ISO 27001 Assessment Services
Background
Achieving ISO 27001 compliance is a great step in building a mature cybersecurity program and will allow your company to perform functions that require handling sensitive client data, while providing your customers and partners the confidence that you take security seriously. Unlike some other information security standards (e.g., NIST 800-171, CMMC), you get to build your own set of controls based on sound practices of risk management. An Information Security Management System (ISMS) built and certified to ISO 27001, in addition to its internal benefits to the organization, can also provide defensible due diligence for potential clients, users, or other parties.
What is ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 is a formal set of guidelines and specifications for organizations to use in developing their information security framework. The standard is implementation-neutral and focused on the organization as a whole, covering all information types, systems, people, policies, processes, and technologies. Being a formal specification means that it mandates specific requirements. Therefore, organizations that claim to have adopted ISO 27001 can be formally audited and certified as being compliant with the standard. It is this ability to certify the operation of an ISMS that sets the standard apart from others and makes it ideal to be used as a form of independent attestation to the design and operation of an information security program.
If you’re pursuing ISO 27001 certification due to contractual or regulatory requirements, there are three pressing needs to consider:
If starting the certification effort from scratch, perform a gap analysis to gain a high-level overview of what your organization needs to do to achieve certification.
Have an independent third party perform an external audit ahead of the certification audit to provide an objective readiness assessment.
Demonstrate to the certification body that your firm is performing regular (at least annually) internal audits.
Compliance Gap Analysis
Most organizations already have a number of information security controls in place. Without an ISMS however, the controls tend to be ad hoc, often having been implemented as point solutions to specific problems. The security controls in operation typically address only certain aspects of IT or data security, leaving non-IT information assets less well protected. If you are just starting out on your journey towards ISO 27001 certification, Kane Federal Services can help you identify compliance gaps by comparing your organization’s existing information security arrangements and documentation against the standard’s requirements. Our gap analysis is thorough and, unlike a certification body, we can provide consulting, support, and advice to ensure that you are prepared for the audit.
Third party audit/assessment
If you are scheduled for a certification audit or surveillance audit in the next few months, we can provide a readiness assessment to prepare your organization for certification or surveillance audits conducted by a certification body. This validates that your ISMS is still compliant with the standard, and should be conducted at least six weeks in advance of your certification audit so there is enough time to develop corrective action plans for all nonconformities identified.
Internal Audit
The internal audit is one of the most vital elements of an ISO 27001-certified ISMS in ensuring that processes are effective and being followed, and therefore delivering continual improvement. These are not “dry runs” of the certification audits, rather they help management determine if the ISMS is actually achieving the business objectives for information security. Remember, actual information security is more important than compliance… checking boxes on a compliance form is great but that alone won’t stop an attacker from stealing data. Regular audits can catch new vulnerabilities along with unintended consequences of organizational change. The summary level scores resulting from an ISO 27001 internal audit are documented and should be provided to the auditors during your next certification audit. Objectivity is the key here. Internal Audits must be done each year by a third party like Kane Federal Services, or by internal personnel who are appropriately qualified and were not instrumental in building or running the ISMS.
Conclusion
Holding an ISO 27001 certification is widely accepted proof of a reliable, defensible, standards-based information security posture. It confirms to both your management and clients that your organization is proactively managing its security control responsibilities. Kane Federal Services can help give you the confidence that you are prepared for the certification process. Our services include gap analysis, readiness assessments, and delivery of internal audits. You can start this process by scheduling a free discovery call which will allow us to understand the goals you have for your business.