ISO 27001 Certification Process

ISO 27001 Certification Process for Beginners

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ISO 27001 is an international standard that regulates security for informational systems. The standard was initially issued in 2005 by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). Over the years, it was revised twice – the first time in 2013 and the second time in 2022.

Private and public organizations use this standard as a unique resource meant to improve their cybersecurity. By adhering to ISO 27001, companies are able to significantly reduce the chance of hacking. The end goal of this standard is to enhance the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of business data.

“The good news about the certification process is that you can perform it yourself,” according to Exeo, ISO 27001 consultants in UAE. In this article, we’ll talk about the benefits of certification and how to perform ISO 27001 certification as a beginner.

Benefits of ISO 27001 Certification

There are several good reasons why you should execute the certification process:

  • Risk Reduction

Through certification, companies are able to spot early threats. Managers can implement customized controls that will protect them against incoming cybersecurity threats.

  • Increase in Efficiency

By utilizing ISMS or information security management systems, companies are able to improve their internal cybersecurity processes. They’re able to reduce common expenses and enhance overall performance.

  • Improved Trust

By adhering to the current ISO standard, you’re making sure that all stakeholders feel at ease. It makes it easier for banks and financial institutions to invest in your business and for clients to put their trust in you.

  • Reduced Costs

Proper cybersecurity measures can save you a lot of money by preventing ransomware and malware attacks. They also reduce downtime, which can potentially stifle your sales and other operative processes.

  • Enhanced Decisions

Having a strong protective layer simplifies your cybersecurity decisions. It also gives you more leeway when making other business decisions, as you don’t have to worry about potential intrusions.

ISO 27001 Certification Process

Here’s what the certification process entails if you were to perform it yourself:

1.    Preparation Phase

Before you even think about implementing the ISO 27001 standard, you should get acquainted with the document. You can even get the entire standard online in a PDF form.

After getting acquainted with ISO 27001, you should seek out management’s support. If the higher-ups are not dedicated to this standard, it will be very hard to persuade your staff to stick with it.

When presenting the standard to your team, you should get ready for some hard-hitting questions. Learn more about its purpose, benefits for the company, deadliness, and project stages. Explain to each team member what would be expected from them.

2.    Establishing Goals

You must consider your business objectives before you can roll out ISO 27001. Based on that, the scope of the entire implementation can differ. Among other things, you must take into account potential external and internal issues you might encounter.

Outline relevant parties and requirements for each of them. Some of the most important parties during this phase are the company’s team, the company’s partners, and regulating bodies. The best way to introduce a standard into your company is by documenting the entire process, maintaining communication with the entire team, and monitoring performance.

3.    Considering Inventory

You also need to take into account your available company’s assets. Informational assets can be anything from computers and other devices to data, databases, and other valuable information. Although informational inventory might resemble accounting inventory, there are noticeable differences between the two.

Once you establish the company’s informational assets, you must determine if they’re enough for standard implementation. After that, it’s your job to sort all this data according to their value and outline future actions you’re getting ready to take.

4.    Establishing a Framework

It is also vital that you establish a working management framework. This framework will outline all the processes you must complete as you introduce the standard to your company.

You’ll have to schedule upcoming activities and assign deadlines for each one of them. You must introduce accountability for different stages and processes and perform continuous auditing. We must mention that continuous improvements are crucial for the cybersecurity standard, given that new types of threats are constantly popping up.

5.    Performing Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is vital for ISO 27001. You must minimize potential threats during implementation and ascertain that adding this standard is the right thing for your company. Furthermore, you should think about all the potential cybersecurity threats that the standard will prevent.

You don’t necessarily have to use a specific risk assessment method. Instead, you should think about all the common threats that companies similar to yours are facing on the web. You must also think about risk acceptance criteria, that is, how much risk you’re willing to take upon yourself.

6.    Mitigating Risks

Once you determine the biggest threats to your business, you should find ways to stifle these potential attacks. Companies have four options at their disposal: modification, avoidance, sharing, and retaining. Avoiding is perhaps the best choice, as it will completely eliminate the source, but also the hardest one to implement.

However you choose to address future risks, make sure to outline it in your cybersecurity documentation. Define roles and responsibilities, as well as penalties for those who act against internal policies. You should document all actions you’ve made during each attack so the company’s auditors can assess the team’s behavior.

7.    Performing Training

As with any other cybersecurity process, it’s vital that the entire team is on the same page. During training, you’re looking to improve employees’ competence and awareness.

Competence tells us that the people performing cybersecurity tasks should have the necessary knowledge and experience. As for the awareness, the team should be aware of your internal policies while also having a good understanding of the ISO 27001 standard.

Last Thoughts

The ISO 27001 certification process is much easier than you might think. To implement the standard, you should first get acquainted with it. Then, outline your goals and assets and create a strategy to seamlessly introduce them into your workflow. 

Also Read: Why You Need an Advisor for International Taxes

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