Information Security
Information Security Policy
PMG360 recognizes the critical importance of information security in achieving its business objectives and maintaining customer trust. This policy outlines the organization's commitment to protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its information assets. It establishes the framework for managing information security risks through the implementation of appropriate controls, processes, and technologies. The policy applies to all employees, contractors, and third-party users who have access to PMG360's information systems and data.
A) Key components of the Information Security Policy include:
- Roles and Responsibilities: PMG360 defines clear roles and responsibilities for information security management, including the designation of an Information Security Officer (ISO) responsible for overseeing the implementation and enforcement of security controls.
- Risk Management: PMG360 employs a risk management framework for identifying, assessing, and mitigating information security risks. This involves regular risk assessments, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities.
- Compliance: PMG360 ensures compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards related to information security, such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS. Procedures are established to ensure compliance and maintain documentation of regulatory requirements.
- Security Awareness Training: PMG360 provides mandatory security awareness training for all employees to educate them about information security risks, policies, and best practices. Training covers topics such as phishing awareness, password security, and data handling procedures.
- Incident Reporting and Response: PMG360 has established procedures for reporting security incidents, breaches, or suspected violations of security policies. An incident response team is in place to investigate and respond to incidents in a timely and effective manner.
b) Data Management PolicyPMG360's Data Management Policy governs the collection, storage, processing, and disposal of data to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It includes the following details:
- Data Classification: PMG360 categorizes data based on its sensitivity and criticality. Data is classified as public, internal, confidential, or restricted, with corresponding access controls and handling procedures.
- Data Retention: PMG360 follows guidelines for the retention and disposal of data in accordance with legal, regulatory, and business requirements. Data retention schedules and procedures are established for securely disposing of data when it is no longer needed.
- Data Encryption: PMG360 implements encryption mechanisms to protect data at rest and in transit. Technologies such as SSL/TLS for web traffic, disk encryption for stored data, and email encryption for sensitive communications are employed.
- Data Access Controls: PMG360 enforces role-based access controls (RBAC) to restrict access to data based on user roles and responsibilities. Access to sensitive data is granted on a need-to-know basis, and user access is regularly reviewed and audited.
- Data Integrity: PMG360 implements measures to ensure the integrity of data, including checksums, digital signatures, and data validation checks. Controls are in place to detect and prevent unauthorized modifications to data.
c) Access ControlPMG360's Access Control Policy governs the management of user access to its information systems and data. It includes the following components:
- User Authentication: PMG360 employs strong authentication mechanisms, such as passwords, biometrics, or multi-factor authentication (MFA), to verify the identity of users accessing its systems and data.
- User Provisioning: Procedures are in place for granting, modifying, and revoking user access privileges based on job roles and responsibilities. Access requests are authorized by designated approvers and documented in an access control system.
- Access Reviews: PMG360 conducts regular reviews of user access rights to ensure compliance with the principle of least privilege. Access rights are reviewed annually or whenever there are changes in user roles or responsibilities.
- Privileged Access Management (PAM): PMG360 enforces strict controls over privileged accounts and administrative access to critical systems and resources. Segregation of duties (SoD) and least privilege principles are implemented to minimize the risk of insider threats and unauthorized access.
- Remote Access: PMG360 provides secure remote access mechanisms, such as virtual private networks (VPNs) or remote desktop gateways, for employees and authorized third parties accessing its systems from external networks.
d) Network SecurityPMG360's Network Security Policy governs the protection of its network infrastructure from unauthorized access, attacks, and vulnerabilities. It includes the following measures:
- Perimeter Security: PMG360 vendors employ firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and web application firewalls (WAFs) to control traffic entering and leaving its network. Access control lists (ACLs) are configured to filter traffic based on source and destination IP addresses, ports, and protocols.
- Network Segmentation: PMG360 vendors implement segmentation of network zones and subnets to isolate sensitive systems and data from untrusted networks. VLANs, virtual firewalls, and network access control (NAC) are employed to enforce segmentation policies.
- Wireless Security: PMG360 vendors ensure secure configuration and encryption of wireless networks to prevent unauthorized access and eavesdropping. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA2/WPA3) with strong passwords and enterprise-grade encryption are implemented.
- Monitoring and Logging: PMG360 vendors continuously monitor network traffic and security events to detect anomalies, intrusions, and potential security breaches. Network activities, including login attempts, configuration changes, and firewall rule modifications, are logged for audit and forensic analysis.
- Security Updates and Patch Management: PMG360 vendors regularly update and patches network devices, including routers, switches, and firewalls, to address known vulnerabilities and security weaknesses. Patch management procedures are established to ensure timely deployment of updates without disrupting network operations.
