ISO 27001 is an international standard focused on Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) and their requirements. It is part of a set of standards, such as ISO/SEC 27001:2013, developed to help organisations implement and handle information security.
ISO 27001 standard provides a framework of procedures and policies that include all physical, legal, and technical controls concerned with a company’s information risk management procedures. To be ISO 27001 compliant means that your company has passed an external audit and fulfilled all compliance requirements.
Is ISO 27001 Compliance Mandatory?
Compliance with ISO 27001 standard is not compulsory. However, with the increasing rate of cyber risks and hackers who persistently target your data and information privacy mandates attract harsh penalties, observing ISO standards is important for various reasons. It will help you comply with legal requirements, reduce risks, reduce costs, and improve data integrity.
Achieving ISO certification is a good way to prove to your customers and business associates that you safeguard their data, which can help attract and retain customers. Since ISO 27001 is an internationally recognised standard, it can increase your business opportunities on a global scale.
How ISO 27001 Works
ISO 27001 safeguards the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of the data or information in an organisation. This is often achieved through risk assessment, which involves identifying potential problems that could occur to an information system and suggesting the most appropriate risk management or mitigation strategies.
In short, ISO 27001 focuses on risk management, pinpointing potential risks and alleviating these risks through the deployment of information security controls.
Requirements and Security Controls for ISO 27001
The ISO 27001 standard is classified into two main parts. The first part outlines definitions and requirements:
- Scope: Defines general ISMS requirements for businesses of any size, type, and nature.
- Terms and definitions: Defines the more complex terminology.
- Leadership: Calls for top leaders to show commitment and leadership to the information security system and assign ISMS roles and responsibilities.
- Normative References: Outlines other standards that provide additional information regarding ISO 27001 compliance.
- The context of the organisation: Requires the definition of internal and external factors that influence a company’s ability to develop an effective ISMS and demands that an organisation establishes, deploys, monitors, and continually improves the information security system.
- Support: States that a facility should assign sufficient resources, create awareness, and develop the necessary documentation.
- Performance Evaluation: Needs a company to consistently track, measure, and evaluate its ISMS controls and processes.
- Operation: Provides a framework for identifying and treating information risks, handling changes, and achieving appropriate documentation.
- Planning: Specifies the procedure to establish and plan to manage information risks and define the objective of ISMS initiatives.
- Improvement: Details how an organisation should improve its ISMS consistently, including analysing the findings of reviews and audits.
The second part provides a framework for 114 control objectives, further organised into 14 domains as listed below:
- Information security policies
- The organisation of information security
- Human resource security
- Access controls
- Asset management
- Cryptography
- Operation security
- Physical and environmental security
- Communications security
- Supplier relationships
- System acquisition, development, and maintenance
- Information security incident management
- Information security aspects of business continuity management
- Compliance
Contact Best Practice Biz for Help
If you’re seeking ISO 27001 Certification, you can trust our team at Best Practice Biz to help you get certified. As a JAZ-ANZ-approved certification body, we can provide your company with online and in-house training to ensure you understand what this certification entails. Get in touch today to learn more about how ISO 27001 can refine your company’s information systems.
