Small Business Security Policy Toolkit

Who it’s for

This toolkit is for small businesses that need written security policies but do not want to start from a blank page or adapt a 60-page enterprise document. It suits owners, operations managers and anyone asked to “get our policies in order” for a customer, an insurer or an upcoming audit.

• Businesses responding to security questionnaires from larger customers
• Teams completing cyber insurance applications that ask about written policies
• Organizations working toward HIPAA, PCI DSS or GDPR expectations
• Startups that want sensible policies in place before the team grows

What you’ll learn

Good policies are short, specific and actually followed. The video walkthroughs explain the purpose of each policy, which sections you must tailor and which you can usually leave as written, so you can produce a complete, credible policy set in a few working sessions.

• How to scope your policies to the size and risk of your business
• How to fill in each template with your own systems, roles and rules
• How to write policies employees will read and understand
• How to roll policies out, collect acknowledgments and train staff on what changed
• How to set a simple review cycle so policies stay accurate

How it works

Download the templates in Word and Google Docs formats, then follow the walkthrough videos one policy at a time. Each template uses clearly marked fields for your company details and includes guidance notes you delete once you are done. The policies cross-reference each other, so the set stays consistent as you edit.

The toolkit includes 12 policy templates:

• Information security policy (the umbrella document)
• Acceptable use policy
• Access control and password policy
• Data classification and handling policy
• Backup and recovery policy
• Incident response policy
• Remote work and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy
• Email and communications policy
• Vendor and third-party management policy
• Asset management policy
• Patch and vulnerability management policy
• Security awareness training policy

Templates are a strong starting point, not legal advice. If you operate in a regulated industry, have your final policies reviewed by someone familiar with your obligations. For tips on tone and structure, read our guide to writing security policies employees actually read.

What you get

• 12 editable policy templates in Word and Google Docs formats
• About two hours of video walkthroughs
• An employee policy acknowledgment form
• A policy review calendar and change log
• 12 months of access, including template updates

Need policies written and tailored for you? See our security policy development service.