ISO 27001 consultancy procedure

Information security has always enjoyed a quasi-mystical status because there are many myths that surround it. The lack of understanding regarding information security has complicated the process of implementing ISO 27001. In comparison to other standards, this standard has more technical jargon and is newer, therefore, companies find its implementation complex and unattainable.

However, the truth regarding ISO 27001 is less mysterious than you would like it to be. ISO 27001 implementation boils down to expertise. Yes, for organisations, understanding ISO 27001 is complicated, but for an experienced, trained, and certified ISO 27001 consultant, the same process is a breeze. In this article, we will talk about ISO 27001 compliance, the ISO 27001 consultancy procedure, and the benefits of hiring ISO 27001 consultants.

What is ISO 27001 compliance?

One of the most internationally recognised standards which defines the best practices for information security is the ISO 27001 standard. The standard helps organisations build an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS) that deploys comprehensive controls which keep sensitive data safe, secure, integral, confidential, and accessible to authorised parties.
Unlike the other standards, experts claim that the ISO 27001 standard does not have a “wiggle room” for interpretation. This implies that other standards like the ISO 9001 standard or the ISO 14001 standard have a lot of room for interpretation, and organisations can read every clause and interpret it as per their own needs, circumstances or aspirations.

However, the ISO 27001 standard does not provide this leverage to organisations, as the landscape of information security is rather rigid. Although the controls and the safeguards are customised as per the needs of your organisation, the technical requirements must be followed, so as to prevent a data breaches, misuse, or other security threats. This makes ISO 27001 compliance slightly difficult.

ISO 27001 clauses

Organisations must adhere to the ten management system clauses to achieve successful certification. Additionally, there is a list of 114 information security controls in Annex A. Depending upon the individual circumstance and history of your organisation, these controls can be utilised to define the baseline security of your organisation, which will help you achieve compliance during an ISO 27001 audit. However, the standard also recommends that organisations conduct a risk assessment exercise to determine which additional controls need to be deployed.

Therefore, to achieve ISO 27001 compliance, you must:

• Form an internal ISO 27001 team.
• Develop your own customised ISMS.
• Develop and publish ISMS policies, procedures, and documentation.
• Conduct risk assessment and treatment plan.
• Prepare the Statement Of Applicability (SOA).
• Implement ISMS policies and controls.
• Conduct training programs to increase employee awareness.
• Monitor ISMS and remediate.
• Undergo internal audits and apply corrective actions.
• Undergo certification audit.

ISO 27001 consultancy procedure

By reading the above paragraph, you may have understood why many companies choose to hire an ISO consultant. The ISO 27001 standard implementation checklist requires meticulous documentation and the know-how to establish appropriate core controls. With the help of an ISO 27001 consultant, this task becomes easier. During an ISO 27001 consultancy procedure, consultants will:

Design, develop and deploy your ISMS

As ISO consultants will have a good knowledge of the ISO standard, they will develop your ISMS to meet the requirements of the framework and the aspirations of the organisations. Nonetheless, you will have to allocate in-house resources so that the consultant can do a better job. This involves sharing different types of data and ensuring that your team is appropriately involved in the process.

Creation of appropriate ISMS policies, procedures, and documentation

Consultants will customise policies to meet your organisation’s specific needs, creating policies that will help you with cyber incident response, vulnerability management, business continuity management, and vendor due diligence. This will help you further boost your security architecture.For more information, we suggest reading the benefits of iso 27001 article.

Conduct risk assessment and treatment: ISO 27001 consultants will help you prioritise your information risks and develop the right risk treatment plan so that you can improve and fail-proof your processes. Additionally, the consultant will also help you design a plan in case of any risk eventuality such as data breaches or cyber security threats so that business continuity is ensured.

Develop your Statement Of Applicability (SOA)

This document is critical for certification and contains a list of all the controls from Annex A that have been applied to your organisation in addition to justifications for inclusion.

Oversee your staff awareness and training program

ISO 27001 consultants will oversee your basic security training, helping your employees identify and assess risks to your information security as well as conduct periodic awareness programs. Such periodic awareness programs will ensure that all your staff is aware of the security policies. The consultant will also help you simulate data breaches to measure the effectiveness of the training programs and review the training materials.

Conduct an internal audit and audit readiness assessment

The consultant will look for gaps, vulnerabilities, and non-conformities in your ISMS, helping to prepare you for your final audit.

Benefits of ISO 27001 consultants

ISO 27001 is a document-heavy and technical standard. Without an ISO 27001 consultant, the nuances of risk assessment and internal audits can overwhelm any business owner. ISO 27001 consultant saves your team’s time and resources, improves your chances of successful certification, and get your ISMS up and running quickly.

The benefits of hiring an ISO 27001 consultant is that they get your ISMS up and running quickly, helping you achieve professional and objective compliance which increases your chances of a successful certification. Additionally, their specialised help ensures that the right processes and documentations are in place to keep your data secure.