Information Secuirity Assessment
Information security assessment (also known as a security audit or security review) is a process of gap analysis between the level of security implemented and industry best practices. During the assessment, observation of vulnerability is made and presented to management with implication, risk level and recommended mitigation technique. After review of the report, management decides to mitigate or accept the risk based on the criticality of assets and cost of mitigation.
Information security and compliance to security standards are often the mandatory requirement from regularity authorities (SBP, PSX, SECP) for doing business. Organizations must comply with these requirements to get permission to start business operations. An organization having an export business and storing clients data also needs to comply for information security requirement of the importing countries. Even if an organization is not bound by government regulation for information security, they still need to protect their information assets from internal and external hackers.
Security assessment provides the critical insight of IT systems that help in developing the cybersecurity roadmap. By identifying the vulnerabilities and risks, assessment enables the IT department in taking a well-informed decision about technology implementation and budget allocation.
By performing an extensive audit of strategy, IT policies, technology implemented, and operational practices; organizations get a detailed insight of information systems that help them in the development of optimal solutions for their problems.
Some of the reasons and benefits of periodic InfoSec assessment are;
- Find the effectiveness of existing security implementation
- Respond to top management about the security status
- Find if already breached
- Stay on top of the latest security threats
- Increase awareness throughout the organization
- Make staff vigilant about IT security
- Get a recommendation for improvements in IT policies and procedure
- Get a recommendation to prevent future attacks
- Make a well-informed decision about security investment
- Demonstrate clients that security is a priority