ISO 17799 Definition

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a private organization that compiles standards used by businesses to maintain regulations. ISO 17799 regulates information security within an organization.

Physical Security

One of the objectives of ISO 17799 is to ensure the safety of employees and company assets. The standard requires that the company take measures to prevent access by unauthorized persons to the company's information and to the premises. A company must protect its assets, both physical and informational, from loss or theft; there must also be steps in place to prevent the disruption of company activities. Companies must also prevent unauthorized access to information systems, computer networks and software.

Human Resources

ISO 17799 also establishes standards for training employees on security. Employees and contractors must understand their responsibility in maintaining company security. Employees must be suitable for their jobs and support company security policies. Regulations must be in place to ensure that when employees leave the company, they do so in a controlled manner.

Business Continuity

Companies must secure their information systems with encryption, and set measures in place to ensure that in the event of a security breach, they can take corrective action right away. In the event of a security breach, top leadership must ensure that critical functions are safe and measures exist to limit the time that the breach affects the company.

References

• International Organization for Standardization: About ISO
• Denial of Service: ISO 17799 Information and Resource Portal