As a developing organisation you will most likely be seeking to exploit IT to improve efficiencies, streamline processes and gain a competitive advantage. However it is important that you understand any risks and implement suitable security measures to protect your IT systems and data.
You, like us, are likely to be heavily reliant on your IT systems to communicate with your suppliers, customers and stakeholders.
The data and information you hold on these IT systems is often regarded as being business critical, yet is not always protected against theft, loss or misuse.
You must protect your systems and data from a wide range of threats. You need to preserve:
- Confidentiality: ensure information is only accessible to authorised users
- Integrity: safeguard the accuracy and completeness of data input methods
- Availability: ensure users can access information and associated assets when required.
Every system is vulnerable to attack. This is often due to flaws in the design of the infrastructure, weak configuration settings, failure to apply security patches or poor security management.
How do you achieve effective Information Security?
The starting point is to document a policy that clearly sets out management’s intention with regards to information security. The policy should be comprehensive and include all areas of risk to information systems, but equally be concise and pertinent to end users and their day to day activities. Once documented, the policy should be communicated across the organisation and be supported by appropriate education and training to ensure that users are aware of their responsibilities in this area.
The next step is to ensure that the policy is being complied to and that robust security is being afforded to information systems. This can require a broad range of skills given the complexity of most modern IT environments and hence can be potentially difficult for organisations that don’t have the necessary skills and experience to evaluate all key areas. For example, databases, operating systems, networks, applications, physical IT assets, remote access, Internet technologies and firewalls to name but a few.
Consider business continuity and disaster recovery. It is important that you develop and test contingency plans to minimise operational disruption and to safeguard employees and assets in the event of a serious incident.
The starting point is to document a policy that clearly sets out management’s intention with regards to information security. The policy should be comprehensive and include all areas of risk to information systems, but equally be concise and pertinent to end users and their day to day activities. Once documented, the policy should be communicated across the organisation and be supported by appropriate education and training to ensure that users are aware of their responsibilities in this area.
Monitoring your security
A false sense of security can be gained if security incidents are not reported and systems can be deemed to be ‘secure’ - when in fact they are exposed or have already been compromised!
The greatest challenge for you to overcome is to understand whether your current safeguards are adequate to protect and secure your IT systems and are they working in practice.
RSM Tenon can carry out a detailed security audit on your behalf and make the necessary recommendations and provide advice on any changes that you should consider making.