What are formalized rules and guidelines that protect an organization's information and assets?

Security policies are the formalized rules and guidelines that safeguard an organization’s information and assets. They serve as a foundational component of an organization's overall security strategy, dictating how to handle sensitive data, access to systems, and responses to security incidents. These policies are designed to define acceptable use, establish responsibilities, and outline the steps to take in the event of a breach or other security-related issues.

By having clearly established security policies, organizations can ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and industry standards, as well as maintain operational continuity. They are essential in creating a culture of security awareness among employees and provide the framework for implementing further security controls and procedures.

In contrast, data protection regulations are laws meant to protect personal information but do not specifically provide guidelines for an organization’s internal information security practices. Standard operating procedures refer to the specific methods and processes that staff should follow to ensure tasks are completed safely and consistently, but are not themselves formal rules for protecting information. Risk management frameworks provide a structured approach to identifying, assessing, and managing risks, but they don't prescribe the specific security policies that need to be in place for protecting assets.