Information Security In Project Management

Project management can mean different things to different people. Essentially, it’s the process of organizing and managing resources necessary to accomplish project goals. These resources can be anything from skills, knowledge, workforce, but most importantly, information. 

Information has always been a crucial element in all kinds of business operations. It helps teams make the right decision and simplifies otherwise complex processes. But as always, things don’t always go as planned. Unauthorized use, access, modification, destruction, disclosure—these are just a few things that can happen to such information, all of which may potentially disrupt the project’s development. That’s why when dealing with vital information, project managers must never forget to establish an information security framework. 

There are a few things to keep in mind when establishing information security in project management, but if you’re planning to take the easy way out, you might want to consider outsourcing this aspect of project management to a company like Foresite’s managed security services and make the process of identifying, detecting and remediating potential cyber threats easier. 

Outsourcing Your Information Security Framework 

Not every company has sufficient resources to build an information security system efficiently. Some may struggle with staffing, while others may lack the funds. After all, establishing an effective system requires a considerable amount of money. Furthermore, you’ll have to hire people who specialize in this area, which further adds to its cost. You can, however, employ an information security agency to take care of everything. 

Information security agencies like www.berylliuminfosec.com aim to protect their client’s information from internal and external threats. For a fixed amount of money, they’ll deal with your information security needs. 

With these agencies, you don’t have to worry about hiring more employees or buying the necessary tools. Additionally, outsourcing is often cheaper than when you do it yourself. However, if you still insist on establishing an information security framework without the assistance of these agencies, you can start by following these steps. 

1. Determine The Rules You Must Follow 

Financial institutions are required to follow the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) laws, while defense contractors must conform to the regulations set by the Department of Defense (DoD). If you’re running a company, chances are, there’s also a set of rules you must follow. So, your first task is to determine what laws apply to your company. You must then align your objectives to your legal obligations. 

So, for example, you’re working as a defense contractor. One of the things you must take care of, according to the DoD, is cybersecurity. This step can help greatly with goal-setting before you establish information security in project management. 

2. Choose The Right People For The Job 

After the first step, you now know what your priorities are. Your next goal is to choose the right people for the job. Going back to the example earlier, one of your priorities is cybersecurity. Hence, the best course of action is to assign people specializing in this area. However, remember your goal is to build a team, and as always, teams must consist of individuals with different skillsets. These may include: 

  • Public relations 
  • Information technology managers 
  • Legal counselors 
  • Security officers 
  • Cybersecurity experts 
  • Coordinator 

Even with a team consisting of appropriate skillsets, you can’t guarantee success if they lack cooperation. So, to help with that, you might want to consider investing in technologies that enable teamwork, such as communication applications. 

3. Invest In Helpful Technologies 

It’s no secret that there are technologies out there that can help with information security, such as endpoint detection and response software, cloud security brokers, DevSecOps, among other things. If you want to maximize the efficiency of the information security framework for project management, investing in these technologies should be a viable option. 

But aside from technologies for information security, you should also consider investing in technologies that improve productivity and teamwork, as previously said. These may include: 

With these steps, you’ve set the necessary goals, created a team designed specifically for information security, and maximized their efficiency with essential technologies. The only thing left now is to determine what kind of threats you need to deal with. With any sensitive data and security you may need professionals, check out check data center consulting services provided by Quadbridge.

4. Assess Potential Threats 

You’re probably already aware of the different types of threats to information security. Sabotage, information extortion, phishing, intellectual property theft—these are just a few examples. Just like how each company has different legal obligations, they also differ when it comes to threats, they’re most vulnerable to. For instance, financial institutions are susceptible to phishing since a hacker only needs an employee’s password to back into the company’s system. 

Your final goal is to determine and assess the potential threats to your company. That way, you can find out what your team must focus on when establishing the information security framework. It also provides the team with a specific goal, which can be a source of motivation. 

Final Words 

There are several reasons why business projects fail. Perhaps the concept behind the project is too unappealing. Maybe the team is simply unmotivated, so the project was bound to fail. But people tend to forget about another reason—a lacking information security framework. So, if you think you’re doing everything right but still can’t achieve your goals, perhaps working on a practical information security framework might just be the ingredient to complete the formula.