Implement a Security Governance and Management Program 

Implement an effective and agile governance framework to align business and security objectives.
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Major Business Pain Points

  • The security team often doesn’t understand business goals.
  • The organization lacks direction regarding security initiatives and how to prioritize them. 
  • Risks are not treated appropriately. 
Implement a Security Governance and Management Program-Pain Points

Recommendations

Key Points

  • Business and security goals should be the same. Businesses cannot operate without security and security's goal is to enable safe business operations. 
  • Security governance supports security strategy and management. These three elements create a protective arch around business operations, and governance is the keystone. It seems like a small aspect, but it holds the whole program together. 
  • Governance defines the laws, but they need to be policed. Governance sets standards for what actions are permitted, but only management can verify that these standards are being observed.
Implement a Security Governance and Management Program-Recommendations

Approach

  • Your security governance and management program needs to be aligned with business goals to be effective. 
  • This approach also helps to provide a starting point to develop a realistic governance and management program. 
  • This project will guide you through the process of implementing and monitoring a security governance and management program that prioritizes security, while keeping costs to a minimum. 
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Methodology and Tools

Executive Brief

Read the concise Executive Brief to find out why you should implement a security governance and management framework and review the methodology.

  • Implement a Security Governance and Management Program – Executive Brief
  • Implement a Security Governance and Management Program – Phases 1-3 

1. Align business goals with security objectives

Align business and security by setting an appropriate risk tolerance. 

  • Implement a Security Governance and Management Program – Phase 1: Align Business Goals with Security Objectives
  • Information Security Governance and Management Business Case 
  • Information Security Steering Committee Charter
  • Information Security Steering Committee RACI Chart 
  • Security Risk Register Tool 

2. Develop an effective governance framework

Begin building your governance framework and deploy your three lines of defense. 

  • Implement a Security Governance and Management Program – Phase 2: Develop an Effective Governance Framework 
  • Information Security Charter 
  • Security Governance Organizational Structure Template 
  • Security Policy Hierarchy Diagram 
  • Security Governance Model Facilitation Questions 
  • Information Security Policy Charter Template

Information Security Governance Model Tool (Visio)

  • Information Security Governance Model Tool (PDF)

3. Manage your governance framework 

Maintain and improve your governance framework with these essential management activities. 

  • Implement a Security Governance and Management Program – Phase 3: Manage Your Governance Framework
  • Security Metrics Assessment Tool 
  • Information Security Service Catalog  
  • Policy Exception Tracker   
  • Information Security Policy Exception Request Form

Security Policy Exception Approval Workflow (Visio) 

  • Security Policy Exception Approval Workflow (PDF) 
  • Business Goal Metrics Tracking Tool

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All resources on this page are provided to Cyber Leadership Hub members under license from third parties including Info-Tech Research Group Inc, a global leader in providing IT research and advice.