Information security controls are measures that companies take to protect sensitive data and information security risks. These can be breaches of information systems, theft of data, and changes to digital information and systems that are not authorized. The security controls help to protect sensitive information from the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of the networks and data from those networks.
There are many types of information security controls including security policies, plans, procedures, and devices to help strengthen cybersecurity. There are three categories of information security controls: preventative security controls, detective security controls, and corrective security controls. Each of these controls will help you with the security of your sensitive data.
Preventative security controls will help to prevent cyber security breaches. Detective security controls are designed to detect attempted security breaches or actual breaches and then report them to cyber security personnel. Corrective security controls are used after a breach and are designed to help lower the data loss as well as the damage to the system or network, and then restore the critical systems and processes as quickly as possible.
What are the Different Types of Information Security Controls?
There are a few types of security controls including access controls, procedural controls, technical controls, and compliance controls. These types of controls each help with a different component of cyber security and will help your company to be safer from cyber-attacks. You can use these controls to keep sensitive information safe.
Access controls will help limit breaches by restricting physical access to your company such as security guards and perimeter fencing. Procedural controls help by educating personnel about security awareness, training in security framework compliance, and plans and procedures for incident response.
Technical controls are things such as login authentication, logical access controls, firewalls, and antivirus protection. Compliance controls are the privacy laws, frameworks for cyber security, and standards.
There are a few information security frameworks and standards that include the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, which lists all security requirements that are good for all businesses, especially federal agencies. You can learn more about the NIST here: https://www.nist.gov/. There is also The International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, that gives guidance on information technology security and computer security.
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS, protects sensitive information associated with payment and credit card information by making security requirements and security controls. HIPAA, or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is the federal law that protects the security of patient information that comes from doctors and hospitals.
All these protections help to keep sensitive information from data thieves and those that would want to steal this important information. These are all forms of information security controls that keep us safe in the cyber world. These all protect us from losing precious information to the dark web where the information can be used for nefarious purposes.
These frameworks and systems help to manage consistently the information security controls for all the systems, networks, and devices that can include management of configuration, physical and personnel security, network security, and information security systems. They help to define good practices for cyber security and provide the structure for companies to use for managing the information security controls. You can be assured that if you use the information security controls the sensitive information from your company will be safer for everyone.
The Most Commonly Known Information Security Controls
Some types of information security controls are firewalls, access controls, encryption, and authentication. These are described below in simple terms that anyone can understand.
Firewalls are security devices that either allow or block traffic based on predetermined sets of security rules. The firewall monitors all the traffic going to your website or network. This keeps traffic limited to only those who need access to your sensitive information.
Access Control is a security technique that tells who or what can see or use sensitive resources in a computing environment. This allows information to be seen by only those who have a legitimate reason for using it.
Encryption is how sensitive information is made into a secret code that makes it difficult to read or see the information’s true meaning. This helps to keep credit and debit cards and other payment devices safe from data thieves.
Authentication is the process of determining if the people who are trying to access your network or website truly are who they say they are. This will help keep all sensitive information from your company safe from those who would want to steal that information.
There are many ways that you can find out more about information security controls and doing a little research on the internet can help you to find that information. These controls are important and necessary for any business that handles any kind of sensitive information, including retail shops that handle credit and debit cards.