- Secure Protocols and Encryption: PMG360 vendors enforce encryption of network traffic using secure protocols such as SSL/TLS for web traffic, SSH for remote access, and IPsec for site-to-site VPNs to protect data in transit from interception and eavesdropping.
e) Backup
PMG360's Backup Policy outlines procedures for the regular backup and recovery of critical data to ensure business continuity and data protection. It includes the following provisions:
- Backup Schedule: PMG360 defines regular backup schedules based on the criticality and volatility of data. Backup frequency (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly) and retention periods (e.g., 7 days, 30 days, 1 year) are determined based on business requirements and regulatory obligations.
- Data Replication: PMG360 replicates backup data to secondary or offsite locations for disaster recovery and redundancy. Backup replication mechanisms, such as disk mirroring, tape vaulting, or cloud storage, are implemented to ensure data availability in the event of hardware failures or data center outages.
- Backup Testing: PMG360 regularly tests and validates backup and recovery procedures to ensure data integrity and reliability. Backup restoration tests, including full system restores and file-level recoveries, are performed to verify backup completeness and accuracy.
- Backup Encryption: PMG360 vendors encrypt backup data to protect it from unauthorized access and data breaches. Encryption mechanisms, such as AES encryption for tape backups or client-side encryption for cloud backups, are implemented to ensure data confidentiality during transmission and storage.
- Backup Monitoring: PMG360 monitors backup jobs and alerts for backup failures or anomalies. Backup monitoring tools are used to track backup status, performance metrics, and storage utilization, and generate alerts for any deviations from predefined thresholds or service level agreements (SLAs).
f) Change ManagementPMG360's Change Management Policy governs the process for managing changes to its information systems, infrastructure, and configurations. It includes the following components:
- Change Request Process: PMG360 is establishing formal procedures for submitting, reviewing, approving, and implementing changes. A centralized change management system is in place to document change requests, assess their impact, and track their status throughout the change lifecycle.
- Change Classification: PMG360 categorizes changes based on their impact and risk to operations and security as minor, significant, or major. Change approval authorities are designated, and roles and responsibilities for change approvers, including technical reviewers, business owners, and senior management, are defined.
- Change Testing and Validation: PMG360 plans to conduct testing and validation of changes before implementation to mitigate the risk of disruptions or unintended consequences. Change testing procedures, including unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing, are established to verify changes against predefined criteria and requirements.
- Change Implementation: PMG360 coordinates the controlled implementation of changes during scheduled maintenance windows or change windows to minimize service interruptions. Proper rollback procedures are in place in case of unexpected issues or failures.
- Change Documentation: PMG360 will maintain documentation of all changes, including change requests, approvals, test results, and implementation details. A change log or change register is maintained to track changes over time and facilitate post-implementation reviews and audits.
g) Incident ResponsePMG360's Incident Response Policy outlines procedures for detecting, assessing, and responding to security incidents in a timely and effective manner. It includes the following provisions:
- Incident Identification: PMG360 vendors employ mechanisms for detecting and identifying security incidents, including anomalous behavior, security alerts, and reports from users or automated monitoring systems. Intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), security information and event management (SIEM) solutions, and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools are used to monitor for signs of compromise or malicious activity.
- Incident Classification: PMG360 vendors classify security incidents based on their severity, impact, and scope. Incidents are categorized as low, medium, or high severity based on factors such as data sensitivity, business impact, and regulatory implications.
- Incident Response Team: PMG360 team is responsible for coordinating and executing incident response activities. Roles and responsibilities for incident responders, including incident handlers, investigators, and communication coordinators, are designated, and training and resources are provided to support their efforts.
- Incident Containment: PMG360 takes measures to contain and mitigate the impact of security incidents to prevent further damage or data loss. Affected systems are isolated, compromised accounts are disabled, and temporary security controls are implemented to limit the spread of malware or unauthorized access.
- Evidence Preservation: PMG360 preserves evidence and forensic data for incident investigation and analysis. Best practices for evidence handling, including chain of custody procedures, digital forensics tools, and disk imaging techniques, are followed to maintain the integrity and admissibility of evidence for legal or regulatory purposes.
- Incident Notification: PMG360 notifies relevant stakeholders, including senior management, legal counsel, regulatory authorities, and affected parties, in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. Communication channels and templates for incident notifications are established, and timely updates on incident status and resolution efforts are provided.
- Incident Recovery: PMG360 recovers and restores affected systems and services to normal operations following a security incident. Incident recovery procedures, including data restoration, system reconfiguration, and infrastructure hardening, are implemented to minimize downtime and restore business continuity.
h) MonitoringPMG360's Monitoring Policy outlines procedures for monitoring and analyzing security events, vulnerabilities, and compliance deviations to detect and respond to security threats and incidents. It includes the following measures:
- Security Event Logging: PMG360 vendors log security events and activities, including login attempts, system access, configuration changes, and network traffic. Logging settings for relevant systems and applications are configured to capture detailed event data for analysis and investigation.
