Addressing ISO 27002: Enhancing Security Measures in Web Development

At Arcadian Digital, we understand the importance of adhering to recognised security standards like ISO 27002. We want to highlight that the approach we present here is a condensed summary of our security practices.

With the abundance of available security standards, we have tailored our approach to ensure that our staff can easily understand and implement them effectively. By simplifying and streamlining the information, we strive to make it memorable and actionable, promoting a strong security culture.

Understanding ISO 27002

ISO 27002 is a set of guidelines that provides best practices for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an information security management system (SMS). In simpler terms, it’s a framework that helps organisations protect sensitive information from unauthorised access, breaches, and other security risks.

In this article, we will explore how we tackle ISO 27002 requirements, focusing on four essential categories. These include organisational controls, physical controls, people controls, and technological controls.

Organisational Controls

To establish a solid foundation for information security, we implement the following organisational controls.

Information Security Policy:

• Develop and enforce an information security policy that aligns with ISO 27002 guidelines. This is a PDF available on our internal Wiki to all staff.
• Define roles and responsibilities for information security management and establish clear lines of accountability. This is captured in Arcadian’s Incident Management Policy, again available to all staff on our Wiki.

Risk Management:

• Conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities.
• Implement risk treatment plans to address identified risks effectively.
• These are captured in Arcadian’s Risk Management Policy and part of SLAs with various active clients.

Physical Controls

Recognising the importance of securing physical assets, we implement robust physical controls to protect sensitive information.

Secure Access Controls

• Deploy physical access controls, such as access cards, biometric systems, and security personnel, to prevent unauthorised entry to our premises.
• Establish visitor management protocols to ensure proper authorisation and supervision.

Secure Storage and Disposal

• Safeguard physical media and documents containing sensitive information in locked cabinets or secure areas.
• Implement secure disposal processes for physical media, including shredding or secure recycling.
• These are covered across our Risk Management and Cyber Security Policies.

People Controls

Recognising the critical role of individuals in maintaining information security, we implement people controls to foster a security-conscious culture.

Employee Training and Awareness

• Provide comprehensive security awareness training to all employees, emphasising their roles and responsibilities in maintaining information security.
• Regularly update training programs to address emerging threats and reinforce best practices.

Security Incident Reporting

• Establish clear reporting channels for employees to report security incidents or suspicious activities promptly.
• Encourage a culture of reporting and provide assurance that reporting will be handled confidentially and without retaliation.
• Through ongoing security training and incident reporting mechanisms, we promote a culture where employees actively contribute to maintaining a secure environment. This reduces the likelihood of security breaches.

Technological Controls

Harnessing technology, we implement robust technological controls to safeguard our web applications and client data.

Access Controls and Authentication

• Implement strong access controls, including unique user accounts, strong passwords, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for critical systems.
• Regularly review and update user access rights to ensure the principle of least privilege.

Secure Software Development

• Adopt secure coding practices, conduct regular code reviews, and implement vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify and remediate software vulnerabilities.
• Incorporate secure development frameworks and libraries, ensuring they are up to date with the latest security patches.
• We ensure that our web applications are resistant to unauthorised access and mitigate the risk of security breaches. This is done by implementing stringent access controls and secure software development practices.

Data Protection

• Implement measures to safeguard data, and prevent unauthorised access, breaches and potential damages to organisations.
• We make sure to govern the collection, storage, processing and disposal of data. This encompasses various aspects such as encryption, access controls, backup and recovery procedures and regular security assessments.

Network Security

• Adopt robust networking security controls. These controls include but are not limited to, measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, secure configurations and regular monitoring of network activities. 
• Our security practices give us a strong defence against potential threats, such as data breaches, network attacks, and other malicious activities.

While every organisation has unique security requirements, Arcadian Digital has adopted ISO 27002 and various other security standards to suit our business and client applications. By focusing on organisational controls, physical controls, people controls, and technological controls, we ensure a comprehensive approach to information security. By aligning our practices with ISO 27002 guidelines, we foster a secure environment that safeguards our web applications, and client data, and supports our commitment to providing trustworthy digital solutions.

At Arcadian Digital, we’re committed to delivering top-notch web development services while prioritising the security of our client’s data. Remember, this is an overview of our approach to addressing ISO 27002. For a more detailed application refer directly to the ISO 27002 standard and consult with our team. If you’re ready to take your web development to the next level, reach out to us today. Let’s work together to create secure and reliable digital solutions for your business.