ISO 27001 compliant

Has your business considered investing in ISO 27001? Do you want to learn more about becoming ISO 27001 compliant?

ISO 27001 has remained a popular choice due to its recognition globally and the acceleration of businesses transitioning from physical to digital due to the pandemic.

If your company is considering implementing ISO 27001 and finding out more about ISO 27001 compliance, keep reading. Discover how your business can become ISO 27001 certified, and how Compliant can help you on your journey.

What is ISO 27001?

The ISO 27001-2022 standard, also known as ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management, is primarily concerned with the development and management of a security management system (ISMS).

ISO 27001 is the most well-known of more than a dozen published standards in the ISO/IEC 27000 family, which was developed jointly by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Understanding and applying ISO 27001 to any organisation can be a challenge especially when considering ISO compliance.

Compliant has assisted a wide range of businesses nationally and internationally in in implementing an effective ISO 27001 ISMS through training and certification.

For more information on what ISO 27001 is visit a previous blog of ours here.

How does ISO 27001 compliance work?

The goal of ISO 27001 is to preserve a company’s information confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This is accomplished by first determining what potential problems with the data might occur (i.e., risk assessment), and then determining what has to be done to avoid such problems from occurring (i.e., risk mitigation or risk treatment). All of which will make your business ISO 27001 compliant.

As a result, ISO 27001’s fundamental philosophy is built on a risk-management process: find out where the risks are, and then tackle them methodically through the application of security measures (or safeguards).

Risk assessment and ISO 27001 compliance

ISO 27001’s primary concept is risk management: You must identify sensitive or important data that needs to be protected, establish the numerous ways that data could be compromised, and put controls in place to limit each risk. Any threat to data confidentiality, integrity, or availability is considered a risk.

The standard lays out a framework for determining which controls and processes are appropriate. Compliant as a consultant provide organisations with effective documentation to ensure risks are identified and controlled effectively.

To identify risks we follow the process shown below:

1. Identify all valuable business assets that could be impacted by threats and result in a loss. Examples include:
   1. CRMs
   2. Websites
   3. Customer contact information
   4. Customer documentation
   5. Customer bank details
   6. Staff information

2. Determine the severity of threats. A threat is something that could compromise your security and cause harm to your assets by exploiting a vulnerability.

3. Identify security flaws and assess the likelihood of them being exploited. A vulnerability is a flaw in your security that permits a threat to breach your defences and harm an asset. Consider what safeguards your systems from a specific attack – what are the possibilities that the threat would actually harm your assets if it occurs?

Physical vulnerabilities (such as outdated equipment), software design or configuration issues and human factors are all examples of vulnerabilities (such as untrained or careless staff members).

4. Consider the ramifications. Determine how much money your company would lose if one of its assets was harmed. Here are some examples:
   1. Legal consequences affecting operations, reputation and having huge financial implications.
   2. Data loss
   3. System or application downtime

5. Determine the level of risk. Risk is the possibility that a specific threat will exploit environmental vulnerabilities and cause damage to one or more assets. Assess the risk using the above-mentioned approach and award a high, moderate, or low rating. Then come up with a solution for each high and moderate risk, as well as a cost estimate. Record all of the above in risk assessment control document and review regularly. If your business needs support with developing risk assessment documentation to support ISO 27001 compliance we can provide professional templates and demonstrate how to use these.

6. Define the mitigation methods. You can make improvements to your IT security architecture, but you won’t be able to eradicate all threats. When a cyber-attack or breach occurs, you must repair the damage, identify the cause, and strive to prevent it from happening again, or at the very least mitigate the impact (All of which must be recorded).

Just remember to take the following steps: 1. Avoid data breaches and threats by implementing an effective risk assessment control document, 2. When/if an event occurs respond using your disaster recovery plan 3. Analyse why this event has occurred 4. Mitigate by implementing a control that ensures the event does not happen again. Be sure to record and evidence every stage of this process.

ISO 27001 compliant controls:

• A.5 Information security policies
• A.6 Organisation of information security
• A.7 Human resources security
• A.8 Asset management
• A.9 Access control
• A.10 Cryptography
• A.11 Physical and environmental security
• A.12 Operational security
• A.13 Communications security
• A.14 System acquisition, development and maintenance
• A.15 Supplier relationships
• A.16 Information security incident management
• A.17 Information security aspects of business continuity management
• A.18 Compliance

Management clauses of ISO 27001

In addition to the controls, ISO 27001 is made up of ten management system clauses that guide this ISMS’s implementation, management and continual improvement:

1, 2, and 3: Scope, normative references, and terms and definitions

4: Context of the organisation

5: Leadership

6: Planning

7: Support

8: Operation

9: Performance evaluation

10: Improvement

Having rigorous documentation that supports each of the clauses above will ensure ISO 27001 compliance.

Becoming ISO 27001 compliant with Compliant

Compliance with ISO 27001 necessitates a high level of visibility into an organisation’s IT infrastructure and security processes. The organisation must be able to show that it can map and monitor data flows in its environment, as well as that it has adequate security policies in place to protect its data.

Compliant successfully assists businesses in achieving ISO 27001 compliance in both physical premises and cloud environments. Organisations may quickly detect compliance gaps and prepare appropriate documents thanks to built-in compliance support.

Compliant delivers entire management systems which includes all of the documentation and process flows that adhere to each ISO standard.

Our Lead Auditor and Compliant as a company are UKAS certified across the main five standards including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22301, ISO 27001 and ISO 45001. We also support clients through both stage 1 and stage 2 audits and ongoing surveillances. For more information on what Compliant offers clients check out one of our videos here.

