ISO 27001 audit training

Audits are routinely utilised to ensure that an activity meets a set of defined criteria. For all International Organization for Standardization (ISO) management standards, audits are utilised to ensure that the management system meets the relevant requirements of the selected standard. Additionally, the audit ensures that the management system aligns with the organisation’s own requirements and objectives. The following article discusses the training requirements for an ISO 27001 audit. If you want to get ISO 27001 certification and plan to implement it, we suggest you use ISO consulting services in Australia.

What is ISO 27001?

An ISO framework contains a combination of policies and processes to guide organisations in one aspect of their operation. The ISO 27001 provides organisations with a framework to protect their information in a cost-effective and systematic manner, through the implementation of an Information Security Management System (ISMS).

The standard provides organisations with the necessary know-how to protect their most valuable information. Additionally, being certified in ISO 27001 allows companies to prove to their customers and partners that it is safeguarding their data. The three security objectives of an ISMS are confidentiality, integrity and availability. ISO Council will help you to get the ISO 27001 certificate in the shortest possible time.

What is an ISO 27001 audit?

A competent and objective auditor reviews the following elements in an ISO 27001 audit:

• The policies, processes and other controls within the ISMS are practical and efficient.
• The ISMS and its elements are meeting the requirements of the standard.
• The organisation has its own clearly defined information requirements and objectives for the ISMS.

In addition to checking the overall compliance and effectiveness of the ISMS, an ISO 27001 also checks the efficiency of the controls. This is because ISO 27001 is designed to enable an organisation to manage its information security risks to a tolerable level, hence making it necessary to check the efficiency of implemented controls in reducing risks where organisations are happy.

This means that not only the practical usage of the control is checked, but the auditor measures it against the alternatives. The auditor gauges if the control selected is the most suited to the organisation’s individual needs. You can get more information about this widely used standard and its importance by reading the article What is ISO 27001.

What are the types of ISO 27001 audits?

ISO requires that the company plans and conducts a schedule of “internal audits” to be able to claim compliance with the standard. Furthermore, if the organisation desires to achieve certification, it requires “external audits” to be carried out by a third-party accredited body.

ISO 27001 Internal audit:

As the name suggests, an internal audit is carried out by the organisation using its own resources. If the organisation does not have objective and competent auditors within its own staff, auditors can be hired from a contracted supplier, known as a second party audit.

ISO 27001 External audit:

External audit commonly applies to those audits carried out by a certification body to maintain or gain certification. The term is also used by interested parties who carry out audits to gain assurance of an organisation’s ISMS. Examples of interested parties include customers or partners.

Why are ISO 27001 audits important?

Without verifying how the ISMS is being managed and is performing, there is no guarantee of assurance about the fulfilment of objectives. An audit provides assurance that the ISMS is delivering against its objectives. We have fully explained the importance of this certificate in the ISO 27001 benefits article.

Steps of an ISO 27001 internal audit

The internal audit ensures that information security weaknesses, events and incidents are reported and managed effectively. It contains:

• Documentation review, where a review of the organisation’s policies, procedures, standards and documentation is done to ensure that it is fit for purpose.
• Evidential audit which is also known as a field review. In this audit, activity sample evidence is collected to showcase that the policies are being complied with, procedures are being followed and the recommended guidance is being considered.
• Analysis follows a documentation review or an evidential sampling, where the auditor will assess and analyse the findings to confirm if the standard requirements are being met.
• Audit reports will be prepared as required by the standard in clause 9.2 to ensure visibility to the management.
• Management review is a required activity under the clause 9.3 of ISO 27001, where the findings of the audit report must be considered.

Consequently, corrective actions and interventions must be carried out to ensure that the necessary improvement is brought about.

ISO 27001 audit training explanation

ISO 27001 audit training makes it easier for individuals to gain expertise in the implementation of the standards. This can help individuals formalise and improve business procedures around securing the organisation’s data. It also helps organisations identify the risks of costly penalties of data protection within the organisation.

There are many training approaches available to help individuals achieve their international goals and objectives. Examples of the training approach include classroom training, online instructor-led training, online self-paced training and on-site training.

The training will help the individual determine the scope and objectives of the audit, going on to obtain background information.

The individual will also be taught to conduct a thorough and meticulous documentation review. The training will also teach individuals how to select an assigned audit team member, and prepare the plan, including the date and duration.

The individual will be taught to present to the team at all stages including the opening and closing meetings. Individuals would also be taught to resolve any problems arising and evaluate the results. Preparing and presenting the report, making recommendations, following up, preparing a checklist, saving audit documents, following protocols and checking on corrective actions are also some of the teachings of the ISO 27001 audit training.