ISO 27001 Certification & Auditing - ISMS

Secure Knowledge and Information

ISO/IEC 27001, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), specifies the requirements for implementing and maintaining an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS) to protect against the root causes of information security risks. Organizations implement and maintain an ISMS to protect data that is crucial to the business, mitigate risk and ensure stable operations, and provide confidence to stakeholders and customers.

An ISMS is a dedicated set of rules an organization establishes to identify key stakeholders and associated expectations regarding information security company-wide. It also seeks to identify current and potential future risks, define safeguards and other mitigation methods to handle said risks. The ISMS outlines clear objectives regarding what must be achieved with this information security system and helps to implement all controls and risk treatment methods. It also regularly measures the implemented controls to ensure they are effective. It helps teams to make continuous improvements, ensuring the entire system works better than before.

Protect Business Data and Use Resources Efficiently

The ISMS standard offers a framework to help companies increase information security levels whilst improving cost-efficiencies. Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of an ISMS:

Benefits of Obtaining Certification

Protect the confidentiality of your information
Ensure the integrity of business data and the availability of your IT systems
Provide confidence to your stakeholders and customers that you maintain compliance with the highest standards for information security
Reduce disruptions to critical processes
Minimize financial losses associated with a breach

ISO 27001 Framework

The information security standard seeks to uncover any potential problems that could arise through a risk assessment before defining what can be done to mitigate these risks. So begins the cycle: identifying possible risks, systematically treating said risks, and finally, implementing security controls. ISO 27001 then requires manufacturers to list all controls that are to be implemented in the Statement of Applicability (SoA). An SoA is the primary physical documentation that links your risk assessment and risk treatment plan, so it is a crucial part of any ISMS.

ISO 27001 also outlines an additional set of policies, procedures, plans, records, and other documented information required for compliance. It is often compared to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), and Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT) created by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) as they are all industry-leading approaches to information security. However, while NIST CSF is more security control-focused with a wide range of groups to facilitate best practices related to federal information systems, ISO 27001 is less technical and more risk-focused for organizations of all types.

Manage Information Security Risk

The standard outlines a risk management process involving people, processes and IT systems, thereby providing a holistic approach to information security. The video below gives a step-by-step introduction to the principles of risk management according to the ISMS standard and can serve as a helpful guideline for the implementation of your infosec system.

The implementation process

Step 1 - Identify the Risk - Start by classifying your information assets. Determine which ones are critical to the operation of your business. Next identify relevant vulnerabilities. Consider factors that could pose an actual threat. Risk emerges when assets, vulnerabilities and threats overlap.
Step 2 - Assess the Risk - Apply a risk assessment methodology to evaluate if the identified risk is acceptable or if it will be necessary to take action.
Step 3 - Outline Measures That Could Help Reduce the Risk to an Acceptable Level - The measures or controls can be organizational such as new policies or procedures or they might be technical such as a patch or a virus scan. Start with the implementation of the most critical controls. An implementation plan is useful for setting priorities and timelines and for allocating the required resources. Be sure to monitor your information security efforts and document their effect. Bear in mind that continuous assessment and improvements are vital as business requirements and threat landscapes are dynamic factors

Your Certification Partner for Information Security

Certification to ISO/IEC 27001 can represent an important step in an organization's efforts to protect its IT infrastructure and to secure digitized data in its possession.

TÜV SÜD’s experienced auditors possess the accreditation and expertise to conduct ISO 27001 audits across industries. Through our worldwide network of professionals, we can provide certification services no matter where you are. Our experts adopt a holistic approach for your information security certification. What’s more, our status as an independent certification body ensures that the TÜV SÜD certification mark is accepted worldwide, making it a powerful tool for distinguishing your company in the market.

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AMENDMENT ISO/IEC 27006
The international rules we are obliged to follow as a certification body are constantly reviewed and monitored by the respective committees. This process resulted in an amendment of ISO/IEC 27006, which is the relevant standard for certifying ISO/IEC 27001, published in March 2020. As result, TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH must implement the rules given in this amendment by end of March 2022, including a verification by our accreditation body, Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH. TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH strives to finalize this change as fast as possible. Part of the requirements for implementing the amendment is to inform existing customers about this change. The requirements for your information security management system do not change with this amendment, only the internal processes of the certification body are affected.