40+ enterprise-grade information security policy templates — structured, framework-mapped, and production-ready. Each policy includes rationale, scope, requirements, exceptions handling, and control cross-references.
Security policies are the contractual foundation of every security program. Bad policies are either ignored or unenforceable. Good policies are precise, role-aware, auditable, and tied to measurable controls.
Every template in this library follows a consistent, audit-friendly structure and is cross-referenced to NIST CSF 2.0, ISO 27001:2022 Annex A, CIS Controls v8, and SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
| Policy | File | Framework Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Information Security Policy (Master) | governance/information-security-policy.md |
ISO 5.1 · NIST GV.OC · CIS — |
| Information Security Roles & Responsibilities | governance/security-roles-responsibilities.md |
ISO 5.2 · NIST GV.RR · CIS — |
| Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) | governance/acceptable-use-policy.md |
ISO 5.10 · NIST PR.AT · CIS 5 |
| Security Exception Policy | governance/security-exception-policy.md |
ISO 5.5 · NIST GV.PO · CIS — |
| Security Awareness & Training Policy | governance/security-awareness-policy.md |
ISO 6.3 · NIST PR.AT · CIS 14 |
| Policy | File | Framework Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Access Control Policy | access-control/access-control-policy.md |
ISO A.5.15 · NIST PR.AA · CIS 5,6 |
| Privileged Access Management Policy | access-control/privileged-access-policy.md |
ISO A.5.18 · NIST PR.AA-05 · CIS 5.4 |
| Remote Access Policy | access-control/remote-access-policy.md |
ISO A.6.7 · NIST PR.AA-05 · CIS 12 |
| Password & Authentication Policy | access-control/password-policy.md |
ISO A.5.17 · NIST PR.AA-01 · CIS 5.2 |
| Identity Lifecycle Management Policy | access-control/identity-lifecycle-policy.md |
ISO A.5.16–5.18 · NIST PR.AA · CIS 6 |
| Policy | File | Framework Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Data Classification Policy | data-protection/data-classification-policy.md |
ISO A.5.12 · NIST ID.AM-07 · CIS 3 |
| Data Handling & Retention Policy | data-protection/data-handling-policy.md |
ISO A.5.33 · NIST PR.DS · CIS 3 |
| Encryption Policy | data-protection/encryption-policy.md |
ISO A.8.24 · NIST PR.DS-01 · CIS 3.11 |
| Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Policy | data-protection/dlp-policy.md |
ISO A.8.12 · NIST PR.DS-05 · CIS 3 |
| Policy | File | Framework Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Vulnerability Management Policy | operations/vulnerability-management-policy.md |
ISO A.8.8 · NIST ID.RA-01 · CIS 7 |
| Patch Management Policy | operations/patch-management-policy.md |
ISO A.8.8 · NIST PR.MA-01 · CIS 7.4 |
| Change Management Policy | operations/change-management-policy.md |
ISO A.8.32 · NIST PR.IP-03 · CIS 4 |
| Logging & Monitoring Policy | operations/logging-monitoring-policy.md |
ISO A.8.15 · NIST DE.CM · CIS 8 |
| Asset Management Policy | operations/asset-management-policy.md |
ISO A.5.9 · NIST ID.AM · CIS 1,2 |
| Secure Development Policy | operations/secure-development-policy.md |
ISO A.8.25 · NIST PR.IP-02 · CIS 16 |
| Policy | File | Framework Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Incident Response Policy | incident-response/incident-response-policy.md |
ISO A.5.24 · NIST RS.MA · CIS 17 |
| Security Breach Notification Policy | incident-response/breach-notification-policy.md |
ISO A.5.26 · NIST RS.CO · GDPR Art.33 |
| Business Continuity Policy | incident-response/business-continuity-policy.md |
ISO A.5.29 · NIST RC.RP · CIS 11 |
| Policy | File | Framework Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Third-Party Risk Management Policy | vendor/third-party-risk-policy.md |
ISO A.5.19 · NIST GV.SC · CIS 15 |
| Vendor Security Assessment Policy | vendor/vendor-assessment-policy.md |
ISO A.5.21 · NIST GV.SC-06 · CIS 15 |
| Cloud Security Policy | vendor/cloud-security-policy.md |
ISO A.5.23 · NIST PR.PS · CIS 4 |
# Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
| Field | Value |
|--------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Policy ID | GOV-AUP-001 |
| Version | 2.1 |
| Classification | Internal |
| Owner | Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)|
| Last Reviewed | [DATE] |
| Next Review | [DATE + 12 months] |
| Framework Mapping | ISO 5.10, NIST PR.AT-01, CIS Control 5 |
---
## 1. Purpose
This Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) establishes the standards and requirements governing the
acceptable use of [ORGANIZATION]'s information systems, networks, data, and technology resources.