- Log Retention: PMG360 has access to security logs and event data for a defined period based on regulatory requirements and operational needs. Log retention policies and procedures for storing, archiving, and disposing of log data in a secure and compliant manner are established.
- Log Analysis and Correlation: PMG360 can analyze and correlate security logs and event data to identify patterns, trends, and anomalies indicative of security incidents or malicious activity. Log management and SIEM solutions are used to aggregate, normalize, and analyze log data from multiple sources for threat detection and response.
- Alerting and Notification: PMG360 vendors generate alerts and notifications for security events, vulnerabilities, and compliance violations. Monitoring tools are configured to trigger alerts based on predefined thresholds, correlation rules, and anomaly detection algorithms, and escalate alerts to appropriate personnel for investigation and response.
- Continuous Monitoring: PMG360 vendors continuously monitor systems, networks, and applications for real-time threat detection and response. Automated monitoring solutions and proactive scanning techniques are implemented to detect security weaknesses, unauthorized access, and emerging threats in near real-time.
- Compliance Monitoring: PMG360 vendors monitor security controls and configurations to ensure compliance with internal policies, industry standards, and regulatory requirements. Regular compliance audits, assessments, and scans are conducted to identify gaps, deviations, and non-compliance issues, and corrective actions are taken as needed.
i) Acceptable Use PolicyPMG360's Acceptable Use Policy governs the acceptable and prohibited uses of its information systems, networks, and resources by employees, contractors, and third-party users. It includes the following provisions:
- Authorized Use: PMG360 authorizes the use of its information systems and resources for business purposes and activities related to job responsibilities. Users must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies when accessing or using PMG360's IT assets.
- Prohibited Activities: PMG360 prohibits activities that are strictly forbidden on its network, including unauthorized access or use of IT resources, malicious software distribution, unauthorized data disclosure or modification, harassment or discrimination, and illegal or unethical conduct.
- Data Protection: PMG360 protects sensitive and confidential information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. Users must adhere to data handling procedures, encryption requirements, and access controls to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PMG360's data assets.
- Internet and Email Usage: PMG360 promotes responsible use of the internet and email services for business purposes and professional communications. Users must refrain from accessing or distributing inappropriate or offensive content, engaging in online activities that pose security risks, or violating copyright or intellectual property rights.
- BYOD and Remote Access: PMG360 establishes security requirements for personal devices and remote access to its network and systems. Users must comply with BYOD policies, endpoint security controls, and remote access guidelines to prevent unauthorized access, data breaches, and malware infections.
- Consequences of Violations: PMG360 enforces consequences for violations of the Acceptable Use Policy, including disciplinary action, termination of employment or contract, and legal consequences for serious breaches or criminal activities. PMG360 investigates and enforces policy violations in accordance with established procedures and applicable laws.
j) Risk ManagementPMG360's Risk Management Policy outlines procedures for identifying, assessing, mitigating, and monitoring information security risks to protect the organization's assets and operations. It includes the following components:
- Risk Identification: PMG360 vendors can identify potential threats, vulnerabilities, and weaknesses that could impact its information systems, data, and business processes. Risk assessments, vulnerability scans, and threat intelligence analysis are conducted to identify and prioritize security risks based on their likelihood and potential impact.
- Risk Assessment: PMG360 vendors can assess the likelihood and potential impact of identified risks to determine their risk level and priority for mitigation. Evaluation of risk factors such as asset value, threat actors, attack vectors, and existing controls quantifies and prioritizes security risks.
- Risk Mitigation: PMG360 can implement controls, safeguards, and countermeasures to reduce the likelihood and impact of identified risks to an acceptable level. Risk mitigation plans, security controls, and remediation strategies address high-risk areas and vulnerabilities and monitor their effectiveness over time.
- Risk Acceptance: PMG360 accepts residual risks that cannot be fully mitigated or eliminated through existing controls or risk treatments. Documentation and communication of residual risks to senior management and stakeholders support informed decision-making and risk acceptance.
- Risk Monitoring and Review: PMG360 can monitor information security risks to identify changes in the risk landscape and emerging threats. Regular risk assessments, control assessments, and compliance audits ensure risk management processes remain effective and responsive to evolving threats and business needs.
- Risk Reporting and Communication: PMG360 reports and communicates information security risks to senior management, stakeholders, and relevant parties. Regular risk status updates, risk registers, and risk dashboards facilitate risk-informed decision-making and prioritize resource allocation for risk mitigation efforts.