8.32 Change Management

Control Changes to information processing facilities and information systems should be subject to change management procedures.

Change management in information security refers to the process of managing and controlling changes to information systems, applications, and infrastructure. This includes changes to hardware, software, and network configurations.

Change management is an important aspect of information security because it helps to ensure that changes to systems and applications are properly planned, tested, and implemented. This helps to minimize the risk of security incidents and ensures that any changes made to systems and applications do not negatively impact their security or functionality.The change management process typically includes several steps, such as:

• Identification and assessment of the change: Identify the need for a change and assess its impact on the system or application.
• Planning and scheduling: Plan and schedule the change, including any necessary testing and validation.
• Implementation: Implement the change, following established procedures and guidelines.
• Testing and validation: Test and validate the change to ensure that it does not negatively impact the security or functionality of the system or application.
• Documentation and communication: Document and communicate the change to relevant parties, such as system administrators and other stakeholders.
• Monitoring and review: Monitor the change to ensure that it is functioning as intended, and review it to identify any issues that may have been missed during testing.
Change management is an ongoing process that helps organisations to keep their systems and applications up-to-date, secure and running smoothly. It also helps to ensure that any changes are controlled and secure and that the organisation can roll back the changes if required.