The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international body that collects standardization for various disciplines. Today’s world is dependent on the internet and digital network, so more attention is being paid to the technical parts of ISO standards
The ISO 27001 standard was created to serve as a framework for organizations’ information security management systems (ISMS). This covers all policies and procedures that affect how data is managed and used. ISO 27001 is not intended to be a checklist or a set of tools. We’ll be discussing how ISO 27001 certification works, and the benefits it could bring to your company.
Intro to ISO 27001
In 2005, the ISO released its first family of standards. Since then, periodic updates have been made to various policies. The most recent major changes to ISO 27001 were made in 2013. The ISO 27001 ownership is shared by the ISO and the International Electro technical Commission, a Swiss organization that focuses primarily upon electronic systems.
ISO 27001’s goal is to establish a set of standards that will guide modern organizations in how they manage information and data. ISO 27001’s key component is risk management. This ensures that companies and non-profits understand their strengths as well as weaknesses. ISO maturity is an indicator that a company can be trusted with data and is reliable.
All companies need to understand the importance and necessity of cyber security. However, simply setting up an IT security team within your organization will not guarantee data integrity. An ISMS is essential, especially for organizations that have multiple locations or countries. It covers all aspects of security.
An ISMS (information security management system) is a set of documents that should be kept in a company for risk management. To make employees aware of the ISMS, companies used to print it out decades ago. An ISMS should now be kept online in a secure place, usually a knowledge management system. The ISMS should be accessible to employees at all times. They also need to be alerted when changes are made. The ISMS is the key piece of information that will help you determine the compliance level of your organization when you apply for ISO 27001 certification.
Any group or entity looking to improve their information security policies or methods can use ISO 27001 as a guideline. ISO 27001 certification is the ideal goal for organizations that want to be amongst the best in this field. Your ISMS must be fully compliant to ensure that it follows all cyber security best practices to protect your company from threats like ransomware.
For certain industries that deal with sensitive data such as financial and medical fields vendors must be certified ISO 27001.
What happens if your organization doesn’t adhere to ISO 27001? You could lose your certification if your organization has received it previously. You may also be unable to operate your business in certain geographic areas.
How to become ISO 27001 Certified
It is a lengthy process that can take many years and requires the involvement of both internal stakeholders as well as external parties to obtain ISO 27001 certification. It’s not as easy as just filling out a checklist, and then submitting it to approval. Before you even consider applying for certification, ensure that your ISMS is complete and covers all possible areas of technology risk.
The ISO 27001 certification process typically consists of three phases.
A certification agency is hired by an organization to examine the ISMS and identify key forms of documentation.
A more detailed audit is performed by the certification body where each component of ISO 27001 is compared to the ISMS of the organization. It must be demonstrated that the policies and procedures have been followed. It is up to the lead auditor to determine whether certification has been earned.
To ensure compliance, follow-up audits between the certification body (or the organization) are conducted.