BSA's security how-to

The Business Software Alliance has issued a document that is designed to help everybody in an organization understand why information security is important and what they can do about it. BSA officials noted that different employees have different responsibilities, including:

Corporate executives

* Responsible for oversight and coordination of policies.

* Must oversee how parts of the organization comply with security requirements.

* Responsible for taking action to enforce those requirements.

Business unit leaders

* Determine the amount of security that is needed for systems and assess their overall risk and impact on citizens in the event of a security breach.

* Provide security training.

* Develop systemic controls to ensure that information technology security measures are followed and maintained.

* Measure and report on the effectiveness of information security policies, procedures and practices.

Senior managers

* Provide security for information and systems.

* Conduct periodic assessments of the infrastructure and the risks to it.

* Determine the appropriate level of security.

* Implement cost-effective policies and procedures to reduce risk to acceptable levels.

* Conduct periodic tests of security and the controls the organization has in place for information security.

Chief information officers

* Develop, maintain and ensure compliance with the organization's information security program.

* Designate a security officer responsible for information security and training.

* Develop required policies to support an effective security program and meet the needs of the organization's businesses.

* Create a plan outlining how information is used and categorized.

* Conduct programs that raise the awareness of information security.