At Insource, we help organizations put the right protections around the information they hold. Our Written Information Security Program (WISP) template is a free, downloadable framework that gives you a clear, practical starting point for documenting how your organization keeps personal and sensitive data safe, without starting from a blank page.
Overview of the WISP Template
A Written Information Security Program, or WISP, is the document that sets out how your organization protects the personal information it collects and stores. In Massachusetts, maintaining one isn’t optional: 201 CMR 17.00 requires any organization that holds personal information about a state resident to have a written program in place. Funders, auditors, and insurers increasingly ask to see one too. Our template turns that requirement into a structured document you can complete, adapt, and keep current.
What’s Included:
- Roles and responsibilities: a clear owner for your program, and who does what.
- Risk assessment framework: a simple way to identify where sensitive data lives and where it’s exposed.
- Administrative, technical, and physical safeguards: the controls that protect your data day to day.
- Employee training and acceptable use: because most incidents start with people, not systems.
- Incident response plan: the steps to take, and who to call, when something goes wrong.
- Vendor and third-party management: keeping the partners who touch your data accountable.
- Review and maintenance schedule: so your program stays live, not a document that ages in a drawer.
How to Download and Use the Template
- Enter your name and email, then click download. The template saves to your Downloads folder as an editable document.
- Work through each section, replacing the guidance notes with details specific to your organization.
- Review it with your leadership, put it into practice, and revisit it at least once a year.
How to Put it to Work
The template is written in plain language, so you don’t need a security background to complete it. Each section includes prompts and examples to guide you. Start with what you can answer today, then use the gaps to shape a short list of actions. If you’d like a hand tailoring it to your organization or pressure-testing your safeguards, our IT and information security team is here to help.
Download the WISP Template
Free, ready to customize, and built for real organizations. Download the WISP template and give your data protection a solid foundation.