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ISO 27001 compliance is the most common and most relevant for providing requirements for an information security management system (ISMS).
First introduced in 2005, the ISO family of standards for information security management has received more attention recently as a result of increasing data breaches and security outages. However, they are still not as popular as HITRUST or SOC 2 audits, so in this post we will be talking specifically about ISO 27001, who it affects and what compliance means for your organization.
What is ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 is a compliance regulation like PCI or HIPAA. There are a dozen standards within the ISO family, but 27001 is the most common and most relevant for providing requirements for an information security management system (ISMS). ISO standards were first introduced in 2005, but were revised in 2013.
Obtaining an ISO 27001 accredited certification demonstrates that your company is following information security best practices and provides independent, qualified control that information security is managed in line with international best practices and business objectives.
What is an ISMS?
Essentially, an ISMS is how you decide to move closer to protecting your sensitive data. Such data may include financial records, medical information, internal employee data, or other information entrusted to you by a third party. Your ISMS is not just the data itself, but also the people, processes and technology that surrounds it and includes a risk management process. The goal of the ISMS is to help organizations protect their information.
Do I need ISO 27001 compliance?
ISO 27001 is required in many government areas, public administrations and even SMEs since the advent of the European data privacy law, better known as the GDPR.
If you handle personally identifiable information (PII) or use a hosting provider that does, it's really something you (or they) should have. An ISO certification shows you, your customers, and your board of directors that you or the hosting provider you work with take data security very seriously.
What does an ISO 27001 audit review mean?
Here are the controls you will measure yourself against:
- ISMS scope
- Information security policy
- Information risk assessment process
- Information risk treatment process
- Information security goals
- Proof of the proficiency of people working in information security
- Other documents related to the ISMS deemed necessary by the organization (optional?)
- Operational planning and control documents
- Results of information risk assessments
- Decisions concerning the
treatment of information risk - Evidence of information security monitoring and measurement
- ISMS internal audit program and related results
- Evidence of the reviews of the general management of ISMS
- Evidence of the style of non-compliance identified and resulting corrective actions
As you can see, ISO 27001 covers information security in depth. But keep in mind that the company you choose that will check you against these standards offers an opinion that you meet them, so make sure you choose reputable auditors who understand the controls thoroughly.
Who is involved in achieving ISO 27001 compliance?
Since ISO is a management standard, it means that all members of the management team are involved, not just the IT department. This includes the CEO, CFO, and anyone else on your team. Having the entire management team part of the process makes it much easier to enforce security controls and a compliance culture at all levels because each department is actively involved in achieving compliance.
Looking for an ISO 27001 compliant cloud, hosting or dedicated service provider?
We work only and exclusively with companies and datacenters in possession of this ISO 27001 certification. If you work with us you will have all the certificates of compliance and full compliance with the GDPR.
