How to Create an IT Security and Compliance Policy
A useful policy explains what the business protects, who is responsible, which rules apply and how exceptions, incidents and evidence are managed.
Reviewed by Connected Platforms | Updated September 2026
What this guide covers
- Define scope, roles and enforceable rules
- Separate legal obligations from security baselines
- Record approvals, evidence and exceptions
What the policy should contain
Purpose and scope
Explain why the policy exists and which people, systems, locations, data and suppliers it covers.
Roles and ownership
Name the policy owner, control owners, approvers and escalation points.
Access and acceptable use
Set rules for accounts, MFA, privileged access, devices, software, remote work and business systems.
Data handling
Define classification, storage, sharing, retention, disposal and privacy expectations.
Security operations
Cover patching, vulnerability management, logging, monitoring, backups and restoration testing.
Incidents and recovery
Explain reporting, triage, communications, decision authority, recovery and post-incident review.
Exceptions and enforcement
Document how exceptions are approved, risk-accepted, reviewed and closed.
Review history and evidence
Set review dates and identify the records that demonstrate controls are operating.
Compliance and cyber security are related, not identical
Compliance means meeting specific legal, contractual, regulatory or internal requirements. Cyber security reduces risk. A business can pass a narrow compliance check and still have material security weaknesses, or maintain strong controls without holding a formal certification.
Start by listing the obligations that actually apply. Then choose security baselines and frameworks that help meet those obligations and reduce risk.
Use the Essential Eight as a baseline where it fits
The Essential Eight can inform technical policy requirements for application control, patching, macro settings, application hardening, administrative privileges, operating systems, MFA and backups.
It is not a universal law for every Australian business. The target maturity level and implementation details should come from risk, contracts and stakeholder requirements. Refer to current ACSC guidance rather than copying old patching timeframes into a policy.
Read our Essential Eight guide for a plain-language overview.
A practical policy workflow
Understand obligations
List relevant laws, contracts, insurer questions, customer requirements and internal commitments.
Assess the current state
Review technology, data, processes, evidence and gaps.
Draft clear requirements
Use language staff and suppliers can understand and follow.
Assign owners and dates
Every material requirement needs an accountable owner and review cadence.
Approve and communicate
Leadership approves the policy; affected people receive guidance and training.
Implement and evidence
Configure controls, document decisions and retain useful operating records.
Review and improve
Test the policy after incidents, audits and major business or technology changes.
Copy-ready policy outline
- Purpose
- Scope
- Definitions
- Roles and responsibilities
- Acceptable use
- Identity and access management
- Data handling and privacy
- Device, software and patch management
- Backup, recovery and business continuity
- Incident response and reporting
- Third-party and supplier security
- Exceptions and risk acceptance
- Training and enforcement
- Evidence, review and document history
Need help turning policy into practice?
We can help you assess the current environment, define a realistic security baseline and translate policy requirements into accountable technical work.
