersecurity, using advanced tools and techniques to detect, contain, and mitigate cyber threats, including those posed by ransomware incidents.

When you partner with Systems X, you can trust that we will work closely with you to enhance your cybersecurity resilience and respond quickly and effectively to potential threats. Let us empower your organization with a customized incident response plan that is designed to withstand the ever-evolving landscape of cyber risks.

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How to Build an Incident Response Plan for Ransomware Resilience

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Learn to build a robust ransomware incident response plan. Minimize downtime and safeguard digital assets. Schedule a call with our cybersecurity experts for enhanced resilience.

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Information Security Policy and Planning - Video Resource

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Information Security Policy and Planning - Video Resource

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Analyzing the impact of the worldwide cyber attack

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Information Security Policy and Planning - Text Resource

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Information Security Policy and Planning - Text Resource

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Creating and implementing information security policies (ISPs) may seem a formality to some organizations. However, ISPs can form the backbone of your organization's data security posture. Information security policies and procedures may help you prevent breaches of sensitive data and safeguard your reputation and finances by defining what's allowed within your organization and what's not.

Nonetheless, developing an efficient security policy for an organization may be a lengthy and daunting task. That's why we have come up with a list of the 10 best ISPs and provided useful tips on how to implement an information security policy. Hopefully, this article will make it easier for you to create effective security policies for information security in your organization.

What is an information security policy?
Provide guidance for your organization's data security.
An information security policy outlines an organization's security rules, regulations, and strategies for maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical data.

Simply put, an information security policy is a plan that outlines your organization's approach to protecting sensitive information and data assets from security threats while also defining strategies and procedures for mitigating IT security risks. It's a set of rules and guidelines on how to use, manage, and protect sensitive data. ISPs address all aspects related to enterprise data security, including the data itself and the organization's systems, networks, programs, facilities, infrastructure, internal users, and third-party users.

An ISP applies to all users within your organization and its networks. It connects people, processes, and technologies, making them work together to prevent data breaches.

Organizations may have either separate ISPs addressing various aspects of information security or one ISP covering multiple domains. Information security policies and IT security policies may range from high-level documents outlining an organization's general data security principles and objectives to policies covering specific issues, such as network security or password management.

Whereas there are many common elements across information security policies, your policy should reflect specific aspects related to your industry, local regulations, or organizational model. For example:

Organizations violating the requirements of these documents may face huge fines and other legal issues. In our article, you can learn about penalties for violating HIPAA.
5 Industries Most Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks
7 benefits of implementing information security policies
Provide guidance for your organization's data security.
Implementing a robust information security policy is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your sensitive data, protecting your organization against cyber incidents, and ensuring regulatory compliance. A well-designed ISP can improve your organization's security posture, helping you to:

1. Clear data security rules

An ISP provides your employees with clear guidelines for handling sensitive information within your organization. This may help improve general cybersecurity awareness and decrease the number of unintentional insider threats.

2. Proper cybersecurity controls

By defining security goals, an ISP can help your security officers deploy appropriate software solutions and implement relevant security measures in order to achieve them.

3. Quick and efficient response to security incidents

By outlining step-by-step incident response actions, ISPs can help your cybersecurity team proactively address potential risks and vulnerabilities. Therefore, your organization can respond promptly to security incidents and mitigate possible consequences.

4. Ability to meet IT compliance requirements

An ISP can help your organization comply with SWIFT CSP, GDPR, SOX, and other standards, laws, and regulations. It's also worth mentioning that having an information security policy is a requirement itself for standards and laws such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001.

5. User and stakeholder accountability

When they clearly define roles and responsibilities for each user and stakeholder within your organization, ISPs can help your employees understand their accountability in safeguarding sensitive information. ISPs can also promote a sense of ownership and responsibility among users and stakeholders, resulting in increased accountability.

6. Enhanced brand reputation

A commitment to information security standards and practices fosters trust among customers. Additionally, ISPs help to reduce the number of data security incidents, further increasing customer loyalty and positive brand perception.

7. Increased operational efficiency

Having clear policies in place can help your organization keep its data protection efforts standardized, consistent, and synchronized. This way, your cybersecurity team will spend less time and effort tackling cybersecurity issues.
How to Detect and Prevent Industrial Espionage
What's an efficient information security policy?
Make your ISPs serve their purposes.
You should create an information security policy based on the three principles of the CIA triad: confidentiality (C), integrity (I), and availability (A).

It's vital to understand how each rule contributes to the implementation of these principles. Below, we delve into the key features that can help you create an efficient information security policy covering all main ISP principles.