This policy protects [ORGANIZATION], its employees, customers, and partners from risks arising
from inappropriate use of technology resources, including legal liability, data breaches, and
reputational damage.
## 2. Scope
This policy applies to:
- All employees (full-time, part-time, temporary, and contract)
- All third parties with access to [ORGANIZATION] systems (vendors, consultants, partners)
- All devices — corporate-owned and personal devices used to access corporate resources (BYOD)
- All systems — on-premises, cloud, and SaaS platforms
## 3. Acceptable Use Requirements
### 3.1 General Principles
Users SHALL:
- Use organizational resources only for legitimate business purposes
- Protect their credentials and never share passwords or authentication tokens
- Report suspected security incidents to security@[organization].com immediately
- Complete all mandatory security awareness training within required timelines
- Lock workstations when unattended (maximum 5-minute inactivity timeout required)
### 3.2 Internet & Email Use
Users SHALL NOT:
- Access, download, or transmit illegal, offensive, or inappropriate content
- Use organizational email for personal commercial activity or mass mailings
- Bypass or circumvent web content filtering or security controls
- Click links or open attachments from unknown or suspicious senders
- Subscribe to external mailing lists using organizational email addresses
### 3.3 Data Handling
Users SHALL:
- Handle data in accordance with the Data Classification Policy (GOV-DCP-001)
- Encrypt sensitive data before transmission over untrusted networks
- Store organizational data only in approved, authorized systems and locations
- Follow data retention schedules per the Data Retention Policy (GOV-DRP-001)
Users SHALL NOT:
- Transmit confidential or restricted data via personal email or unauthorized file sharing
- Store organizational data on unapproved cloud services (Dropbox, personal Google Drive, etc.)
- Remove confidential data from organizational systems without explicit authorization
## 4. Violations & Enforcement
Violations of this policy may result in:
- Disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment
- Legal action where violations involve criminal activity or breach of contract
- Immediate suspension of system access pending investigation
## 5. Exceptions
Exceptions to this policy must be submitted via the Security Exception Request process
(GOV-EXC-001) and approved by the CISO or designated authority.
## 6. Policy Review
This policy shall be reviewed annually or following:
- Significant changes to the threat landscape
- Regulatory or compliance requirement changes
- Major organizational changes (merger, acquisition, restructuring)
- Security incidents that reveal policy gaps
---
*Policy Owner: CISO | Approved by: [Executive Sponsor] | Classification: Internal*# Incident Response Policy
| Field | Value |
|--------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Policy ID | IR-POL-001 |
| Version | 3.0 |
| Owner | CISO / Head of Security Operations |
| Framework Mapping | ISO A.5.24–5.28, NIST RS.MA, CIS 17 |
## Incident Severity Classifications
| Severity | Criteria | Response SLA | Escalation |
|:---:|:---|:---|:---|
| P1 — Critical | Active breach, data exfiltration, ransomware, complete service loss | 15 minutes | CISO + CEO + Legal within 30 min |
| P2 — High | Suspected breach, significant system compromise, major data exposure | 1 hour | CISO within 2 hours |
| P3 — Medium | Malware detected (contained), phishing (no credential compromise), policy violation | 4 hours | Security Manager |
| P4 — Low | Failed login attempts, policy violation (minor), false positive investigation | 24 hours | Analyst team |
## Incident Response Phases
1. **Preparation** — IR plan tested, team trained, tools operational
2. **Detection & Analysis** — Alert triage, scope determination, severity classification
3. **Containment** — Short-term isolation, evidence preservation, long-term containment strategy
4. **Eradication** — Root cause removal, vulnerability patching, IOC purging
5. **Recovery** — System restoration, monitoring enhancement, validation
6. **Post-Incident Activity** — Lessons learned, after-action report, policy updatesMIT License — free to use, adapt, and distribute with attribution.
Built by Zeshan Ahmad · GRC Engineer & Cybersecurity SME