The periodic reviews and monitoring of information security and data protection monitoring under the supervision of the information security team is important. The periodic review of accesses can be viewed as a compliance process similar to quality control, with the goal of proper information system management. Corrective actions, such as reducing access rights or closing specific accounts, can be taken if necessary.
Periodic Reviews and Monitoring of Information Security
Information and data monitoring is a regular process performed by the information security compliance team under the supervision of the Chief Information Security Officer or CISO. Monitoring and continuous improvement in the information security infrastructure and controls are the responsibility of all employees and the organization’s management. They are required to support the information security team in preventing and detecting cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.
CISO performs periodic data protection and information security-related compliance reviews through its information security team. Through identifying compliance risks, breaches, and incidents and recommending appropriate recommendations in the light of applicable regulations. CISO helps management in the protection of data from breaches and losses. CISO works to avoid reputational and financial losses due to possible cyberattacks by hackers who gain access to confidential information and ask for ransom money.
The sound information security compliance governance structure is the foundation of an effective security program. It requires the board of directors and senior management to ensure that processes are designed and set to ensure compliance breaches are not reported or occur. Information and data monitoring involves monitoring the defined rules, processes, and activities of the employees to ensure that data breaches are identified and reported to relevant authorities for corrective actions and management of compliance risks.
The monitoring activity checks the “tone at the top” as this is part of the risk management practices. To ensure appropriate oversight of the compliance culture, the board of directors forms a board-level sub-committee to periodically monitor the compliance practices and measures taken by the management. The compliance monitoring activities ensure that the governance structure is well established and functioning appropriately.
Information security monitoring involves the intervention of the Management Information Security Committee or MISC, a management-level committee headed by the organization’s CEO. The committee works on behalf of the board to regularly review and provide appropriate feedback to the management and employees regarding the organization’s overall information security risk profile. The committee being part of the overall governance structure, serves to set the compliance tone within the organization and works through the CISO.
Information security compliance monitoring aims to ensure that the information security team serves as the second line of defense. It works in coordination with the first line of defense, which includes Business, IT, and Operation, which are responsible for establishing business relationships and processing the transactions of the clients and customers. The monitoring team performs the risk-based approach toward managing the Regulatory requirements and works to ensure that information security and cybersecurity policies and procedures are effectively implemented in the organization.
The information security team monitors that the critical customers’ data and information are identified and protected appropriately. Identified data breaches or cybersecurity attempts are monitored and escalated to senior management for review and necessary actions.
Final Thoughts
The monitoring team ensures that the organization is not involved in the wrong practices of performing business operations, transactions, and technology solutions. The monitoring team ensures that the effective information security program is in place and approved by the board for employees’ reference and compliance purposes. Monitoring involves checking whether the policies cover relevant information and data security-related regulatory elements. Monitoring involves checking the transactions, networks, systems, employees’ behavior towards data access, and activities of the customers and matching them with the information security program.
