Your security and compliance glossary

All the terms you need to know when you’re trying to get compliance audit ready, fast.

Show filters

What is an IT security policy?

An information technology (IT) security policy establishes rules and procedures for the individuals who interact with an organization’s IT assets and resources, in order to protect information and IT systems from any unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction, and to provide guidance as to the actions an organization should take if any IT systems are compromised.


In developing an IT security policy, a company will want to consider how its employees, and any individuals accessing and using its IT resources, use and share information internally and externally. An effective IT policy will be different for each organization, addressing categories that include the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and information through the lens of an organization’s specific approach to its work and information management.


An effective IT security policy should include information about the goals and expectations of the policy; information about any regulations that may shape elements of the policy; information about when and how information technology systems are to be tested against potential challenges; and a plan for the policy to be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure the continuity of its effectiveness.

Conducting a SOC 2 security audit can help support the goals of an organization’s IT security policy, by bringing to light potential risks in a company’s security implementation and creating an opportunity — and a streamlined process — to improve a company’s overall security posture.

Additional resources you might like:

ISO 42001
Events
Compliance for AI in Europe: Preparing for Emerging AI Laws and Regulation

Explore how ISO 42001 and the EU AI Act help your company stay compliant, secure, and ahead of evolving AI regulations with expert insights and practical strategies.

GRC
Events
Unlocking the ROI of GRC: The Business Value of Vanta

Discover how Vanta empowers organizations to achieve exceptional results in their Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) programs.

GRC
Events
AI & Security Maturity: Navigating Risks Across Every Stage with John Hammond & Vanta

Watch our on-demand webinar with John Hammond—cybersecurity researcher, practitioner, and content creator with nearly two million YouTube subscribers—and Matt Cooper, Vanta’s Director of GRC, for a fireside chat on AI, security maturity, and the top security risks in 2025.

Additional resources you might like:

ISO 42001
Events
Compliance for AI in Europe: Preparing for Emerging AI Laws and Regulation

Explore how ISO 42001 and the EU AI Act help your company stay compliant, secure, and ahead of evolving AI regulations with expert insights and practical strategies.

GRC
Events
Unlocking the ROI of GRC: The Business Value of Vanta

Discover how Vanta empowers organizations to achieve exceptional results in their Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) programs.

GRC
Events
AI & Security Maturity: Navigating Risks Across Every Stage with John Hammond & Vanta

Watch our on-demand webinar with John Hammond—cybersecurity researcher, practitioner, and content creator with nearly two million YouTube subscribers—and Matt Cooper, Vanta’s Director of GRC, for a fireside chat on AI, security maturity, and the top security risks in 2025.

ISO 27001
Events
Live Demo: How to streamline ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance with automation

Watch Vanta’s 45-minute demo to see how our platform automates up to 90% of the work for achieving ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance, helping you streamline security and move towards continuous compliance.

Compliance
Events
The State of Trust: Top Security & Compliance Trends for 2025

Discover key findings from Vanta’s State of Trust Report, how automation eases the compliance burden, and the role of continuous control monitoring in building real-time trust.

Compliance
Events
Fostering a culture of security in an AI world

Watch our expert-led session to explore strategies for embedding a security-first culture in an AI-driven world. We'll address unique challenges and share actionable insights to help safeguard your organization.

Security
Events
How Trust Centers Help Save Time and Accelerate Sales

Discover how trust centers enhance customer confidence, streamline security processes, and drive sales growth, based on IDC’s latest research.

Product updates
Blog
Introducing new Vanta capabilities to automatically improve your security posture

Today we’re excited to announce a framework for the CIS Critical Security Controls® 8.1, automated tests aligned to the CIS Foundation Benchmarks, and enhancements to the Vanta API.

Product updates
Events
What's New in Vanta: July

Are you curious about new Vanta features? Join Vanta's 'What's New in Vanta' webinar to discover new features and enhancements. Register now!