7 key features of an efficient information security policy

An efficient information security policy should have the following characteristics:
1. Reliance on preliminary risk assessment
Conducting a security risk assessment can help you identify your organization's critical assets, discover vulnerabilities, and prioritize risks. By conducting a security risk assessment, you can focus your efforts in the right direction to decide what information security policies and requirements you need to develop.
2. Clearly stated purpose, objectives, and scope
By outlining the scope, purpose, and objectives of each ISP, you can raise your employees' awareness about why certain solutions, IT policies, and procedures are implemented and to whom they apply.
3. Defined responsibilities
Each ISP must state who created the policy, who's responsible for keeping it updated and aligned with the organization's security objectives, and who's in charge of implementing the required security procedures.
4. Clear definitions of important terms
Keep in mind that the audience for information security policies is frequently non-technical. To avoid ambiguity and increase clarity, make sure that your ISPs are understandable for all users, with all important technical terms being clear and concise.
5. Realistic and comprehensible requirements
Overly complex ISPs may be hard to implement. Therefore, you should develop ISPs that are realistic, comprehensible, and tailored to your organization's specific needs. Among the best ISPs, consider implementing those applicable to your organization's cybersecurity strategy and those your employees have the means and skills to implement.

6. Regularly updated information

To address modern cybersecurity trends and challenges, ISPs should be reviewed and updated regularly. Take note that issue-specific policies require more frequent updates, as technologies, security challenges, and other factors constantly change.
7. Involvement of top management
Without the support of your organization's leaders, any ISP can fail. It's your principals that hold the knowledge of your organization's high-level security requirements and can help enforce ISPs among all employees.

Let's now move to information security policy examples to implement in your organization.

10 information security policies your organization should consider implementing
Implement ISPs that are useful for your particular organization.
To fortify your cybersecurity and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your critical data, your organization may have either separate ISPs covering different aspects of information security or a single ISP covering multiple domains.

If you choose the first option, you may stick to the information security policies outlined by NIST:

Because ISPs are mostly high-level documents, organizations also typically develop standards, guidelines, and procedures to simplify their implementation:

Standards and guidelines specify technologies and methodologies for securing data and systems

Procedures offer detailed steps for accomplishing security-related tasks

Below, we have compiled a list of information security policies that have proven to be beneficial for all types of organizations:

1. Acceptable use policy

An acceptable use policy (AUP) can explain to your employees how your organization's data assets, computer equipment, and other sensitive resources should be handled. Besides acceptable use, the policy also defines prohibited actions.

An AUP may have separate policy statements regarding internet use, email communications, software installation, access to the company network from home, etc.

2. Network security policy

A network security policy (NSP) establishes guidelines, rules, and measures for secure computer network access and protection against cyber attacks over the internet.

Among other things, an NSP is a good place for describing the architecture of your organization's network security environment and its major hardware and software components.

3. Data management policy

A data management policy (DMP) governs the use, monitoring, and management of an organization's data. A DMP usually describes:

What data is collected

How it's collected, processed, and stored

Who has access to it

Where it's located

When it must be deleted

A DMP can help you reduce the risk of data breaches and ensure your organization complies with data protection standards and regulations such as the GDPR.

Your organization's DMP may also contain a list of data protection tools and solutions. Consider supplementing this list with Ekran System - a universal all-in-one insider risk management platform that can help you fight insider threats and avoid account compromise, data breaches, and other cybersecurity incidents.

Your organization can ensure secure data management with the help of Ekran System capabilities such as:

User activity monitoring (UAM), which enables you to monitor and record all user activity in your infrastructure to let you track how employees and vendors handle your sensitive data

Privileged access management (PAM) functionality, which allows for granular access to critical data for all privileged and regular users within your organization's system

4. Access control policy

An access control policy (ACP) describes how access to data and systems in your organization is established, documented, reviewed, and modified. An ACP contains a hierarchy of user access permissions and can define who accesses what.

Consider building your ACP around the principle of least privilege by only giving users the access necessary for their direct job responsibilities.

Ekran System's PAM functionality can help you secure, optimize, and enhance privileged access management in your organization, allowing you to:

Get full visibility over all users in your infrastructure and control their access rights

Secure user accounts with the help of two-factor authentication

Limit the time for which access is granted

Provide more visibility into the actions of privileged users working under shared accounts

5 Steps for Building an Agile Identity and Access Management Strategy
5. Password management policy

A password management policy (PMP) governs the creation, management, and protection of user credentials in your organization. A PMP can enforce healthy password habits such as sufficient complexity, length, uniqueness, and regular rotation.

A PMP may also delineate who's responsible for creating and managing user passwords in your organization and what password management tools and capabilities your organization should have.

