Security Procedures Documentation is Essential to Company Security
The age of the internet has made a big world small, with files and data being sent across the world instantaneously. While this has been advantageous for businesses in many ways, the digital environment has also created a greater security risk and the need for cybersecurity documentation. Having proper security procedure documentation can protect your company and its data from unwanted parties, such as hackers. Solid security procedures are a must, and it is also essential to ensure that these procedures are clear and concise. When written by a professional documentation writer, security procedures documentation will help you implement security procedures quicker and with greater efficiency.
What are Security Procedures?
Security Procedures are the steps in a sequence that implement, perform, or enforce a security task or function. An example of a security procedure would be the hierarchy of employee access to company files on a server. By outlining this procedure through documentation, there is a clear delineation between the level of access a new hire has and the level of access a department head has. Thus, security procedures documentation are the technical writing and documentation of security procedures and are essential to maintaining clarity and consistency.
Imagine the following scenario. Your company is in a period of growth and hires a number of new employees to accommodate the progress. Currently, your company does not have security procedures documentation in place, but you haven’t had any problems yet. During training, employees are given access to company data and files, but have little direction on what they should and should not do with it. A month goes by and one of your new hires emails some company files to his personal account so that he can continue working on a project over the weekend. Unfortunately, the employee’s personal account has unknowingly been the victim of a recent data breach. Now, your company data is in the wrong, and possibly insidious, hands. All of this could have been prevented with security procedures documentation!
What do Security Procedures Entail?
Security procedures documentation will vary from case to case. The size and industry of your business, for example, will influence what the documentation includes. However, there are some similarities across most security procedures documentation. A well-conceived security procedure should include:
Acceptable Use Policy – the practices and standards to which an employee must adhere in order to gain access to company networks or the internet
Access Control Policy – outlines the amount of access an individual employee has to company data such as systems, information, and networks
Change Management Policy – details the plan for changes in the security services or operations within the company
Information Security Policy – policies that outline the guidelines and practices that are utilized for sensitive company data or assets
Incident Response Policy – policies that outline the response and follow-up needed in order to reduce any negative impact in the event of a security breach
Remote Access Policy – policies that dictate how, and in what manner, an employee is accessing data or systems from a remote site, such as accessing company data from a coffee shop
Email/Communication Policy – lays out the company’s standards and practices for the way an employee uses the company’s electronic communications securely, such as email
Disaster Recovery Policy – a security procedure documentation should contain a detailed response outline in the event of a natural disaster, or any other event occurring outside of normal operations, which would impact the security of the company’s information systems
Business Continuity Plan – outlines and coordinates the company’s efforts for the restoration and recovery of company hardware, data, and applications essential to business continuity
Benefits of this Documentation
Security procedures documentation is a critical document to have. However, it is just as important to make sure it is done well. A job poorly done may be worse than a job not done at all! Technical writers have the unique skills to make your documentation seamless. Protect your data and your company by investing in the best. When written by technical writers, security procedures documentation provides a wide range of benefits, including…
- Creates a clear and easy-to-follow plan for the business to implement should sensitive company data or information be compromised
- Outlines how employees safely and securely handle company data and information. This creates fewer opportunities for a security breach
- Gives employees clear guidelines for their level of access to company information or systems, creating greater employee satisfaction through clarity, lessening the odds of an accidental security leak
- Clearly outlines the procedures for turning over sensitive company information. This is critical should there be a change in management or the company’s goals
- Streamlines the processes of recovering company information and mitigates any negative effects from a security breach. This gets the company back up and running quickly after an incident
- Shows that a company is professional, prepared, and understands its position in the growing digital world
Conclusion
Security procedures documentation is more important than you might think! Without them, you risk your company’s data, growth, and success. This type of documentation is customized to your specific company, and can be updated as time goes on. When beginning the process of creating this documentation, be sure to pick the right partner. Industry jargon and lengthy policies can be difficult to understand, but technical writers are trained to break it down. Put the right foot forward and settle for nothing less than the best!
How EDC Can Help
Whether you need a single technical writer for a brief project, or a team of consultants to produce a complete line of documentation, the quality of our work is guaranteed for you. Our clients’ work closely with an Engagement Manager from one of our 30 local offices for the entire length of your project at no additional cost. Contact us at (800) 221-0093 or sales@edc.us
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