Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define and establish the components of a comprehensive Information Security Management System (ISMS).
• Design and implement a security policy framework aligned with business objectives.
• Apply the ISO 27001 standard for continuous security improvement and certification.
• Navigate and ensure compliance with major data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.).
• Establish effective security governance structures (committees, roles, responsibilities).
• Integrate security awareness, training, and cultural change into the compliance program.
• Develop a framework for security auditing, monitoring, and corrective action.
• Define and report security metrics and key performance indicators to executive management.

• Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and CISO staff
• IT Compliance and Governance Managers
• Internal and External Security Auditors
• Data Privacy and Protection Officers
• IT Directors responsible for risk and compliance
• Security Consultants and Architects

• Group activities to perform a compliance gap analysis against an ISO 27001 control.
• Case studies focusing on implementing GDPR data subject rights (DSR).
• Workshops on developing a hierarchical security policy framework.
• Role-playing a security governance committee meeting.
• Discussions on best practices for vendor security compliance.

Unit 1: Security Governance Fundamentals

• The strategic relationship between IT Governance and Security Governance.
• Key goals of security governance: accountability, assurance, and alignment.
• Defining security roles and responsibilities at executive and operational levels.
• The impact of security governance on business trust and reputation.

• The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model applied to Information Security.
• Scope definition and context of the organization in ISO 27001.
• The importance of the Statement of Applicability (SoA).
• Steps for achieving and maintaining ISMS certification.

Unit 2: Security Policy and Risk Management Integration

• The security policy hierarchy (master policy, standards, guidelines, procedures).
• Best practices for writing and maintaining effective security policies.
• Ensuring policies are enforceable and aligned with business processes.
• Methods for communicating and gaining mandatory policy acceptance.

• The role of the risk assessment process in defining controls.
• Risk treatment decisions and the management of residual risk.
• Monitoring and reviewing security risks on an ongoing basis.
• Linking control implementation directly to identified risks.

Unit 3: Regulatory Compliance and Data Privacy

• Deep dive into the compliance requirements of GDPR (EU) and CCPA (California).
• Overview of sector-specific regulations (e.g., HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX).
• Developing a structured compliance mapping and gap analysis process.
• Managing cross-border data transfers and data localization requirements.

• Implementing technical controls to support privacy rights (e.g., data minimization, encryption).
• Managing audit trails and logging for compliance evidence.
• The role of Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
• Ensuring vendor and third-party compliance through contracts and audits.

Unit 4: Security Operations and Auditing

• Continuous monitoring of security controls and performance.
• Developing a robust vulnerability management and patching program.
• Incident response planning and integration with governance.
• Managing security exceptions and formal acceptance documentation.

• Planning and conducting internal security audits (compliance checks).
• Managing external compliance audits (e.g., ISO, SOC 2).
• Reporting audit findings and managing corrective action plans.
• Defining and reporting key security metrics (KRIs, KPIs) to the Board.

Unit 5: Culture, Change, and Future Trends

• Developing a comprehensive, role-based security training program.
• Strategies for fostering a security-conscious organizational culture.
• Measuring the effectiveness of security awareness initiatives.
• The role of phishing simulations and user testing.

• The impact of cloud computing on security governance.
• Integrating DevSecOps principles into compliance workflows.
• Governance implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
• Continuous compliance monitoring and automation.