Category: ISO/IEC 27001

The international standard for information security management is ISO/IEC 27001. It describes how to set up an information security management system that has been independently evaluated and certified. This enables you to secure all financial and private information more effectively, lowering the possibility of unauthorized  access.

With ISO/IEC 27001, you can prove to clients, partners, and other stakeholders that security is crucial to how you conduct business and that you are committed to adhering to international best practises. An Information Security Management System (ISMS) must be established, put into place, maintained, and improved over time according to ISO 27001.

Applicability

ISO 27001 is a standard that is not just relevant to the IT sector. Companies including pharmaceutical firms, healthcare institutions, governmental agencies, and other businesses that might not seem like natural ISO 27001 candidates frequently adopt the standard.

And this is what ISO 27001 is all about: it gives businesses the methodology to identify the risks that could result in events that could happen to them (possible incidents), and then it defines procedures for changing employee behaviour to stop such incidents from occurring.

Why are so many businesses outside of IT interested in ISO 27001? Because, contrary to popular belief, IT is not the most important component in data security. Most of the time, businesses already have all the necessary technology in place, including firewalls, antivirus software, backups, etc. However, since this technology is insufficient, there are still data breaches. This is due to the employees’ lack of knowledge regarding how to utilise the technology securely, but more significantly because the technology is quite limited when it comes to thwarting an insider attack. As a result, it is clear that another strategy is required.

Objective

The following are the goals of ISO 27001 standards:

• Determine hazards and implement controls to control or eliminate them.
• The ability to modify controls to only some of your business’s regions or all of them
• Obtain the confidence of customers and stakeholders that their data is secure
• Gain preferred supplier status by demonstrating compliance.
• By displaying compliance, surpass additional tender requirements.

Approach

A five-phase outline of our strategy has been provided. These consist of:

Phase 1: Understand Business Process
Understanding the policies and procedures as well as the management’s expectations and the environment.

Phase 2: Identify Risks and Controls
Determine the target processes and gain an understanding of their flow, risk, information resources, and controls.

Phase 3: Controls Design Testing
Determine the controls based on ISO/IEC 27001, create issue and opportunity registers, test the control architecture, and spot any flaws. Create a plan for risk mitigation and determine the residual risks.

Phase 4: Controls Evaluation
Internally audit your systems to find control flaws and their effects.

Phase 5: Certification
For the certification audit, invite the certification agency.

This article is part of our ISO 27001 risk assessment  hub page, where we bring together detailed resources on certification, implementation, controls, and compliance. If you are new to ISO/IEC 27001, this guide will help you understand what the standard is, why it matters, and how it helps organizations build a reliable Information Security Management System.

Everything you need to know about ISO/IEC 27001 Certification

ISO/IEC 27001 is an international standard for the management of information security, where ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization. ISO/IEC 27001 is the go-to rule book if you are looking to set up a strong Information Security management system for your organization.

It provides a systemized set of policies and process flows to be used by organizations. The ISMS prescribed by ISO/IEC 27001 helps organizations to protect their information system, irrespective of how big they are and which industry they belong to.

ISO/IEC 27001 Certification : Planning, Process, and Main sections

To be eligible for an ISO/IEC 27001 certificate, a company must succeed in the audit conducted by an accredited certification body. Once this certificate is obtained, it implies that the organization has satisfied all the requirements as per the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 standard.

The pre-requisite to succeeding in the external audit is to optimize or revamp the existing Information Security Management System. The standard lists six steps to create and self-evaluate:

1. Understanding the security controls required for the specific industry or organization and developing a security policy.

2. To get the developed security policy up and going by manifesting clearly defined scope across the various teams, the tasks carried out by these teams, and the technology used to complete the tasks.

3. Organizing a risk assessment.

4. Evaluating the outcome of the risk assessment and identifying the threats.

5. Selecting appropriate controls to mitigate the threats identified and implementing it with proper steps.

6. Modifying the security policy according to selected and implemented controls.

The 3 principles of Information Security Management System: –

The standard lays out 14 controls to achieve the three aspects, which it states as the basic principles to achieve for information security.

•  Confidentiality: Confidentiality is to maintain the organization’s information in private. This aspect ensures providing access to crucial information only to authorized persons.

•  Integrity: Integrity refers to giving rights to edit crucial information only to specified persons.

•  Availability: Authorized persons must have timely access to the crucial information.

ISO/IEC 27001 aims at ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information in the organization. Risk assessment of the information, clear definition of needs of the organization, and risk mitigation are carried out step-by-step to achieve this.

The Plan-Do-Check-Act Methodology: –

The standard lays out 14 controls, which can be implemented through a 4-step methodology: Plan, Do, Check, Act. The 14 controls involve guidelines to prepare a information security plan, taking timely actions and doing to prevent data threat and checking the critical aspects at various levels.

Plan:  It provides guidelines on how to plan the information security policies, plan for implementation of well-designed ISMS, and plan of risk management within the human resource team.

Do:  It emphasizes data security within the organization.

