Protecting your company's hardware and software is a must if you hope to run your business without a hitch. This Network Security Policy Template, provided by ITManagerToolkit.com, provides companies with guidance for implementing network security to ensure the appropriate protection of corporate networks.

Here are a few of the suggested rules to include in a policy.

• Users must log off before leaving sensitive systems unattended. If the computer system to which users are connected or which they are currently using contains sensitive information, and especially if they have special access rights, such as domain admin or system administrator privileges, users must not leave their computer, workstation, or terminal unattended without first logging out, locking the workstation or invoking a password-protected screen saver.
• All Internet Web servers must be firewall protected. All connections between company internal networks and the Internet (or any other publicly accessible computer network) must be protected by a router, firewall, or related access controls approved by the Information Systems Security Department and Data Network Services.
• Direct network connections with outside organizations must be approved. The establishment of a direct connection between company systems and computers at external organizations, through the Internet or any other public network, is prohibited unless this connection has first been approved by the IT Department.

For the rest of the rules in this policy, check out the full template in the Knowledge Network. There is also another Sample Network Security Policy available to Knowledge Network users.