A One-Page Security Plan for a Small Office
Last verified: October 2026
You don't need a thick binder to have a real security plan. One honest page — who's in charge, what you protect, the basics you keep up, and who to call — does the job. Here's how to write it. Want a hand? My number is (330) 200-8042.
The One-Page Plan, at a Glance
A real security plan for a small office fits on one page, and it answers just four questions: who's in charge (name a responsible person and a backup), what you're protecting (a short list of your important data and where it lives), what basics you keep up (MFA everywhere, tested backups, updates current, individual logins), and who to call if something goes wrong (insurer, IT, bank, key accounts, and the FBI's IC3). Fill it in honestly, gaps and all, date it, and keep a copy off the computers. This same page is also the seed of the fuller written plans some businesses need by law. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 Can a security plan really fit on one page?
For most small offices, yes. One honest page — who's in charge, what you protect, the basics you keep up, and who to call — covers what matters. Some businesses need a fuller written plan by law, but even then the one page is the right starting point.
2 Do I need special software or a template?
No. A plain sheet of paper or a simple document works fine. The value is in the thinking, not the format. I'm happy to give you a clean template to fill in, but a handwritten page is a real plan too.
3 What basics should the plan name?
The handful that do the most work: MFA everywhere, tested backups, updates current, and individual logins with only the access each person needs. Mark each one honestly — on, or a dated to-do.
4 What if I write down gaps — doesn't that look bad?
The opposite — it's exactly right. An honest gap turned into a dated to-do is the most useful thing on the page. Pretending everything's perfect helps no one and, if you carry cyber insurance, can actually hurt you.
5 How often should I update it?
Review it a couple of times a year and whenever something changes — a new person, a new service, a departure. Updating one page takes minutes. Tie the review to something you already do, like insurance renewal, so it doesn't get forgotten.
6 Is this the same plan the IRS or FTC requires?
It's the seed of it. Those required plans are built from the same bones — who's responsible, what data you hold, your safeguards, your incident steps — just with more detail. Start here; see our tax-preparer and FTC Safeguards guides if those apply to you.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
A one-page security plan is one of my favorite things to help with, because the hardest part is just starting. I'll sit with you, fill in your real details in plain English, and close the easy gaps while we're at it — all in one sitting. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free. No jargon, no overkill.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).