Cybersecurity Policy Template

Disaster Recovery Policy

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose and Scope: This Disaster Recovery Policy (DRP) outlines the procedures and responsibilities for restoring critical IT systems and data following a significant disruption that impacts business operations. This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and third-party vendors accessing or handling the organization's information assets. It encompasses the recovery of hardware, software, data, applications, and business processes. The scope includes all critical systems identified in the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) (see related documents).

1.2 Relevance to ISO 27001/2022: This policy directly supports the requirements of ISO 27001:2022, specifically addressing controls related to incident management, business continuity management, and information security incident management (e.g., Annex A.17.2, A.17.3). It helps demonstrate the organization's commitment to ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of its information assets.

2. Key Components

The DRP consists of the following key components:

  • Business Impact Analysis (BIA): Identifying critical business functions and their dependencies.

  • Recovery Time Objective (RTO): The maximum acceptable downtime for each critical system.

  • Recovery Point Objective (RPO): The maximum acceptable data loss in case of a disaster.

  • Disaster Recovery Strategy: Outlining the approach to recovery (e.g., cold site, warm site, hot site, cloud-based recovery).

  • Recovery Procedures: Detailed steps for restoring systems and data.

  • Testing and Training: A plan for regularly testing the DRP and training personnel.

  • Communication Plan: Procedures for communicating with stakeholders during and after a disaster.

  • Roles and Responsibilities: Defining roles and responsibilities for disaster recovery activities.

  • Contingency Planning: Addressing alternative scenarios and evolving threats.

3. Detailed Content

3.1 Business Impact Analysis (BIA):

  • In-depth explanation: The BIA identifies critical business functions, their dependencies on IT systems, and the potential impact of disruption. It quantifies the impact of downtime on revenue, reputation, and legal compliance.

  • Best practices: Involve key stakeholders from various departments. Use a structured methodology to assess criticality, dependencies, and impact. Prioritize based on risk and impact.

  • Example: A financial institution conducts a BIA identifying online banking as critical. Downtime exceeding 4 hours results in a significant loss of revenue and reputational damage. The system's dependency on the database server, network infrastructure, and application servers is documented.

  • Common pitfalls: Incomplete or inaccurate assessments due to lack of stakeholder involvement or inadequate data. Overlooking dependencies between systems and functions.

3.2 Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO):

  • In-depth explanation: RTO defines the maximum acceptable downtime for each critical system. RPO defines the maximum acceptable data loss. These objectives should be established based on the BIA.

  • Best practices: Set realistic RTOs and RPOs based on business needs and technical capabilities. Regularly review and update based on changes in the business environment.

  • Example: For the online banking system, the RTO might be 2 hours, and the RPO might be 15 minutes of data loss. For less critical systems, the RTO and RPO can be relaxed.

  • Common pitfalls: Setting overly ambitious or unrealistic RTOs and RPOs. Failing to consider the trade-off between cost and recovery speed.

3.3 Disaster Recovery Strategy:

  • In-depth explanation: This section outlines the approach to disaster recovery, such as using a cold site (basic infrastructure), warm site (partially configured), hot site (fully configured), or cloud-based recovery.

  • Best practices: Choose a strategy that aligns with the RTO and RPO requirements and considers cost and feasibility. Consider geographic diversity to mitigate risks from regional disasters.

  • Example: The financial institution might opt for a hot site for its online banking system, ensuring minimal downtime. Less critical systems might use a warm or cloud-based recovery approach.

  • Common pitfalls: Selecting a recovery strategy without considering the BIA or resource limitations. Over-reliance on a single recovery method.

(Continue this detailed breakdown for each Key Component following the same structure as above. Include sections for Recovery Procedures, Testing and Training, Communication Plan, Roles and Responsibilities, and Contingency Planning.)

4. Implementation Guidelines

  • Step-by-step process:

1. Conduct BIA.

2. Define RTOs and RPOs.

3. Develop recovery strategies.

4. Develop detailed recovery procedures.

5. Establish testing and training plan.

6. Create communication plan.

7. Assign roles and responsibilities.

8. Document all procedures.

9. Regularly review and update the DRP.

  • Roles and responsibilities: Define roles like DR Coordinator, IT Support Team, Communication Team, etc., with clear responsibilities.

5. Monitoring and Review

  • Monitoring: Regularly monitor the availability and performance of critical systems. Track incident response times. Conduct regular testing of the DRP.

  • Frequency and process: Review and update the DRP annually or whenever significant changes occur in the IT infrastructure or business operations. Document all changes and revisions.

6. Related Documents

  • Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

  • Information Security Policy

  • Incident Response Plan

  • Risk Assessment Report

  • Business Impact Analysis (BIA) Report

7. Compliance Considerations

  • ISO 27001:2022 Clauses: This policy addresses multiple clauses including but not limited to 5.1.1, A.17.2, A.17.3 (Incident Management), A.17.5 (Business Continuity Management).

  • Legal and regulatory requirements: Consider relevant industry regulations and legal requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS) that may impact data recovery timelines and procedures.

This template provides a solid foundation for a comprehensive ISO 27001:2022 compliant Disaster Recovery Policy. Remember to tailor it to your organization's specific needs and context. Regular testing and review are critical for ensuring its effectiveness. Consult with legal and security professionals to ensure full compliance with relevant regulations.

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