Your Trusted IRAP Certification Partner

If you are an Australian government agency or looking to provide systems or software to one, compliance with the security controls outlined in the Information Security Manual (ISM) and the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) is mandatory. This entails the development and maintenance of security documentation, including a System Security Plan (SSP) Annex A/Statement of Applicability (SOA), System Security Plan (SSP), Incident Response Plan (IRP), Continuous Monitoring Plan (CMP), Security Assessment Report/Security Risk Management Plan (SRMP), and Plan of Action and Milestones (POAM). These documents support the consistent application of policies, processes, and procedures for systems.

The documentation of an information system serves as a crucial communication, control, and monitoring component of the project during its various phases, including development, operation, and maintenance. This documentation simplifies project tracking and enhances communication with all stakeholders involved. Information security documents can be viewed as a comprehensive set of an organisation’s cybersecurity policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards. These documents safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of client and customer data through effective security management practices and controls, which are vital for proactively protecting data while ensuring compliance with regulatory and customer requirements. Effective information system documentation empowers organisations to plan more efficiently and make informed security and operational decisions.

Unfortunately, in agile software/system development methodologies, security documentation is often the last consideration when developing a new system or product. This oversight can lead to processes and workflows that generate systems with security vulnerabilities and incomplete documentation, which may not satisfy the standards of an IRAP assessor or the requirements to issue an Authority to Operate (ATO) within the implementing organisation.

Given today’s threat landscape and geopolitical climate, many organisations will no longer deploy a system without a complete suite of security artifacts and design documents. Therefore, it is essential to integrate the process of creating information system documentation during the design and development phases to achieve optimal results.

Good documentation ensures that information is easily accessible, limits the number of user entry points, accelerates onboarding for new users, simplifies the product, and helps reduce support costs. The existence of thorough documentation not only facilitates tracking across all phases of an application but also fosters innovative ideas that can enhance the quality of a software product through careful analysis of the documentation.

Let’s be honest: developing robust security documentation that meets IRAP or ATO standards is a lengthy and arduous process that many dread. However, at Adapt Cybersecurity, we thrive on this challenge. Our information security consultancy team has extensive experience producing numerous security documentation suites for federal government agencies, so we understand precisely what is required to successfully achieve IRAP certification or an ATO.

As an information security consultancy, Adapt Cybersecurity will:

• Assist with the creation of a System Accreditation Plan
• Review detailed design documents to identify potential security vulnerabilities in the system’s design
• Complete an Australian Government Information Security Manual System Security Plan Annex (SSP Annex) using the current ISM
• Create a System Security Plan (SSP), Security Risk Management Plan (SRMP), Plan of Action and Milestones (POAM), Continuous Monitoring Plan (CMP), and Incident Response Plan (IRP), along with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Your dedicated Adapt Cybersecurity consultant will collaborate with the organisation's ITSA, Project Manager, system developers, and other stakeholders to gather information about the system and provide weekly updates/progress reports to the Project Manager, highlighting any blockages or issues. You will also be promptly informed of any significant non-compliances as they arise.

NEXT STEPS

If you are unsure where to begin, or you want an objective view of your audit readiness, our team at Adapt Cybersecurity, a trusted information security consultancy, can help you build a cost-efficient roadmap that aligns with your business goals and compliance timeline.

Contact us to find out more.