What to expect from ISO 27001 audit?

After an external audit has been completed by a recognised certification body such as the British Assessment Bureau, certification can be achieved. Compliant has established partnerships with the majority of certifying bodies and can pass direct cost savings through preferential rates onto clients.

Most of the bodies that we work with and Compliant as a company offer deposit payments followed by flexible, interest free payment plans.

There are also a range of grants available to fund ISO certifications, which Compliant can help with. We can even support with the paperwork to get you started. For more information on ISO 27001 costs and payment plans view our latest video here.

Auditors will examine an organisation’s practices, policies, and procedures to determine whether the ISMS complies with the Standard’s requirements.

Certification normally lasts three years, but as part of the continuous improvement process, firms must undergo internal audits on a regular basis and there is a surveillance carried out every 12 months. If you decide to partner with Compliant a dedicated BSI trained auditor will be present to support, your organisation through your surveillance every year.

What is the significance of ISO 27001?

Not only does the standard offer businesses the required know-how for safeguarding their most sensitive data, but it also allows them to demonstrate to their clients and partners that their data is safe.

Compliance with ISO 27001 acts as a foundation for meeting other regulatory requirements and standards. ISO 27001 compliance is likely to make a company more secure than one that isn’t, and the standard provides a good framework for implementing many of the security controls mandated by other regulations.

ISO 27001 is easily recognised all around the world as an international standard, which expands commercial potential for enterprises and people.

Having ISO 27001 in place can also reduce insurance premiums as it highlights that potential risks have been identified and measures have been put in place to control those risks.

What are the advantages of implementing ISO 27001?

The following are some of the benefits of becoming ISO 27001 certified:

1. Improve your company’s reputation

An ISO 27001 certification mark demonstrates to partners and customers that your business values information security. This increases your reputation and fosters trust, which can help you improve your connections and win more business. We have also seen businesses who have become ISO 27001 certified with Compliant win tenders and placed on frameworks such as that for the NHS.

2. Data breach costs can be expensive

The ISO 27001 standards can help you improve your online security and reduce the risk of data breaches, as well as the high costs of data recovery, remediation, and lost business.

3. Stay compliant with data privacy legislation

Meeting the criteria of ISO 27001, a global benchmark, assists companies in complying with a variety of data security legislation, including GDPR, in order to avoid heavy fines.

4. Enhance the IT infrastructure

Organisations must develop information risk responsibility, especially with digital advancements. The ISO 27001 standard aids in the clarification of responsibilities and processes, ensuring that nothing goes between the cracks.

5. Improve internal processes and procedures

More companies are inspecting their vendors’ ISMSs. An ISO 27001 certification will help businesses to operate more safely, professionally and efficiently whilst meeting partner requirements.

In contrast to some other standards and frameworks, ISO 27001 compliance does not necessitate strict adherence to specific technical controls. Instead, the emphasis is on risk management and having a comprehensive and proactive approach to security across the board.

The standard’s “Annex A” lists more than a dozen controls, but it’s unrealistic to expect all ISO 27001 certified businesses to have implemented each and every one of them. Rather, based on the particular risks to their business operations, each organisation will implement a subset of these controls that is appropriate for them.

In a previous article we explored all of the benefits of implementing ISO 27001. Check out the full article here.

How long will it take my business to become ISO 27001 certified?

The length of time needed to attain ISO 27001 certification varies depending on the organisation’s size, structure and resources. It typically takes at least six months. This can be an accelerated process for organisations already managing their information security according to international standard that has been determined as substantially equivalent to ISO 27001.

It takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks to get organisations into a position to proceed with their stage 1 audit.

All of our certifications are also UKAS certified. A non UKAS management system may adhere to a standard such as ISO 27001 but it’s not regulated or checked. The United Kingdom Accreditation Service is the sole national accreditation body recognised by the British government to assess the competence of organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services.

For more information on UKAS vs non UKAS check out a recent video of ours here.

ISO 27001 and GDPR

We are often asked will having ISO 27001 in place ensure that my business is GDPR Compliant? GDPR ensures that companies maintain data privacy, while ISO 27001 is an internationally recognised standard that focuses on information security.

Adhering to both ensures that:

• Organisations store users’ consent forms and data is easily accessible when users or any authority requests it.
• Users can request, obtain, and reuse their data for their purposes across services.
• Users can request that an organisation destroy their data.
• Users can restrict how an organisation uses their data.

View the full article ‘A simple guide – Does ISO 27001 cover GDPR data protection’ here.

Becoming ISO 27001 compliant and whether it’s right for your business?

Digitalisation has increased the vulnerability businesses to cyber-attacks, data breaches, and hacking. Companies now have to take extra security measures for their safety.

As a framework, ISO 27001 helps organisations improve their information security by getting a system verified by a specialised external source. It also gives stakeholders and customers additional peace of mind that the personal and corporate information and intellectual property they provide to a business will not be at risk.

ISO 27001 requirements can be very useful for SME’s and new companies as it ensures a proper IT infrastructure.

Why companies chose to work with Compliant

We successfully deliver ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22301, ISO 27001 and can help businesses to access funding for their certifications. Compliant will go the extra step in an initial teams meeting to fully understand your business, its requirements, the structure of the management system required, and the organisational context. We will then submit all your information to one of our preferred certification body partners.

If you would like a FREE quotation just fill in our quote calculator here or to find out more about ISO 27001 check out our latest ISO 27001 video here!