Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: A Practitioner's Reference

Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: A Practitioner's Reference gives you a blueprint on how to develop effective information security policies and procedures. It uses standards such as NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and COBIT, and regulations such as HIPAA and PCI DSS as the foundation for the content. Highlighting key terminology, policy development concepts and methods, and suggested document structures, it includes examples, checklists, sample policies and procedures, guidelines, and a synopsis of the applicable standards.

The author explains how and why procedures are developed and implemented rather than simply provide information and examples. This is an important distinction because no two organizations are exactly alike; therefore, no two sets of policies and procedures are going to be exactly alike. This approach provides the foundation and understanding you need to write effective policies, procedures, and standards clearly and concisely.

Developing policies and procedures may seem to be an overwhelming task. However, by relying on the material presented in this book, adopting the policy development techniques, and examining the examples, the task will not seem so daunting. You can use the discussion material to help sell the concepts, which may be the most difficult aspect of the process. Once you have completed a policy or two, you will have the courage to take on even more tasks. Additionally, the skills you acquire will assist you in other areas of your professional and private life, such as expressing an idea clearly and concisely or creating a project plan.

Doug Landoll is an information security author, consultant, teacher, and business owner who always brings a unique mix of business strategy, technical know-how, and pragmatic approaches to current information security topics. When he is not performing risk assessments or writing policies, he is coming up with better approaches and methods and preparing for his next class or book. Mr. Landoll holds a CISSP, a computer science degree from James Madison University, and an MBA from the University of Texas, Austin. In 2013, Mr. Landoll was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow by the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA).