Every organization needs an effective cybersecurity policy
Anyone who has taken the CISSP exam knows that cybersecurity policy is at the top of the policy/standard/procedure hierarchy. The logic is that cybersecurity policy must come first because it identifies the organization’s security issues and their scope; it answers the question, “Why do we need to do this?” Only after understanding the why can an organization develop quantifiable measurements and determine what is required (standards), then establish the proper steps to achieve the standards (procedure).
Cyber security policy protects information within an enterprise, defines rules regarding consistency and fairness, and ensures compliance. Yet despite the high importance of cybersecurity policy, many small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) lack effective security policies. Some don’t have them at all! This “ad hoc” approach to enterprise cybersecurity has become such a problem among defense subcontractors that the DoD is developing a new compliance framework to address it.
Regardless of size or industry, every organization must have documented IT security policies to protect their digital assets. Many compliance frameworks, including HIPAA, PCI DSS, and SOC attestations, require written policies, and policy documentation will also help your company defend itself defend itself against fines and civil litigation in the event of a data breach.
Types of IT security policies
The CISSP defines three primary types of cybersecurity policies.
- Regulatory policies ensure that an organization is adhering to industry-specific compliance mandates or laws, such as those governing public utilities, financial institutions, or other organizations operating in the public interest.
- Advisory policies specify which employee behaviors an organization considers acceptable and unacceptable. While advisory policies aren’t mandatory per se, employees who violate them face serious consequences, ranging from serious warnings to termination.
- Informative policies educate an organization’s employees or business partners without laying out any specific or implied requirements.
These three IT security policy categories can be broken down further into organizational, system-specific, and issue-specific policies. An organizational (or master) security policy is the blueprint for an enterprise cybersecurity program; it outlines the company’s strategic plan for implementing cybersecurity. System-specific policies dictate the approved software, hardware, and hardening methods for specific systems. Issue-specific policies address functional areas that require additional attention and detail, such as IT security policies governing email usage, change management, access control, data retention, and vulnerability management.
Developing & maintaining an effective cybersecurity policy
Depending on an organization’s size, industry, risk profile, and data environment, their IT security policy could range from a one-page guide to a book containing dozens of pages. Here are some general tips for developing an appropriate and effective cybersecurity policy.
- Understand your compliance requirements and align your policies with them. If you don’t know where to start, applicable compliance mandates are a good place.
- Understand your infrastructure. Work with your IT team to map the systems you have in place, their capabilities and vulnerabilities, and your current backup and security measures.
- Clearly identify security controls. This includes which specific security programs are to be implemented, timelines and procedures for updates and patches, and backup procedures.
- Clearly identify employees’ roles and responsibilities. An effective IT security policy must define accountability, such as who is responsible for maintaining and enforcing policy, who is responsible for training users, and who responds to security incidents and each person’s role during response.
- Outline acceptable use conditions. This includes acceptable use of the company internet connection, social media usage policy, remote access rules, and the proper procedure for reporting security incidents.
Cyber security policy is not “one and done.” The cyber threat environment is in continuous flux, and security policies must be reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
The cybersecurity experts at Lazarus Alliance have deep knowledge of the cybersecurity field, are continually monitoring the latest information security threats, and are committed to protecting organizations of all sizes from security breaches. Our full-service risk assessment services and Continuum GRC RegTech software will help protect your organization from data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cyber threats.
Lazarus Alliance is proactive cybersecurity®. Call 1-888-896-7580 to discuss your organization’s cybersecurity needs and find out how we can help your organization adhere to cybersecurity regulations, maintain compliance, and secure your systems.
What Is Autonomous Malware?
We’re reaching the end of 2025, and looking ahead to 2026, most experts are discussing the latest threats that will shape the year ahead. This year, we’re seeing a new, but not unexpected, shift to autonomous threats driven by state-sponsored actors and AI. With that in mind, a new generation of threats, broadly known as...Continue reading→
What CISA’s Emergency Directive 26-01 Means for Everyone
In mid-October 2025, the CISA issued one of its most urgent orders yet: Emergency Directive 26-01. The directive calls on all Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies to immediately mitigate vulnerabilities in devices from F5 Networks following a state-sponsored breach of F5’s systems and access to portions of BIG-IP source code and vulnerability data. The event...Continue reading→
Cybersecurity and Vetting AI-Powered Tools
A recent exploit involving a new AI-focused browser shone a light on a critical problem–namely, that browser security is a constant issue, and AI is just making that threat more pronounced. Attackers discovered a way to use that browser’s memory features to implant hidden instructions inside an AI assistant. Once stored, those instructions triggered unwanted...Continue reading→
Shutdown Security And Cyber Vulnerability
When the federal government shuts down, the public sees closed monuments, unpaid workers, and halted programs. What they do not see is the silent surge of cyberattacks targeting agencies already operating on fumes. During the most recent shutdown, attacks against U.S. government systems spiked by nearly 85%. Cybersecurity failures during government disruptions rarely start with...Continue reading→
Identity and the Shift from Malware
The world of cyber threats is rapidly evolving, and while we can see these changes more generally, it’s always crucial to understand them concretely. As the 2025 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report shows us, the landscape of our industry is changing. We’re digging into this report to discuss a challenging trend: the move of hackers foregoing...Continue reading→
Maintaining Compliance Against Prompt Injection Attacks
The increasing adoption of AI by businesses introduces security risks that current cybersecurity frameworks are not prepared to address. A particularly complex emerging threat is prompt injection attacks. These attacks manipulate the integrity of large language models and other AI systems, potentially compromising security protocols and legal compliance. Organizations adopting AI must have a plan...Continue reading→
Are We Already Talking About CMMC 3.0?
The ink has barely dried on the CMMC final rule, and already the defense contracting community is buzzing with speculation about what comes next. Just when contractors thought they had a moment to catch their breath after years of regulatory limbo, whispers of CMMC 3.0 have begun circulating through the industry. But is this just...Continue reading→
Centralizing Identity-Based Risk
As the traditional network boundary dissolves and remote work becomes standard practice, identities are the major frontier for security. Whether we’re talking about human users, service accounts, or machine identities, these have emerged as both the primary access mechanism and the most targeted attack vector. It has become imperative for providers to centralize identity management...Continue reading→
Deviation and Significant Change Requests in FedRAMP: A Comprehensive Guide
FedRAMP provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services used by federal agencies. While the program’s rigorous baseline requirements ensure consistent security, the reality is that this consistency calls for a little flexibility. This is where deviation requests and significant change requests come into play. These two...Continue reading→
The Costs of Compliance and Data Breaches
Data is possibly one of the most valuable assets any organization holds. Customer information, employee records, and proprietary business intelligence present challenges because the data flowing through modern enterprises represents both significant opportunities and serious risks. Businesses face a challenging balance: investing in compliance measures to protect sensitive information while also preparing for the real...Continue reading→
Related Posts