There is a relatively new standard of ISMS (information security management system) around today and it is generally known as ISO 27001. This standard tends to control information and how people handle the security surrounding the leaking of information to sources other than the company which is keeping it. Since cyber spying came into existence with the avid use of computers and online surfing, the need for a system which controls security is paramount.

It is very normal for any company to have in place, some sort of guidelines about the spread of information, or rather, keeping information from getting into the wrong hands. This may be true, but there is no real industry standard to ensure that all departments are working under the same system. For example, take an insurance company that deals with corporate matters which are highly sensitive. The typing pool will do all the paperwork for executives etc., but they may well gossip amongst themselves about what is being written. Mergers or acquisitions may be being talked about but the ladies at this level may not realize how secret these details are.

They go along to the cafeteria for lunch and start talking about what they have been doing today and other members of staff will get to know the plans that the company would probably want to keep under wraps. This is a classic example of how information is leaked even to outside sources. If the merger is something big, the typist could even sell this information to the newspapers too.

By training people in systems to this level that has been discussed earlier, each department would not be allowed to see information from another. Perhaps each department would have its own secretaries which would ensure that information does not go outside the department. They would have to be trained up to this level, of course, but the expense is well worth it for those who want to keep the deal very quiet indeed.

The research and development costs in many companies are astronomical to say the least and it is these costs which are recovered when any new product or service is put onto the market. This is why things tend to get cheaper over time as the costs are repaid. If a competing company got hold of plans or details of what is being developed, and this includes cyber spying to see what is being sent on the internet, they could well bring out the product in front of the developer which would really be illegal of course. However, once the product hits the market there is little that the originating company can do and they would have to suffer the loss of perhaps millions of dollars. Security companies which are experts in this kind of security can be found online and these people should be contacted if a company needs advice. It may well cost money for them to come in, but looking at what they may prevent should bring this cost into perspective for sure.

Author Bio: Ellie Lewis recently searched the term ISO 27001 online while conducting research for an article. She searched the term ISMS online to learn more about it.

Category: Internet
Keywords: ISO 27001,ISMS