Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Data Security

Big Data Staging Academy
Tagline: Turn raw data into reliable pipelines
Effective Date: [DATE]

Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to establish a comprehensive framework for ensuring the security, integrity, and confidentiality of data managed by Big Data Staging Academy. This document outlines the procedures for data classification, access control, password and authentication policies, incident response, data backup and recovery, employee training, vendor security assessments, compliance monitoring, and security audits.

Scope

This SOP applies to all employees, contractors, vendors, and third-party service providers who handle or have access to data managed by Big Data Staging Academy. It covers all data types, including client data, internal operational data, and third-party data, across all systems, networks, and devices used by the organization.

Definitions

• Data Classification: The process of categorizing data based on its sensitivity and criticality.
• Access Control: Mechanisms to restrict access to data based on roles and responsibilities.
• GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation, applicable to EU residents.
• CCPA: California Consumer Privacy Act, applicable to California residents.
• Incident Response: A structured approach to addressing and managing security breaches or attacks.

Responsibilities

• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): Oversees the implementation and enforcement of this SOP.
• IT Department: Responsible for technical implementation of security measures.
• HR Department: Ensures employee training and compliance.
• Vendors: Must adhere to security requirements outlined in vendor agreements.

Procedures

1. Data Classification Framework

1.1. Categories of Data:
- Public Data: Non-sensitive information available to the public (e.g., marketing materials).
- Internal Data: Proprietary information used internally (e.g., training materials).
- Confidential Data: Sensitive client or operational data requiring strict access controls (e.g., client datasets).

1.2. Classification Process:
- Data owners must classify data upon creation or receipt.
- Use metadata tagging tools like Collibra or Alation for automated classification.
- Review classifications quarterly to ensure accuracy.

1.3. Tools and Costs:
- Recommended Tool: Collibra Data Governance ($5,000–$10,000 annually).

2. Access Control Procedures

2.1. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC):
- Define roles (e.g., Data Engineer, Analyst, Administrator).
- Assign access permissions based on job responsibilities.

2.2. Access Approval:
- Access requests must be approved by the CISO.
- Use tools like Okta or Azure Active Directory for access management.

2.3. Access Review:
- Conduct quarterly access reviews to ensure permissions align with roles.

2.4. Cost Estimate:
- Okta: $2–$6 per user/month.

3. Password and Authentication Policies

3.1. Password Requirements:
- Minimum 12 characters, including uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters.
- Change passwords every 90 days.

3.2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):
- Mandatory for all systems containing confidential data.
- Use tools like Duo Security or Google Authenticator.

3.3. Password Management Tools:
- Recommended Tool: LastPass Enterprise ($4–$6 per user/month).

4. Incident Response Plan

4.1. Incident Identification:
- Monitor systems using tools like Splunk or Datadog for anomalies.

4.2. Incident Reporting:
- Employees must report incidents within 30 minutes to the IT Department.

4.3. Response Steps:
- Contain the breach (e.g., isolate affected systems).
- Assess the impact and notify stakeholders within 24 hours.
- Remediate vulnerabilities and document the incident.

4.4. Testing:
- Conduct incident response drills semi-annually.

4.5. Cost Estimate:
- Splunk: $150/month for small teams.

5. Data Backup and Recovery Procedures

5.1. Backup Frequency:
- Perform daily incremental backups and weekly full backups.

5.2. Backup Storage:
- Store backups in encrypted cloud storage (e.g., AWS S3 with encryption enabled).

5.3. Recovery Testing:
- Test data recovery processes quarterly.

5.4. Cost Estimate:
- AWS S3: $0.023 per GB/month.

6. Employee Security Training Requirements

6.1. Training Frequency:
- Conduct mandatory security training during onboarding and annually thereafter.

6.2. Training Content:
- Topics include phishing awareness, password hygiene, and incident reporting.

6.3. Training Tools:
- Recommended Tool: KnowBe4 ($10–$15 per user/year).

7. Vendor Security Assessment

7.1. Assessment Criteria:
- Evaluate vendors on data encryption, access controls, and compliance certifications (e.g., ISO 27001).

7.2. Assessment Frequency:
- Conduct assessments annually or before onboarding new vendors.

7.3. Tools:
- Recommended Tool: BitSight ($10,000–$20,000 annually).

8. Compliance Monitoring

8.1. GDPR/CCPA Compliance:
- Maintain records of data processing activities.
- Provide data access and deletion capabilities for users.

8.2. Compliance Tools:
- Recommended Tool: OneTrust ($5,000–$15,000 annually).

8.3. Audit Frequency:
- Conduct compliance audits semi-annually.

9. Security Audit Schedule

9.1. Internal Audits:
- Conduct quarterly internal security audits.

9.2. External Audits:
- Engage a third-party auditor annually to review security practices.

9.3. Audit Tools:
- Recommended Tool: Qualys ($2,000–$5,000 annually).

Escalation Path

• Level 1: IT Department
• Level 2: CISO
• Level 3: External Security Consultant

Metrics and KPIs

• Incident Response Time: Average time to contain and remediate incidents (target: <24 hours).
• Access Review Compliance: Percentage of roles reviewed quarterly (target: 100%).
• Training Completion Rate: Percentage of employees completing annual training (target: 95%).
• Backup Success Rate: Percentage of successful backups (target: 99.9%).

Review Schedule

• This SOP will be reviewed and updated annually or as needed to address changes in technology, regulations, or business operations.

Prepared by: [REPRESENTATIVE_NAME]
Title: [REPRESENTATIVE_TITLE]
Date: [DATE]

Approved by: [REPRESENTATIVE_NAME]
Title: [REPRESENTATIVE_TITLE]
Date: [DATE]