Driving Effective Infosec Awareness In Your Organisation – The ISMS.online Difference

In the ever-evolving landscape of information security, the threats are constantly changing. It’s crucial to have an Information Security Management System (ISMS) that can adapt to these shifts. At ISMS.online, we believe good data security does not have to be complicated. Our SaaS compliance solution simplifies setting up and maintaining an ISMS while positively guiding user behaviour. The platform’s simplicity helps users navigate compliant workflows that keep information security top of mind.

The Need for a Strong ISMS

Statistics and Risks

The current digital era has brought an undeniable surge in cyber threats. Our recent State of Information Security Report found that 91% of companies had encountered at least one cyber attack in the last 12 months. The repercussions of these attacks are far-reaching, extending beyond mere operational disruptions to include substantial reputational damage and financial penalties. On average, companies face fines of £250,000 for failing to adhere to information security regulations, underlining the gravity of these risks.

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: A Growing Concern

The threat landscape extends into supply chains, with 57% of businesses experiencing information security incidents stemming from supply chain weaknesses. This statistic underscores the urgent need for holistic infosec strategies encompassing internal processes and external partnerships and networks.

The Imperative of Employee Awareness and Training

Surprisingly, amidst this backdrop of increasing cyber threats, a mere 35% of organisations have implemented a formal security awareness training program. Our research indicates that the most frequent employee errors include:

• Engaging with suspicious links or attachments.
• Utilising unsecured public Wi-Fi for work-related activities.
• Opting for weak or predictable passwords.

These common missteps, however, can be effectively mitigated through enhanced information security awareness and training within the organisation.

Leveraging An ISMS for Business Resilience and Growth

Implementing a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS) is more than a compliance measure; it’s a strategic business decision. An ISMS embodies your organisation’s commitment to safeguarding its digital assets. It provides a framework for setting robust policies and procedures and effectively managing critical business risks.

By adopting an ISMS, your business not only fortifies its defences against cyber threats but also positions itself to attain the highest standards in information security management. This commitment to excellence in security is a powerful testament to stakeholders and a catalyst for business growth and resilience.

Common Pitfalls in ISMS Implementation and ISMS.online’s Approach

Three mistakes commonly hinder establishing an effective ISMS:

· Relying On Gap Analysis

Relying solely on traditional gap analysis can be a significant misstep in implementing an effective ISMS. Here’s why:

1. Incompleteness: Traditional gap analyses may not comprehensively cover all aspects of information security, potentially missing out on crucial vulnerabilities.
2. Reactivity Over Proactivity: Such analyses are often reactive, identifying gaps only after they have manifested rather than proactively preventing them.
3. Time and Resource Intensive: Conducting thorough gap analyses can consume substantial time and resources, potentially delaying implementation.

ISMS.online counters these challenges by offering a pre-configured service that proactively addresses common gaps. This approach accelerates the implementation process and ensures a more thorough and effective ISMS from the outset.

· Relying On A Document Toolkit

Using document toolkits for ISMS implementation can lead to several drawbacks:

1. Lack of Comprehensive Coverage: Toolkits often provide a one-size-fits-all solution that may not cater to different organisations’ specific needs or complexities.
2. Inefficient Management and Control: They can lack sophisticated features for managing, updating, and controlling documents effectively, which is crucial for maintaining a dynamic ISMS.
3. Limited Collaborative Capabilities: Basic toolkits may not support seamless collaboration and information security awareness within a business, a key aspect in maintaining an ISMS where various stakeholders are involved.

ISMS.online addresses these limitations by offering advanced features like task assignments, due date setting, and policy pack management. The platform’s built-in workflow also prompts regular reviews and updates, ensuring all information security aspects are current and effectively managed.

· Starting From Scratch

Starting an ISMS from scratch presents several obstacles:

1. Resource and Time-Intensive: Building an ISMS from the ground up demands significant financial and staffing resources and consumes considerable time, which could be better utilised in other business areas.
2. Risk of Inefficiencies: There’s a high chance of reinventing the wheel, leading to inefficiencies and potential overlooks in security measures.
3. Lack of Expertise: Without prior experience, there’s a risk of missing critical elements in the ISMS, compromising its effectiveness.

ISMS.online provides a more pragmatic approach with its off-the-shelf compliance SaaS. Its ready-to-use solution is designed based on best practices and industry standards, ensuring a comprehensive and efficient ISMS setup without starting from zero.

