Importance Of An ISO 27001 Consultant – Why Do You Need One?

ISO 27001 information security management system (#ISMS), now known as ISO/IEC 27001:2022 (previously ISO 27001:2013), is the global benchmark for effective information security management of any company. The framework is generally implemented to increase the security posture of  an organisation, ISO 27001 may be termed as an organised way to maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability in any company.

Considerations for implementing ISO 27001

• Organisation’s business objectives
• Organisational needs
• Security concerns
• Processes of the organisation (both external as well as internal)
• Size of the organisation and associated risk appetite

The above factors also influence the ISO 27001 certification cost.

Need To Adopt ISO #27001 Certification and Its Benefits

ISO 27001 is an Information Security Management System (ISMS) that was developed for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an organisations ISMS.

Implementing ISMS aims at CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability) by using a risk-based approach to the ISMS.  Risks are managed through identifying the security risk, rating the security risk and implementing a risk treatment plan.

• It is currently one of the best information security management systems around the globe
• Enhances brand reputation
• Improved transparency and responsibility in information security management system
• ISO 27001 certification is a part of legal as well as regulatory requirements of an organisation
• Security posture of the company is enhanced
• It helps in bringing in new potential clients
• Safeguards company and customer private and confidential information
• Protect revenue
• Having a systemised approach to information security
• Possibly cheaper cyber insurance

The best way to gain adoption of ISO 27001 (ISMS) throughout an organisation is by communicating it across the organisation as well as having a comprehensive employee awareness training program.

Preparation For ISO 27001 Certification

Considered to be one of the most powerful tools when it comes to creating a secure ISMS, it is always important to remember that ISO 27001 it is a framework too. It is not a mere set of rules that can be tweaked.

For successful ISO 27001 implementation and guidance, it needs a careful study of the organisation’s overall needs and necessities. ISO 27001 integrates the best available processes, practices as well as guidance systems. Yet, it is the responsibility of the organisation to develop its own ISO 27001 compliant ecosystem.

The following are the must have things to get ISO 27001 certification:

• ISMS must be implemented and should be fully operational
• Security procedures and policies must be complied
• Cloud infrastructure must be secured
• Audits must be conducted in regular intervals
• Continuity in evidence collection
• Dedicated leadership to uphold cybersecurity
• Awareness pertaining to cybersecurity among personnel

In order to fulfil all complicated pre-requisites of this certification, any organisation should seek help from any ISO-accredited certification body. These organisations help your company become ISO 27001 compliant by providing training about various topics like ISO 27001 audit access control, risk assessment, cryptography, communications security etc.

Organisations must make sure that they have all the required resources in place before implementing the ISO 27001-compliant controls as well as processes.

14 Phases of ISO 27001

There are as many as 14 sections that need to be followed to get this accreditation and each section contains specific requirements. These domains are created to ensure that ISMS’ of ISO 27001 certified organisations are in compliance with the best available practices currently in the world.

The 14 domains of ISO 27001:2013 are tabulated as under: this is incorrect in ISO 27001:2022 – there are now fewer controls categorised into 4 overarching groups – organisational, people, physical, and technological. Controls are reduced from 114 to 93

These 14 domains help the organisations to develop a comprehensive framework which in turn ensures a secure ISMS of that organisation. The leadership section of the ISO 27001:2013 and ISO 27001:2022 standards state that management must demonstrate their commitment to the ISMS in many ways. Some of which include:

• Developing and information security policy and the information security objectives that align with the strategic direction of the organisation
• Allocating sufficient resources for the ISMS to achieve its objectives
• Promoting continual improvement
• Communicating the ISMS throughout the organisation

Role of an ISO 27001 Consultant

Specialised knowledge is not the only thing an ISO 27001 consultant comes with. But he also knows the best alternative to every step involved in the compliance process. Be it building new ISMS or be it conducting an audit, streamlining the files etc, he will be equipped with variety of tools for each of them.

Following are the works an ISO consultant undertakes:

• Designing, building and finally implementing an ISMS that is compliant to ISO 27001
• Implementation of tools to plan a secured cloud infrastructure
• Drafting the relevant security policies and processes
• Implementation of risk management and assessment
• Conducting training for improved security awareness among staff
• Collecting evidence and checking the gap analysis to ascertain the organisation’s overall security condition
• Conducting an internal audit and report generation

Moreover, the consultant being third party will find it easier to find the loopholes or shortcomings of the organisation. This will automatically help the organisation and save much of its time too.

In short the benefits of hiring an ISO 27001 consultant may be summarized as under:

• Efficient and time saving
• Professional as well as objective approach to get compliance
• Specialized help in streamlining the complicated documents
• Improved chances of getting certified

Organisations are always free to choose whether they want to implement ISO 27001 as their permanent information security strategy, or may opt to get a certificate from as ISO-accredited certification body. However, hiring an ISO 27001 consultant is always recommended.

#cyber #iso27001 #isms #cybersecurity