Security Program Management focuses on the organizational aspects of security, including governance, risk management, compliance, awareness training, and business continuity planning. This section covers the management frameworks and processes that support effective security programs.
This section represents approximately 18% of the Security+ exam and covers the managerial and organizational aspects of cybersecurity that are essential for security leadership roles.
Focus on understanding the relationships between different governance frameworks, risk management processes, and compliance requirements. Many questions will test your ability to apply these concepts in organizational contexts.
Security governance establishes the framework for managing security through policies, standards, and procedures. Compliance ensures adherence to legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
| Component | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Policies | High-level statements of management intent | Information Security Policy, Acceptable Use Policy |
| Standards | Mandatory requirements supporting policies | Password standards, encryption standards |
| Procedures | Step-by-step instructions for tasks | Incident response procedures, backup procedures |
| Guidelines | Recommended best practices | Security configuration guides, architecture guidelines |
| Baselines | Minimum security configurations | OS hardening baselines, network device baselines |
Be familiar with the differences between policies, standards, procedures, and guidelines. Know which regulations apply to specific industries or data types.
Risk management involves identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risks followed by coordinated application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability or impact of unfortunate events.
| Phase | Activities | Outputs |
|---|---|---|
| Identification | Asset inventory, threat identification, vulnerability assessment | Risk register, asset database |
| Assessment | Likelihood analysis, impact analysis, risk calculation | Risk matrix, risk scores |
| Treatment | Risk mitigation, transfer, acceptance, avoidance | Risk treatment plan, control implementation |
| Monitoring | Continuous monitoring, control assessment, risk reporting | Risk dashboard, compliance reports |
| Review | Periodic reassessment, process improvement | Updated risk register, lessons learned |
Every organization has a different risk appetite - the amount of risk they're willing to accept. Understanding this helps prioritize risk treatment efforts effectively.
Security awareness and training programs educate employees about security policies, procedures, and best practices to reduce human-related security risks.
| Component | Purpose | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| New Hire Training | Initial security orientation | Once at hiring |
| Annual Awareness | Refresh security knowledge | Annual refresher |
| Role-based Training | Job-specific security requirements | As needed for role changes |
| Phishing Simulations | Test and improve email security awareness | Quarterly or monthly |
| Security Campaigns | Focus on specific security topics | Periodic (e.g., Cybersecurity Awareness Month) |
People are often the weakest link in security. Effective awareness programs address this by making security part of organizational culture rather than just compliance requirements.
Business continuity ensures that essential business functions continue during and after a disaster, while disaster recovery focuses on restoring IT infrastructure and operations.
| Plan Type | Focus | Key Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Business Continuity Plan (BCP) | Maintaining business operations | Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD) |
| Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) | Restoring IT systems and data | Recovery Time Objective (RTO), Recovery Point Objective (RPO) |
| Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) | Essential functions during emergencies | Essential functions identification |
| Incident Response Plan (IRP) | Security incident handling | Containment time, eradication success |
Understand the differences between RTO (how long to restore) and RPO (how much data loss is acceptable). Be able to match recovery strategies with appropriate RTO/RPO requirements.
Data protection involves safeguarding important information from corruption, compromise, or loss, while privacy focuses on appropriate handling of personal information in accordance with legal and ethical requirements.
| Classification | Description | Examples | Handling Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public | Information for general disclosure | Marketing materials, press releases | No special protection needed |
| Internal | Company internal information | Policies, procedures, internal communications | Access controls, encryption in transit |
| Confidential | Sensitive business information | Financial data, strategic plans, intellectual property | Strong access controls, encryption |
| Restricted | Highly sensitive information | Personal data, health records, payment card data | Strict access controls, encryption, auditing |
Effective data protection requires considering the entire data lifecycle: creation, storage, use, sharing, archiving, and destruction. Each stage requires appropriate security controls.