When you hear about the CIA in relation to preserving business information security, you may think of the information gathering bureau of the federal government of the United States, the Central Intelligence Agency. However, when it comes to safeguarding your own organisation’s business information security, and thus preserving its data and protecting staff and clients from potential information breaches, then ‘CIA’ has a very different meaning. When it comes to business information security, one of the introductory, basic safeguarding principles of Information Security Management Systems is preserving an organisation’s Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (CIA).

CIA could also mean Cautious Impeccable Authorisation

Have you ever been caught out by an unexpected incident? Sometimes, even if you are careful and plan for emergencies, an event that you never even considered could happen, and completely catch you off guard. This is certainly the case for a business’ internal Information Security Systems. For example, you don’t want cyber hackers to breach your data, so you implement anti-malware software. You don’t want unauthorised users to gain access to your work files, so you implement a password protection system. Yet, even after taking all these business information security steps, something completely unexpected could happen, like a work laptop gets stolen after being left briefly unattended in a public place.

To ensure that your business has the highest information security standards available, you should plan for every possible contingency to preserve the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the organisation’s confidential data. However, through the implementation of the ISO 27001:2013 Standards, an internationally certified Information Security Management System (ISMS), your organisation is able to address the complexities of these information security issues in a methodical, streamlined manner. Specifically, ISO 27001 addresses the CIA of business information security by:

• Guaranteeing confidentiality: This step refers to curtailing possible compromises to business information security, such as unauthorised access to confidential data. ISO 27001 Standards ensure that through their implementation, your business will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the confidentiality of its data is all but guaranteed.
• Preserving integrity: It is not enough to simply implement strong business information security systems, if they are not periodically maintained, trouble-shot, and audited to ascertain whether they continue to adhere to the high security standards found within ISO 27001. With business marketplace’s constantly changing to be in-line with new trends in society or the industry, so too do information security systems have to change to ensure that their standards reflect current laws, rules and regulations. ISO 27001 helps your business preserve the integrity of its data by ensuring that not only does it meet its internationally recognised standards, it undergoes regular audits to ensure that it continues to meet them, and that it stays up to date with shifting industry and societal trends.
• Allowing for Availability: This step ensures that the business information security systems are available for staff, customers and clients when required, and that everyone who conducts dealings with the organisation knows that their data will be safeguarded by these high standards. There is little point implementing a compliant, ISO certified business information security system if it is only available for a select few staff, and this step works at ensuring there is consistency across the whole business in relation to the information security system, with it being available to all relevant staff, and them being able to take advantage of its strong information security benefits.

Perform a risk assessment to prevent potential risks from occurring

An effective strategy for ensuring the CIA of your business information is to perform an initial risk assessment, in consultation with the ISO 27001 Standards. A risk assessment looks at calculating the potential information security risks your organisation faces by finding out where its vulnerabilities lie, and what security controls can be implemented on them to best handle security threats to your data.

What do you think is the first step in deciding the scope of the business information security system your organisation needs to implement, to best safeguard its confidential data? It is gaining a thorough comprehension of the information security risks your business may face. Until you understand, and plan for, the scope of internal and external information threats your organisation faces, you won’t be able to properly manage and safeguard the confidentiality, integrity and availability of your business’ important, confidential information assets.

CIA could also mean Confiding in Anitech

When it comes to maintaining business information security, a lot of acronyms are used: ISMS, CIA, ISO and IT, so it may seem like a challenge to wrap your head around the ABCs of this issue. Therefore, Anitech Group, an industry leader in business information security, is here to help you get your head around the only ABC you need to know when it comes to business information security: Anitech Brings Confidence.

Instead of spending time and effort trying to work out the complexities of preserving your business’ information security assets, and potentially risk overlooking something important, give Anitech’s cyber security consultant a call on 1300 802 163. They will be able to talk you through the complexities of the issue, how the security principles found within the ISO 27001 Standards could be best tailored to your operations, and how you can go about implementing it in a smooth, hassle-free manner.

Further, if you want to learn more about maintaining business information security, in a more active environment in which you will be able to participate in a Question and Answer session, the consider signing up for the November webinar on The Importance of Information Security in the Workplace, hosted by Anitech Group’s director, Anita Patturajan. You can sign up for free by visiting the SEMMA website.

No one ever thinks a major information security incident will occur at their organisation, until it actually has occurred, and once it has you have to spend time and effort fixing it up, while it has a detrimental effect on your ability to even operate your business. Or you could smoothly implement the information security standards found within ISO 27001, and save your business the hassle of dealing with this issue. Which option sounds better?

Also read: What is ISMS?

Also read: What is Information Security Management System (ISMS)? For an in-depth understanding of ISO 27001 Information Security Management system

Also read: What an Information Security Management System does for your business.