Effective business practices and robust security measures are essential for any organization. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in collaboration with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has developed critical standards that enhance security and build customer trust. Today, our experts will guide you through four important ISO standards that help improve an organization’s approach to information security and data privacy:
- ISO/IEC 27001: Focuses on establishing and maintaining an Information Security Management System (ISMS).
- ISO/IEC 27017 and ISO/IEC 27018: Helps organizations protect data, particularly in cloud environments.
- ISO/IEC 27701: Expands on ISO/IEC 27001’s privacy requirements by implementing a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS).
ISO/IEC 27001: The Standard for Information Security Management
ISO/IEC 27001 helps companies to implement and continually improve security in their Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). It also gives them a framework to measure and monitor their ability to cyber-protect critical assets.
Implementation of this standard helps to improve risk management. It can drive down the likelihood of a data breach and give an organization a reputational edge by raising the level of trust among customers and other stakeholders.
The ISO/IEC 27001 certification process starts with planning and goes on to assess potential security risks. From there, you’ll build a security framework for implementation, develop policies and procedures, and implement controls. Audits will ensure ongoing performance.
Related Resource: The ISO/IEC 27001 Compliance Checklist
ISO/IEC 27017 and ISO/IEC 27018: Standards for Security and Privacy of Data
ISO/IEC 27017: Enhancing Cloud Security
ISO/IEC 27017 provides a robust framework specifically designed to bolster information security within cloud environments. This standard extends the foundational security controls of ISO/IEC 27001, focusing on the unique vulnerabilities and risks associated with cloud computing. It covers a range of critical areas including:
- Cloud-Specific Security Controls: Tailored guidelines to secure cloud infrastructure and protect data against unauthorized access and threats.
- Identity and Access Management: Strategies to ensure that only authorized personnel can access certain data sets, enhancing security protocols within cloud services.
- Incident Management: Procedures and tools for promptly responding to security breaches, minimizing potential damage and maintaining trust.
- Service Level Agreements and Compliance: Guidelines for crafting SLAs that enforce rigorous security measures and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory standards. This includes regular audits to verify adherence to the stipulated security requirements.
Businesses leveraging cloud technology will find ISO/IEC 27017 indispensable for implementing a comprehensive security strategy that protects both company and customer data, while also supporting regulatory compliance.
ISO/IEC 27018: Prioritizing Privacy in the Cloud
Expanding upon the privacy aspects of ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27018 specifically addresses the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in public cloud services. This standard offers organizations a clear framework for managing PII securely, with an emphasis on transparency and accountability in cloud processing activities. Key components include:
- Framework for PII Processing: Guidelines to ensure that PII is processed securely, ethically, and in compliance with applicable laws, enhancing customer trust.
- Transparency Measures: Requirements for cloud service providers to be transparent about their PII processing practices, including the use of data, storage locations, and data access policies.
- Risk Management for PII: Methods for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating risks associated with PII data breaches or unauthorized access.
For businesses involved in providing or using cloud services, ISO/IEC 27018 is critical for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of personal data, thereby minimizing operational risks and enhancing compliance with privacy regulations.
These standards are especially helpful for businesses using or providing cloud services, as they enable the organization to safeguard customer data and minimize operational risk. They can also help a business drive toward greater cloud security and meet its legal and regulatory compliance goals.
ISO/IEC 27701: The Standard for Implementing a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS)
ISO/IEC 27701 is an international standard for securing information in a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS). It extends the controls laid out in ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002.
This standard helps organizations manage PII. It can elevate privacy compliance, reduce the risk of infractions of privacy regulations, and help a business demonstrate its commitment to customer security and privacy.
ISO/IEC 27701 extends ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002: With guidance for establishing and maintaining a PIMS, it builds on the requirements and controls of ISO/IEC 27001, layering in privacy-specific requirements and controls.
As an international standard, ISO/IEC 27701’s global perspective can help raise the bar on efforts to comply with global privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR.
To integrate ISO/IEC 27701 with existing ISMS, organizations should take stock of the ISMS and how it aligns with ISO/IEC 27701’s requirements. You’ll want to find the gaps, undertake a privacy impact assessment, and implement controls to mitigate the risks.
Related Resource: Decoding ISO/IEC 27701: Your Key to Enhanced Data Privacy
How ISO/IEC 27001, 27017/27018, and 27701 Work Together
To review, here is what each standard was designed to do:
- ISO/IEC 27001 focuses on information security and establishes specifications for an information security management system (ISMS)
- ISO/IEC 27017/27018 looks at information security controls for cloud services.
- ISO/IEC 27701 emphasizes user privacy, focusing organizational efforts to integrate a privacy information management system (PIMS) into their existing ISO/IEC 27001 ISMS.
How do you choose the right standard? That will likely be based on specific organizational needs. You’ll need to define your business objectives, for example, and look at standards in your industry. You’ll analyze the legal and regulatory requirements and also consider customer expectations around privacy.
Ideally, these standards will work together for comprehensive security and privacy management. To get there, an organization will need to establish a unified framework, implement ISO/IEC 27001 as the core of its efforts, and then look at the cloud. To integrate cloud-specific security controls (ISO/IEC 27017), you’ll identify cloud security requirements and implement cloud security controls.
Then, you can layer on ISO/IEC 27018 to enhance personal data protection. You’ll identify personal data requirements, assess privacy impact assessments to understand the impact of data processing on privacy and implement personal data protection controls. Next, you can extend your privacy controls with ISO/IEC 27701.
The Benefits of ISO/IEC Standards 27001, 27017/27018, and 27701 for Your Organization
Businesses can leverage ISO/IEC certifications and standards for competitive advantage, with ISO/IEC 27001 securing the ISMS, 27017/27018 elevating an organization’s control over cloud services, and ISO/IEC 27701 enhancing privacy in PIMS.
By empowering organizations to raise the bar in their practices around information security and privacy, these standards can methodically minimize risk and thus build loyalty among customers and other stakeholders.
Ready to move ahead? Contact a professional at Insight Assurance to learn more.