The ISMS.online Solution

ISMS.online offers a suite of tools uniquely designed to streamline your information security management and significantly boost infosec awareness among your staff. By simplifying the complex, our solution makes understanding and implementing infosec best practices more accessible to everyone in your organisation.

HeadStart: Fast-Tracking Your Path to Compliance

Our HeadStart feature dramatically accelerates your journey towards ISO 27001 certification. With up to 81% of the groundwork pre-built, this suite of tools, frameworks, policies, and controls eliminates the complexity often associated with compliance and makes it easy for your team to understand the essentials of information security. This direct approach to compliance education ensures that your staff are not just following procedures but are also gaining insights into the ‘why’ behind each policy.

And because compliance is never a box-ticking exercise, we’ve designed HeadStart to work around your business. Adopt as much as you want, adapt anything you need and then add anything specific to deliver a customised platform that’s right for your business, further enhancing staff engagement and understanding.

Assured Results Method (ARM): Simplifying Complexity

ARM transforms the daunting task of achieving ISO 27001 certification into a manageable 11-step process. This systematic approach ensures that no aspect of information security is overlooked.

Enhanced Collaboration and Oversight: ARM facilitates cross-departmental collaboration, guiding each team member through their specific tasks. This clear direction fosters a shared responsibility for infosec, enhancing overall awareness. With its real-time tracking, you gain complete visibility into different departments’ progress and compliance status, reinforcing a proactive infosec culture.

Virtual Coach: 24/7 Infosec Expertise

Our Virtual Coach module acts as an around-the-clock ISO 27001 mentor. This resource is invaluable in fostering a continuous learning environment for your staff. By providing instant access to expert advice and information, the Virtual Coach ensures that every team member can deepen their infosec knowledge and stay informed regardless of their role or schedule.

Policy Packs: Driving Comprehensive Awareness

In light of the fact that only 35% of organisations have formal security training programs, ISMS.online’s policy packs module fills a critical gap. It allows you to assemble and distribute comprehensive, easy-to-understand policy packages to relevant employees.

Tracking and Engagement: With real-time dashboards, you can monitor who has accessed and complied with the policies, ensuring that everyone is up-to-date with the latest infosec requirements. The ability to send follow-up tasks and reminders reinforces the importance of infosec, making it a regular part of your employees’ workday.

ISMS.online is more than a compliance tool; it’s a platform that transforms how your organisation understands and implements information security. Through our interactive and user-friendly features, we empower every team member to become an active participant in safeguarding your business’s digital assets.

Customer Success Stories

We have helped hundreds of organisations, from start-ups to global enterprises, with their compliance so they can scale their business securely.

Hear from our clients, like Taj Shahi from NEWDAY: “I genuinely believe that we achieved ISO 27001 certification first time with the assistance of ISMS.online! It shows that we take our cyber security seriously.

It saved a lot of time than searching in different areas such as intranet or shared drives. Having one single source of truth was fantastic!”

And, Bonnie Woodcraft from Actual Experience: “The audits we did through ISMS. online’s capable team has been helpful every step of the way. Initially, we received a lot of useful feedback that gave us the insight we needed to succeed actively. In following audits, they’ve focused on our rough edges and helped us smooth them out.”

Securing Your Future: The ISMS.online Advantage

Choosing the right Information Security Management System (ISMS) is more than a strategic decision — it’s a testament to your organisation’s commitment to exemplary information security standards. By prioritising information security, your business doesn’t just protect itself; it builds a foundation of trust with clients and partners alike. This trust is instrumental in fostering growth and maximising opportunities.

With ISMS.online, you get a comprehensive suite of tools necessary to construct and enhance your organisation’s infosec awareness and management. Our platform is designed to be not just a tool but a partner in your infosec journey, ensuring simplicity, effectiveness, and comprehensive coverage.

If you are starting out, our ‘Adapt, Adaopt, and Add’ content provides a solid basis for building your information security policies. Utilising our SaaS compliance solution helps you begin your journey and simplifies, complements, and optimises your existing business processes.

For businesses with existing information management systems, ISMS.online seamlessly integrates into your workflow. Our platform allows for effortless uploading of existing documents, with support for integration from popular cloud storage services like OneDrive and Google Drive. Additionally, our policy pack feature enables you to efficiently distribute essential policies to relevant team members and monitor compliance, all within a unified platform.

Ready to elevate your organisation’s infosec awareness with an effective compliance tool? Discover the ISMS.online difference today. Secure a demo today.