Introduction to ISO 27001
ISO 27001 was introduced in mid-1990 and it was revised as the first edition namely ISO 27001:2005 in 2005. An ISO 27001 audit is a review process for examining whether an organization’s ISMS meets the standard’s requirements as well as the information security best practices. ISO standards are developed by groups of experts from all over the world, that are part of larger groups called technical committees.
The ISO certification is valid for three years. Any industry that maintains sensitive information can use ISO 27001 and have a separate internal auditor for this. Every firm has its own set of guidelines for storing data and information.
- ISO 27001 Audit Types
⁕ Internal Audit is conducted regularly and must document the audit process by an organization’s internal audit team (or) an outside party called “second-party audit”.It should be performed at least once in a year. The goal of the Internal audit is to identify where your organization needs improvement and develop an action plan to address any non-conformities.
⁕ External Audit are carried out by a certification body (external auditor) to determine whether your organization satisfies ISO 27001 requirements on an ongoing basis. The external auditor will issue your certification. It has 3 types of audit. They are
A Certification Audit is conducted by a certification body once in three years. It ensures that you are maintaining your ISMS and the processes, ISO 27001 controls, and requirements that helped you achieve compliance. you will receive a certificate that’s valid for three years.
After you are awarded your certification, your organization will need to do a surveillance audit in the second year and third years. It is also called a renewal audit. It is conducted in your on-site. If external auditors give non-conformities, the firm is responsible for correcting the issue but the certificate is valid. A renewal audit describes an audit conducted at the end of a certification cycle before the certificate expires.
After three years have passed, your organization will need to undergo a recertification audit where you will provide evidence proving continuous compliance and proof of ongoing ISMS improvement.
2. CIA triangle
Confidentiality, integrity, and availability, also known as the CIA triad, is a model designed to guide policies for information security within an organization. It is simple, balanced, and open-ended. Use this model along with other security models.
- Confidentiality is designed to prevent sensitive information from unauthorized access attempts. Keep the confidential information in a separate database using the following methods Data encryption, Multi—factor authentication, Biometric verification, and security tokens. Example: customer information in banking.
- Integrity involves maintaining the consistency, accuracy, and trustworthiness of information over its entire lifecycle. Data must not be changed in transit, and ensure data cannot be altered by unauthorized people. Example: patient information in a healthcare firm.
- Availability means information should be consistently and readily accessible to authorized parties. This involves properly maintaining hardware and technical infrastructure and systems that hold and display the information. Example: using large databases in multiple regions.
3. Internal Audit process
The advantages of doing an internal audit include:
- Finding about nonconformities before others do.
- Identifying areas that require attention to provide a solid security posture before a security event.
- Assisting employees in gaining a better knowledge and awareness of the situation.
- Encouraging continuous progress.
- Demonstrating and educating management about your dedication.
It is also important that the audit is recorded, usually in the form of a report that details who was contacted, what was said, and, most crucially, what evidence was discovered, as well as a summary of the results. It should also include:
- Nonconformities identified, if any
- Opportunities for improvement
The final internal audit report will provide important information to the management when it is under review by them, as the report will include data privacy concerns within the organization and the overall security of the organization’s ISMS.
4. Key benefits of ISMS 27001
- Protect your IP, brand & reputation.
- Improve your processes, helping save you time and money.
- Avoid fines for regulatory non-compliance (such as GDPR).
- Avoid civil suits resulting from a data breach.
- Avoid costs of remedial action resulting from incidents and/or breaches.