A collection of ready-to-use cybersecurity policy templates for businesses, IT teams, and compliance programs. Each policy is a standalone document that can be adopted as-is or customized for your organization. These templates align with common compliance frameworks including NIST CSF, CIS Controls, CMMC, HIPAA, SOC 2, and PCI DSS.
| Policy | File | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptable Use Policy | acceptable-use-policy.md | Employee IT usage rules, prohibited activities, monitoring disclosure |
| Password Policy | password-policy.md | Length, complexity, MFA, password managers, service accounts |
| Remote Access Policy | remote-access-policy.md | VPN requirements, home network security, approved devices |
| BYOD Policy | byod-policy.md | Personal device enrollment, MDM, remote wipe, acceptable use |
| Incident Response Policy | incident-response-policy.md | Detection, containment, eradication, recovery, lessons learned |
| Data Classification Policy | data-classification-policy.md | Classification levels, handling rules, labeling, CUI |
- Fork or download this repository
- Replace all
[ORGANIZATION NAME]and[PLACEHOLDER]values - Have your legal team review before adoption
- Get executive sign-off (each policy has a signature block)
- Distribute to employees with acknowledgment tracking
- Review and update annually (or when significant changes occur)
- Adjust technical requirements to match your actual capabilities
- Align enforcement language with your HR policies
- Add industry-specific requirements (HIPAA for healthcare, PCI for payment processing, etc.)
- Include references to your specific tools (VPN product, MDM platform, password manager)
Defines how employees, contractors, and third parties may use organizational IT resources. Covers:
- Permitted and prohibited use of company systems, email, and internet
- Personal use guidelines
- Social media boundaries
- Monitoring and privacy expectations
- Consequences for violations
- Intellectual property protections
Compliance mapping: CIS Control 14, NIST CSF PR.AT, SOC 2 CC6.1
Establishes requirements for authentication credentials across the organization. Covers:
- Minimum password length (16+ characters recommended per NIST 800-63b)
- Composition rules (no arbitrary complexity; length over complexity)
- Multi-factor authentication requirements
- Password manager usage requirements
- Service account and shared credential management
- Banned password lists
- Account lockout settings
- Password expiration (no forced rotation unless compromise suspected, per NIST guidance)
Compliance mapping: CIS Control 5, NIST 800-171 3.5.x, PCI DSS 8.x
Governs how users connect to organizational resources from outside the office. Covers:
- VPN requirements and approved protocols
- Multi-factor authentication for all remote connections
- Home network security baseline (router firmware, network segmentation)
- Approved device requirements
- Split tunneling restrictions
- Session timeout and idle disconnect
- Public Wi-Fi restrictions
- Remote desktop and screen sharing rules
Compliance mapping: CIS Control 12, NIST 800-171 3.1.12-3.1.15, SOC 2 CC6.6
Establishes rules for employees using personal devices to access company data. Covers:
- Device enrollment requirements
- MDM (Mobile Device Management) enrollment and capabilities
- Minimum device security requirements (OS version, encryption, screen lock)
- Supported device types and operating systems
- Company data segregation from personal data
- Remote wipe consent and conditions
- App installation restrictions on enrolled devices
- Offboarding and device de-enrollment procedures
Compliance mapping: CIS Control 1, NIST 800-171 3.1.18-3.1.19, HIPAA 164.310(d)
Defines the process for detecting, responding to, and recovering from security incidents. Covers:
- Incident classification (severity levels 1-4)
- Roles and responsibilities (incident commander, IR team, communications)
- Detection and reporting procedures (who to call, what to document)
- Containment strategies (short-term and long-term)
- Evidence preservation requirements
- Eradication and recovery steps
- Post-incident review (lessons learned)
- Regulatory notification requirements (HIPAA, DFARS, state breach laws)
- Third-party coordination (law enforcement, forensics, legal)
Compliance mapping: CIS Control 17, NIST 800-171 3.6.x, CMMC IR domain, HIPAA 164.308(a)(6)
Establishes a framework for categorizing and handling information based on sensitivity. Covers:
- Four classification levels: Public, Internal, Confidential, Restricted
- Handling requirements for each level (storage, transmission, sharing, disposal)
- Labeling and marking standards
- CUI (Controlled Unclassified Information) marking guide for defense contractors
- Data ownership and custodian responsibilities
- Reclassification procedures
- Third-party data sharing rules by classification level
Compliance mapping: CIS Control 3, NIST 800-171 3.8.x, SOC 2 CC6.5, CMMC MP domain
Each policy follows a consistent structure for ease of adoption:
1. Purpose
2. Scope
3. Definitions
4. Policy Statements
5. Roles and Responsibilities
6. Enforcement
7. Exceptions
8. Related Policies
9. Revision History
10. Approval Signatures
| Policy | NIST CSF | CIS v8 | NIST 800-171 | CMMC L2 | SOC 2 | HIPAA | PCI DSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptable Use | PR.AT | 14 | 3.1.9 | AT.2.056 | CC6.1 | 164.310(b) | 12.3 |
| Password | PR.AC | 5 | 3.5.1-3.5.11 | IA domain | CC6.1 | 164.312(d) | 8.1-8.8 |
| Remote Access | PR.AC | 12 | 3.1.12-3.1.15 | AC domain | CC6.6 | 164.312(e) | 8.1.5 |
| BYOD | PR.AC | 1 | 3.1.18-3.1.19 | AC/MP | CC6.1 | 164.310(d) | -- |
| Incident Response | RS | 17 | 3.6.1-3.6.3 | IR domain | CC7.3 | 164.308(a)(6) | 12.10 |
| Data Classification | ID.AM | 3 | 3.8.1-3.8.9 | MP domain | CC6.5 | 164.312(a) | 9.5-9.8 |
Each policy includes a revision history table:
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | [Date] |
[Author] |
Initial release |
| 1.1 | [Date] |
[Author] |
[Description of changes] |
Created and maintained by Petronella Technology Group - a cybersecurity and managed IT services firm based in Raleigh, NC. With 23+ years of experience and zero client breaches, we help businesses secure their infrastructure and achieve compliance.
- Website: petronellatech.com
- Phone: 919-348-4912
- Free Assessment: Book a consultation
Need help implementing these policies? Petronella Technology Group provides comprehensive compliance consulting:
- Cybersecurity Services - Managed security and assessments
- CMMC Compliance Guide - Full CMMC Level 2 preparation
- HIPAA Compliance Services - Healthcare security assessments
- AI-Powered Security - AI infrastructure with compliance built in
Petronella Technology Group is a CMMC-RP certified cybersecurity firm headquartered in Raleigh, NC. Our entire team holds CMMC Registered Practitioner credentials. Contact us or call (919) 348-4912.
MIT License - See LICENSE for details.