A Practical Guide to Managing Information Security

Book excerpt: This groundbreaking book helps you master the management of information security, concentrating on the recognition and resolution of the practical issues of developing and implementing IT security for the enterprise. Drawing upon the authors' wealth of valuable experience in high-risk commercial environments, the work focuses on the need to align the information security process as a whole with the requirements of the modern enterprise, which involves empowering business managers to manage information security-related risk. Throughout, the book places emphasis on the use of simple, pragmatic risk management as a tool for decision-making. The first book to cover the strategic issues of IT security, it helps you to: understand the difference between more theoretical treatments of information security and operational reality; learn how information security risk can be measured and subsequently managed; define and execute an information security strategy design and implement a security architecture; and ensure that limited resources are used optimally. Illustrated by practical examples, this topical volume reveals the current problem areas in IT security deployment and management. Moreover, it offers guidelines for writing scalable and flexible procedures for developing an IT security strategy and monitoring its implementation. You discover an approach for reducing complexity and risk, and find tips for building a successful team and managing communications issues within the organization. This essential resource provides practical insight into contradictions in the current approach to securing enterprise-wide IT infrastructures, recognizes the need to continually challenge dated concepts, demonstrates the necessity of using appropriate risk management techniques, and evaluates whether or not a given risk is acceptable in pursuit of future business opportunities.