Check:  It instructs to check the crucial aspects within the organization.

Act:  This explains the actions to be taken within the organization to prevent data incidents and threats.

14 Key Requirements of Information Security Management System: –

Let us take a look at them.

A.5: Information security policies (2 controls): This control is all about Information security policies. From defining the framework to create an ISMS to documentation of policies and also the method to review it.

A.6: Organization of information security (7 controls):  This control is about implementing the well-designed ISMS. It comprises clear assignment of duties designation-wise for smooth operation of the ISMS.

A.7: Human resource security – 6 controls:  This control defines the steps to be taken for information security during the on-boarding and off-boarding of employees in the organisation. It also involves the aspects of conducting training for awareness on information security, the nature of decisions or actions taken by the management on non-adherence and agreements regarding termination of employees.

A.8: Asset management (10 controls):  This control consists of protection of data assets. The framework to be followed for maintenance of hardware, software and databases. The extent of data integrity and safe handling of data assets are checked by auditors.

A.9: Access control (14 controls):  This control ensures the aspect of confidentiality. It is about limitation of access to specified persons and how the access privileges are managed.

A.10: Cryptography (2 controls):  This control checks the various types of encryptions used (like DES, RSA, or AES) for protection of sensitive information.

A.11: Physical and environmental security (15 controls):  This control checks the measures taken for protection of information from physical factors. All physical aspects such as security systems in the buildings, access to internal equipment, vulnerabilities involving human and natural factors are checked.

A.12: Operations security (14 controls):  This control consists of securing the data with backup and preventing the organization from data loss. It provides guidelines on how to save and store data involving data flows.

A.13: Communications security (7 controls):  This control defines the standard of network and communication services used for ensuring a good standard in data infrastructure.

A.14: System acquisition, development, and maintenance (13 controls):  This control defines the standards of security to be met while the organization acquires new information systems.

A.15: Supplier relationships (5 controls):  This control checks the aspects of the organization’s communication and interaction with any third-party. All the interactions, communication, and extent of access present with any third-party service providers, outsourced personnel and vendors are checked.

A.16: Information security incident management (7 controls):  This control lays out the best practices to be followed to prevent security incidents, handling of a threat and preventing recurrence of such situations.

A.17: Information security aspects of business continuity management (4 controls):  This control is about the aspects of how the organization should handle disruptions, steps for smooth operation of ISMS during a time of crisis.

A.18: Compliance with internal requirements, such as policies, and with external requirements, such as laws (8 controls):  This control provides a check for statutory compliance to the laws laid for the industry in which the organization is operating. It audits and reviews the effectiveness of requirements of the ISO/IEC 27001 standard.

Validity of ISO/IEC 27001:

The validity for the ISO/IEC 27001 certification is 3 years. Regular reviews and evaluation of the ISMS by the senior management of the organization must be conducted internally during this period.

Benefits of being ISO/IEC 27001 certified. Why should you choose this?

The 14 Key Requirements of the ISO/IEC 27001 provides a system of risk mitigation that is rigorous and strong. The follow-up audits, final and most crucial of the three aspects, ensures that your ISMS is constantly evolving along with the threats and the world of digital crime. Having a robust risk mitigation system like the ISO/IEC 27001 means that your organization follows all the best practices and gives an edge over every other organization.

Being ISO/IEC 27001 certified is a sign of reliability, it means you can be trusted with data security. This would be a major reason behind your customers opting you over your competitors as the world today is constantly seeking an assurance for protection of data. It will reduce the cost of sales and boost your sales. Strong risk management increases the maturity of the management as it gives a clear perception of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. ISO/IEC 27001 suits all organizations, irrespective of the size, industry, and geographical location. Cyber security is one of the biggest challenges faced by business organizations globally.

QRC as a Certification Body for ISO/IEC 27001:

QRC provides a hassle-free solution to getting your organization ISO/IEC 27001 certified by walking you through the comprehensive process. Right from enquiry submission, effort estimation, forming a contract, various stages of audits and assessments leading to the certification and annual reviews following it. As an ISO/IEC 27001 independent certification body, QRC provides these services to give organizations across the globe an edge of being a completely security compliant business organization with streamlined information security management process.

This article is part of our ISO/IEC 27001 certification hub page, which explains how organizations can strengthen information security and reduce risks through a structured management system. Data breaches can disrupt operations, damage trust, and create serious compliance challenges, making ISO/IEC 27001 an important framework for identifying risks and improving security controls.

According to the latest news reports, leading multinational pharmaceutical companies, playing a key role in affordable and innovative medicines, suffered a massive data breach recently.

The research labs had exposed sensitive data of millions of patients, including COVID -19 test results along with their booking details such as their name, address, phone number, email id, payment details, digital signature and the medical tests prescribed.

Breaches as such occur, as a result of unauthorized access to the system for accessing sensitive information. It could be due to unprotected networks and processing systems and lack of best security and privacy practices in place. In the wake of such incidents, it becomes mandatory on the part of all businesses to make data security as their highest priority.

