Proven Security Policies & Templates

Let's face it, even the most security-aware employees will have a lapse every now and then.  Or maybe your company security policy isn't all it can be, and your employees are doing the minimum because they don't know or don't have the inclination to practice safer security measures.

A good security audit will show that most security breaches are preventable. To prevent these breaches, companies need to develop and enforce solid security policy plans. To that end, we’ve collected the top security policies and templates from IT Business Edge's IT Downloads to give you the tools to begin on your own company policy.

Click through for 10 top security policies from our IT Downloads.

This Toolkit Cafe Network Security Policy Template provides companies with guidance for implementing network security to ensure the appropriate protection of corporate networks.

The purpose of this Info-Tech Research Group policy is to define standards, procedures and restrictions for end users who have legitimate business requirements to access corporate data from a mobile device connected to an unmanaged network outside of a company's direct control. The policy applies to any hardware and related software that could be used to access corporate resources, even if said equipment is not corporately sanctioned, owned or supplied.

There are many security threats associated with instant messaging n the enterprise that increase a company’s vulnerability. Use this template from Info-Tech Research Group to establish a policy that will establish a control mechanism for official use of IM, delineate the role of IT in security policy compliance, create guidelines for employee use of IM and describe expectations for business unit oversight of IM use by employees.

For some deviant computer users, passwords are made to be broken. Therefore, it’s important for companies to have a strong password policy that includes issues such as password handling, composition and server settings. This document is brought to you by The Computer Guy.

End users increasingly turn to inexpensive wireless networking resources to connect themselves to the corporate network. Because wireless network segments are inherently less secure than conventionally wired components, wholesale, uncontrolled use of wireless access will expose the organization to additional risk. Craft and implement a wireless security access policy for your organization to mitigate risk. This document is brought to you by Info-Tech Research Group.

The Internet lets you roam to almost any piece of information or data. However, that’s not always best in the business world. Therefore, businesses often like to have a policy in place that addresses the use of the Internet. This Toolkit Cafe policy template gives companies a set of guidelines in which to take, change and ultimately, craft a policy that meets its own needs.

This Toolkit Cafe IT Computer Equipment Security Policy helps companies establish rules for safeguarding computer equipment.

Security assessments are focused on determining if information system security controls are correctly implemented, operating as intended and are producing the desired level of security. Without security assessments, the potential exists for information systems to not be as secure as intended or desired. Use this Info-Tech Research Group template to build an efficient and effective enterprise security policy.

Certain types of software can open significant security holes in the enterprise network. As a result, a critical weapon in your security management arsenal is to control what software can be installed on end-user devices.

The goal of the Info-Tech Research Group Software Installation Policy is to identify permitted standard software titles, clearly communicate what is prohibited and outline proper procedures for installation. Use this template to craft a policy suited to the needs of your enterprise.

This policy, provided by Abilene Christian University, is designed to define the appropriate and responsible use of the information resources at ACU, which includes its campus computing and network facilities. The policy states each authorized user of ACU information resources must assume responsibility for his/her own behavior while using these resources. The policy addresses the specific responsibilities for students, employees and information professionals.