A robust information security management system is an crucial to any business’s business operations. It protects both customer and organizational data as well as ensures compliance with laws and reduces risks to acceptable levels. It also provides employees with comprehensive policy documentation, training and clear instructions on how to recognize and respond to cyber-threats.
An organization can develop an ISMS for different reasons, including to improve security and compliance with regulatory requirements, or to pursue ISO 27001 certification. The process includes conducting an analysis of risks, identifying the potential vulnerabilities, and selecting and implementing controls to minimize the risk. It also identifies the duties and responsibilities of committees as well as owners of specific information security activities and processes. It develops and documents the policy documents and implements a system of continual improvement.
The scope of an ISMS is determined by the information systems a company determines to be the most crucial. It also takes into consideration any applicable regulations and standards like HIPAA for healthcare institutions or PCI DSS for an ecommerce platform. An ISMS often includes procedures for detecting and responding to attacks, such as identifying the source of a threat and monitoring data access to identify who is accessing the information.
The process of setting up an ISMS requires buy-in from employees and other stakeholders. It is usually best to begin with the PDCA model that incorporates planning, doing and checking and executing. This allows the ISMS system to be able to adapt to the latest cybersecurity threats and regulations.