The data breach has been a sharp reminder of the need to adopt security standards and  data privacy  frameworks like  ISO/IEC 27001, HIPAA, GDPR  etc to strengthen the digital infrastructure and tighten cyber security control measures of the business organization especially for ones that expand to multinationals. Adherence to these will help to minimize any security incident that would have a major impact on business operations.

The growing risk of attacks on the business and security weakness emphasises organizations the need to secure and safeguard people, process and technology.

At a minimum, organizations should think to implement and perform regular Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration testing (VAPT) practices to understand and evaluate immediate risk.

Vulnerability Assessment  is a process of discovering a system’s vulnerabilities, by having an in-depth evaluation of security weaknesses that affect an information system that is present internally and/or externally.

Penetration testing  (commonly referred to as pen testing) is the process of actively checking your business application and systems to determine if potential vulnerabilities can actually be exploited, performed under controlled conditions, simulating scenarios representative of what a real attacker would attempt.

VAPT is the Norm for Security Testing:

Pacing with lightning speed with new testing methodologies, the two significant tests namely Vulnerability assessment and Penetration testing provide an integrated view of threats while locking the scope of vulnerabilities.

Still thinking why consider VAPT ?

• Avoid Unauthorised access:  Testing current security posture can expose security posture under controlled circumstances. It helps us identify the current loopholes, so that they can be efficiently addressed.
• Infrastructure under control:  VAPT can identify vulnerabilities inadvertently introduced during changes to the environment, such as a major upgrade or system reconfiguration.
• Security under Surveillance:  Organizations, especially those acting as data custodians, are being required to showcase their efficient security posture to their customers. Penetration testing can demonstrate a commitment to security from a customer perspective and provide attestation that their assets or services are being managed securely.
• Risk Management:  VAPT is a common requirement for internal due diligence as part of ongoing efforts to manage threats, vulnerabilities, and risks to an organization. Results can be used as input into an on-going Risk Management process.
• Protect Business.  VAPT allows companies to proactively assess for emerging or newly discovered vulnerabilities that were not known.

Ohhk, but how to proceed with VAPT ?

VAPT assessments require a clear methodology and planning, a few key steps involved are as follows :

• Planning the scope  – Decide which systems components (network devices, servers, security devices, applications etc) either accessible from external or internal will be included in the scope of testing.
• Vulnerability Assessment  – Perform the assessment by using various testing methods and tools to identify potential vulnerabilities and threats to the scoped systems.
• Exploitation–  The valid vulnerabilities are exploited further to check for the extent of information gained and impact on the  specific system with respect to the confidentiality, integrity and availability.
• Reporting  – Results from VAPT testing must be analysed,confirmed and documented. This includes recommendations and prioritization of threats that need to be addressed.

If there is a data breach in customer data, then organizations will have reputational damage which can be devastating. Studies have shown that almost a third of customers from retail, finance and healthcare will stop doing business with organizations if their data has been breached. So, it is always better to have a robust security and privacy systems and good VAPT practices in place.

It isn’t too tough to open a news website or a newspaper today and miss a breaking story about data hack or a cyber attack around the world.  Matter of fact, this is what pops up right at this moment – ‘World’s leading Crytpocurrency exchange hacked’

Surprised? Many experts aren’t.

Information security is one of the most important pillars of any company and unfortunately, it is one that is given a miss way too often also. Using a specification that would secure your information system could make all the difference though – like an ISO 27001. This would be a framework of policies and procedures that would include all the legal, physical and technical controls that would be involved in your information risk management.

Having an  ISO 27001 certification  would be a very strong foundation to your information security. In fact, it could also bring about the biggest difference to your business and your employees too. How?

• Keeps client data secure: As it should be, your employees should be protecting the data that belongs to your client. However, it is also critical to understand that your organisation holds plenty of employee information. Knowing that their data is protected at all times would make all the difference to them. They would be 100% that no data leakage or theft would be possible if a ISO 27001 certification is done. This is simply because it requires to have a centrally managed framework to keep any information secure.
• More work, more responsibility: Let’s be honest now, everyone wants to walk up the career ladder and you can help your employees do just that by adopting ISO 27001 in your organisation. If your company were to follow a certification like this, it would only give your clients and prospects more confidence in your operations. The fact that you would commit to information security would give you a competitive edge and that positive growth in work would rub off on your employees too. Undoubtedly, an achievement of this kind would be a deal winner for your sales team during their pitches. More work, more growth, only means happier employees.
• Job security: Having information security and processes in place helps employees control any form of data breaches. A breach of data could be catastrophic for one’s job and that risk is taken care of when you have a certification of this sort. Plus, you could lose a potential customer because of a data breach and that could have implications with jobs within the company. Also, learning the do’s and do not’s of such a certification would give your employees better experience helping them to achieve more in their career.

When you think about the advantages that are at hand by simply implementing a  ISMS certification  – it is quite obvious that employees would want it to be a part of their working environment. Would you be looking to bring that advantage to your business too?