Ekran System can arm you with robust password management capabilities, enabling you to:

Generate credentials for and deliver them to all users in your infrastructure

Provide users with temporary or one-time access

Rotate passwords manually or automatically

Store passwords securely with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption

6. Remote access policy

Remote access in your organization deserves special attention if your employees regularly telecommute. To avoid the interception of network data from unsecured personal devices and public networks, your organization should develop remote access policies (RAPs). A set of remote access policies outlines security procedures for accessing your organization's data via remote networks, virtual private networks, and other means.

Ekran System can help secure remote access to your organization's data and systems, allowing you to:

Monitor and record the activity of users connecting from outside your corporate network

Control access to the corporate network from personal devices

Verify user identities with two-factor authentication (2FA)

Secure admins' remote access using SSH key management

Use an AI-powered UEBA module to track deviations in employees' behavior

Ekran System works with many network protocols and types of remote access: Citrix, Terminal, Remote Desktop, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Virtual Network Computing (VNC), VMware, NetOP, Dameware, and others.

7. Vendor management policy

A vendor management policy (VMP) can help your organization conduct third-party information security risk management. A VMP prescribes how your organization can identify and deal with potentially risky vendors. It may also outline preferred measures to prevent cyber incidents caused by third parties.

In addition to mitigating direct third-party risks, a VMP may address supply chain issues by describing how your organization should check the compliance of third-party IT infrastructure with your cybersecurity requirements.

Ekran System's third-party monitoring tools allow your organization to:

Get video records and monitor RDP sessions of third parties in your system

Search through vendors' activity logs by multiple parameters such as visited URLs, opened apps, and typed keystrokes

Set up a workflow for approving third-party access requests

Provide your vendors with one-time or temporary access to critical endpoints

Importantly, the platform's advanced protection mode makes it impossible for a privileged third party or other malicious insider to stop the Ekran System Client from monitoring their actions.

8. Removable media policy

A removable media policy governs the proper and secure use of USB devices such as flash memory devices, SD cards, cameras, MP3 players, and removable hard drives.

The policy aims to mitigate the risks of contaminating IT systems and disclosing sensitive data as a result of using portable devices. In addition to establishing rules for the proper use of removable media, consider implementing dedicated software solutions for enhancing your organization's USB device security.

Ekran System's USB device management functionality enables your organization to:

Continuously monitor USB device connections

Create a list of allowed and prohibited USB devices

Get notifications and automatically block the connection of prohibited USB devices

Ekran System supports monitoring of almost any device connecting via a USB interface, including mass storage devices, Windows portable devices, modems and network adapters, wireless connection devices, and audio and video devices.
How Can Ekran System Protect You against Infected USB Devices?
9. Incident response policy

Similarly to an incident response plan, an incident response policy outlines the actions your organization should take in case of a data security incident, with detailed response scenarios for each type of incident. This policy also specifies the roles and responsibilities for dealing with the incident, communication strategies, and reporting processes in your organization.

Additionally, an incident response policy may describe recovery activities, focusing on containing the incident and mitigating its negative consequences. It may also include post-incident investigation procedures.

Ekran System can enhance incident response in your organization, allowing your security officers to:

Automatically detect anomalous activity with the help of an AI-based user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) module

Set predefined and custom user activity alerts

Get immediate notifications on suspicious events via email

Respond to detected events by blocking users, showing them a warning message, or stopping the application

10. Security awareness and training policy

It doesn't matter how many data security policies and rules you establish if your employees are unaware of them. A security awareness and training policy aims to raise your personnel's cybersecurity awareness, explain the reasons for following ISPs, and educate employees on common cybersecurity threats.

This policy defines how your organization conducts training, how frequently that training happens, and who's responsible for holding training sessions.

Employee activity monitoring in Ekran System can also help increase your employees' cybersecurity awareness, allowing you to:

Collect examples of data security incidents to showcase during training

Show employees warning messages to educate them about forbidden activity

Evaluate how your employees cope with a simulated cyber attack by monitoring their actions and generating user activity reports
Note:
As mentioned below, when developing your organization's information security policies, you should pay specific attention to requirements of cybersecurity standards, laws, and regulations relevant to your region and industry.

Conclusion

Information security policy standards and practices are useful in maintaining your organization's cybersecurity and protecting critical assets. That's why we highly recommend you consider implementing the ISPs we have highlighted in this article. They can help your organization prevent and respond to data security incidents, implement proper cybersecurity controls, and meet IT compliance requirements.

To further enhance your security posture, you can use Ekran System, a reliable insider threat management platform that can help you prevent data breaches, malicious insider activity, and account compromise.
Request an Ekran System trial and evaluate the advantages of the platform for yourself!

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10 Information Security Policies Organizations Should Implement

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Get examples of the most effective information security policies and choose the best procedures for protecting your organization's critical data.