ISO 27001 is published by the International organisation for Standardization (ISO) and it defines how to manage information security. ISO 27001 can be implemented in all organisations whether private or government, profit or non-profit, big or small etc. it is a complete guide on how to setup an Information Security Management System (ISMS) which can be implemented in an organisation for data protection. Over time ISO 27001 has become a renowned information security standard and many organisations are getting certified against it.
Purpose of ISO 27001
The sole purpose of ISO 27001 is to secure the availability, integrity and confidentiality of data in an organisation. This is done by identifying potential risks across the three areas above which also is known as risk assessment. Next step is risk mitigation. This step defines how these risks can be mittigated. In short, ISO 27001 revolves around the assessment and management of risks associated information security.
Many organisations already have the hardware and software, but their way of using it is unsecure. Hence ISO 27001 implementation is all about setting the rules within the organisation such as written policies and implementing controls required to prevent the security invasions. Therefore, security management is not only about IT security but it also involves management of operations, Human resource, legal and physical protection etc. ISO 27001 defines how all these characteristics can fit in to the ISMS (Information Security Management System).
Data Protection Consulting
With the passage of time many organisations are moving to the cloud, due to which more data is vulnerable to invasions in form of cyber-attacks. Data protection consulting can help an organisation to keep their sensitive and private information safe from such security invasions. Data protection consultants have extensive experience with development and implementation of ISO 27001 compliant management systems. ISO 27001 consultants follow a series of steps for efficient implementation of the standard.
Scope of ISMS
To choose the correct scope for your ISO 27001 certification, it is important to understand what is included within your ISMS. Data protection consulting from a third party can assist an organisation to correctly scope their certification, This way the new ISMS will safeguard the important information and data from the risks identified in the risk assessment. This step provides definite benefits to the business such as enhancing its process efficiency.
Gap Analysis
Data protection consultants can perform gap analysis on your current system to identify what need to be addressed prior to starting an ISO 27001 certification. A gap analysis includes a report which contains details to develop an action plan. Data protection consultants along with auditors detects weaknesses in an Information Security Management System.
Remediation and Implementation
After an organisation is correctly scoped and efficiently have performed a gap analysis, the consultants work on fixing the identified gaps. This process helps the organisation to efficiently implement ISO 27001 and its procedures, technical safeguards and documentation.
Mock Audit
The consultants conduct a mock audit by a certified lead auditor once ISMS is implemented into the system. A mock audit helps to anticipate any issue that can happen in an external audit.
External Audit
Audits can be really daunting for some organisations, however a data protection consultant can be a great support during external audits. They assist in solving any non-compliance observed by the external auditor and help in achieving the ISO 27001 certification.
Importance of ISO 27001
ISO 27001 is beneficial for an organisation in many ways. It improves the organisation’s framework and focus by identifying the information security risks. It secures and improves the organisation’s prestige by showing it to your customers that you care about the security of their information. It ultimately helps in gaining people’s trust and convince them they have chosen the right company to work with.
ISO 27001 benefits the employees along with the organisation. Data breaches can be very damaging and often job threatening. An ISO 27001 ISMS provides employees with clear guidelines to minimize the risk of a data breach and helps organisation’s to avoid the regulatory penalties affiliated with data invasion.
If you are planning to implement a ISO 27001 compliant Information Security Management System and would like some guidance, feel free to contact us for a free consultation.
