10 questions to assess the strength of your information security plan

10 questions to assess the strength of your information security plan

Data with any value will always be at risk but planning for information security breaches can lead to some difficult and uncomfortable discussions.

Gauge the strength of your information security plan with these 10 questions.

1. What are our security requirements?

In order to plan, budget for, and implement an effective security program, you must understand what needs to be protected and what it will take to do the job right.

2. Are we in compliance with external regulations?

In addition to your own internal requirements, there are a range of legal and regulatory requirements governing data privacy and protection. Requirements may vary by state, country, or type of institution, but failure to comply can impact your funding and reputation.

3. Do we have adequate policies for data governance?

Every institution should have a clear set of policies and standards governing how institutional data gets used, stored, and shared. Ensure all users are informed of their responsibility to follow these rules.

4.     How are we managing access and identity verification?

Identity and access management are about giving the right people access to the right information at the right time. If you don’t keep a tight rein on who’s accessing what, you leave multiple entry points for hackers.

5. Have we engaged institutional leaders?

Security isn’t just a technology challenge, it’s a business imperative. Given the large potential impact of a data breach, senior management and board members must be highly engaged in information security planning.

6. Are we providing adequate education for students, faculty, and staff?

Lack of awareness and education about security threats are among the biggest risks for most institutions. You must have a well-documented and adequately resourced plan for ongoing information security training.

7. Are we choosing third-party vendors carefully?

Ask potential partners the same hard questions about the security of their information systems as you do about your own. Discuss auditing and compliance upfront. Put processes in place to hold them accountable. If they can’t meet your standards, look for someone who can.

8. Have we modernized our technology and systems?

Technology can greatly enhance information security. The key is to modernize and simplify, since complexity only makes it harder to monitor and control who is accessing what.

9. Do we aggressively address security incidents?

We live in a world where data breaches are a matter of “when,” not “if.” That’s why responding appropriately to security incidents is as important as preventing them.

10. Are we making continuous investments in information security?

Information security is an ongoing practice, not a one-time implementation. You will never be fully protected because there will always be new threats. But with careful planning—and a sustained investment of resources—you can effectively mitigate risk.

Planning for something to go wrong is uncomfortable. But if you can get comfortable with discomfort—becoming agile, alert, responsive, and realistic—you can create the level of information security that your institution needs to thrive.

 

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