ISO 27001 was developed and jointly published in 2005 by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This standard laid down the framework and requirements for a corporate Information Security Management System (ISMS). Obtaining this certification and continued compliance portrays the seriousness of any organization’s desire to protect sensitive information within their enterprise. The benefit of having a fully compliant ISO 27001 ISMS invokes the trust of customers and a vote of confidence in service offerings.
Although some organizations find the challenges of ISO implementation and auditing to be daunting, an ISO 27001 certification elevates your organization on a global scope. Achieving an ISO certification proves that your business operations are guided and regulated by notable legislations and industry frameworks on equal par to EU-GDPR, NIST Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), GBLA, etc.
However, before achieving an ISO 27001 certification, a full-scope gap assessment is necessary to ensure that your corporate computing environment aligns with specific requirements. The primary essence is to explain the key things that small to midsize businesses (SMB) should consider before starting an ISO 27001 audit.
Important Considerations Before Starting an ISO 27001 Audit
Many organizations still find it challenging to start an ISO 27001 audit process, despite having an IT security team. This article shall highlight essential action steps and critical factors to consider before diving into assessing an organization’s ISO 27001 compliance levels.
One of the most important first steps towards achieving ISO 27001 compliance is understanding your IT environment. You need to understand the shortcomings of your IT environment, what it needs, and its level of exposure to security threats and vulnerabilities. For organizations seeking to attain ISO 27001 compliance, an audit of your security controls and overall IT processes is crucial. Therefore, you need to consider certain critical factors before embarking on the ISO 27001 audit journey, as these factors are significant determinants of the trajectory of your ISO 27001 audit process.
Below are the top 4 points to consider before starting an ISO 27001 audit:
- Does my Organization need an ISO 27001 Certification?
Although ISO 27001 certification is not legally mandatory, its compliance has numerous benefits for your organization. Most customers prefer ISO 27001-certified organizations for doing business and other dealings. It ensures that your organization’s security has been implemented in an end-to-end program that you take customer’s data and privacy very seriously. You have reduced to a minimum the risk of a breach through due diligence.
- Security Resilience Levels of your Organization
Regardless of your business type, there must be a proper framework to mitigate all security issues. Your organization’s information security management system should be able to identify any potential risks to your infrastructure and operations, evaluate the gaps and issues, and execute necessary countermeasures. The specific security controls required to attain an ISO 27001 certification are an inherent guideline for organizations to strengthen their technical, operational, and administrative aspects.
- Cost Factors and Time Requirements:
The cost and time involved in obtaining an ISO 27001certification depend on various factors, including; the complexity of their organization, the management system, corporate culture, their existing security structure, and the complexity and nature of the IT infrastructure. - Availability of Internal Resources (Internal ISO auditors vs. Third-Party ISO auditors)
After implementing an ISO-compliant ISMS, you must conduct an internal audit as the first official, recorded step in identifying any weaknesses or nonconformities. Such a step can be done with the help of an internal auditor or a person with relevant experience. However, a third-party auditor is usually recommended because they are typically far more objective than internal resources, more familiar with requirements, and therefore more likely to identify those weaknesses, risks, or gaps.
Although the ISO certification requires complete dedication and keen compliance to all of its specifications, it helps in reducing risks associated with data breaches and prevents the violation of cybersecurity regulations. An ISO certification requires complete dedication and keen compliance to all its specifications. Therefore, if your organization seeks to enhance its customer’s trust and build a formidable vendor-catching portfolio, then the ISO 27001 experts at GoldSky offer world-class consultation services for small or midsize businesses.
