The international security standard - ISO 27001

ISO 27001 and ISMS in companies

Companies and organizations that claim the ISO 27001 security standard for themselves address the topic of information security in detail. ISO 27001 stands for guidelines, measures, and procedures that are intended to minimize existing risks and violations within IT. Although most companies are aware of the dangers of information technology, it is only through the implementation of ISO 27001 that disruptions caused by physical hazards, employee negligence, processes, systems, and cybercrime can be averted more effectively.

What is the definition of ISO 27001?

Normally, you will only find the designation ISO 27001 in the normal working environment, but the full designation is defined as ISO/IEC 27001: 2013 Information technology - Security procedures - Information security management systems - Requirements. ISO 27001 is part of the ISO/IEC 27000 series of standards, which deals with the topic of information security. Within this series, ISO 27001 deals with the physical, technical, and legal risk measures relating to the security of data and information.

Why is ISO 27001 becoming increasingly important for companies and organizations?

By protecting valuable information technology content, companies reduce the risk of reputational damage, fines, and disruption to day-to-day business. At the same time, the Information Security Management System (ISMS) can also be certified by ISO 27001. The ISMS describes internal processes, rules, and procedures that ensure information security and continuous improvement and allow management and control. For some industries, certification by ISO 27001 is an important part of work activities, as some contracts and especially tenders require certification. Certification demonstrates a certain standard of information security and defines compliance as an objective.

What is an Information Security Management System (ISMS)?

ISO 27001 does not provide companies and organizations with a fixed standard that merely needs to be implemented. ISO 27001 is abstract and can therefore be applied to companies in any industry and of any size. For this reason, it is not possible to derive a universally valid procedure. The objective of ISO 27001 is not to achieve complete risk reduction, but to enable companies to become aware of their existing risks, assess them, and thus minimize existing or emerging risks. The ISMS and its effectiveness can be checked using key figures. The KPIs must be defined individually so that individual areas can be evaluated and improved.

If the protection goals of information security are defined, they are broken down according to the CIA principle (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability).

Confidentiality is intended to ensure that only authorized persons have access to information worthy of protection. Integrity guarantees the authenticity and reliability of all assets and availability ensures that information can be made available immediately if required.

Who should consider an ISMS and implement it if necessary?

Almost every company is obliged must protect data and information securely. Thanks to the adaptability of ISO 27001, internal requirements and security guidelines can also be defined for smaller companies.

The basis for any functioning ISMS is that the company has a precise overview of the available information and can assess it in terms of risk. This should be a high priority for every company, as an information leak can cause financial damage and a loss of image. In most cases, the latter is also associated with financial damage.

The management of every company should always evaluate which risks could be minimized by an implemented ISMS to avert financial damage at the same time. The management's assessment should always depend on whether the company is software-heavy and how far the digitalization of work processes has progressed. In particular, companies with a high need for regulation (e.g. doctors, pharmacies, care services...) should comply with the minimum information security requirements.

Can an ISMS by ISO 27001 support internal data protection?

Data protection and information security must be viewed from two perspectives. Data protection is fundamentally geared towards protecting people and their data and information. Information security, on the other hand, is intended to protect against business risks.

However, there are also overlaps between the areas of data protection and information security. One example of this is the technical and organizational measures (TOM), the implementation of which is prescribed by the GDPR. Data breaches and cyberattacks can lead to personal data falling into the hands of unauthorized persons. In this example, data protection and information security are affected. From this perspective, it makes sense to carefully plan the positions and staffing of the data protection officer and the information security officer and to promote cooperation.

What advantages do companies gain from an ISMS?

An ISMS naturally presents a company with an organizational challenge, but the new standards can also have effects that can provide a company with decisive advantages.

Cost savings

If an ISMS is implemented in a company, any risks that could have cost-intensive consequences are minimized. An ISMS therefore achieves proactive cost savings. At the same time, investments can be saved that would have been spent on security technologies without an ISMS.

Internal Security

The advantage of an active ISMS is that it can adapt to potential risks at short notice. This adaptability increases the company's internal resistance to attacks by third parties and safeguards data protection regulations.

Practiced information security standards

If an ISMS is accepted and applied by the workforce, internal transparency is created. Employees can better assess risks and will also become more aware of security standards in this regard. The acceptance of the workforce must be controlled by the management, which should in particular demand the personal controller of each employee. Management must set a good example here to exemplify a new, positive, and safe corporate culture to the workforce.

ISO 27001 - do all regulations have to be complied with?

If ISO 27001 is issued by an accredited certification body, the company receives a certificate that signals to customers, partners, and investors that information security is given a high priority within the company. Once the process of setting up an ISMS has been completed, the regulations do not necessarily have to be complied with. At the same time, internal company regulations and instructions can also be adapted. Achieving ISO 27001 certification means that every company can demonstrate a commitment to information security both internally and externally.

What is regulated under ISO 27001 in companies?

ISO 27001 does not contain any fixed details or standards. For this reason, there are no precise guidelines that a company must fulfill to meet the requirements of the certification. ISO 27001 only creates a framework so that a company can decide on appropriate security standards. The framework conditions are not precisely defined, as industries and types of companies differ too much within day-to-day business and individual security standards must be set. ISO 27001 contains 114 measures that enable the identification and treatment of risks. A risk assessment can be developed from these measures, from which internal protective measures can be derived.

What are the advantages of the ISO 27001 certification?

If certification according to ISO 27001 is planned, this has the advantage that a functioning ISMS must be introduced as a first step, which minimizes risks in advance. At the same time, certification to ISO 27001 is an internal certification that ensures a high external reputation.

For this reason, certification is often listed on company websites, as it gives business partners a certain level of security and shows that the company or organization places a high value on information security standards. In some cases, tenders can only be won with certification and business partners are also paying more and more attention to practice information security, which is confirmed by certification. The image and market value are enhanced by certification and this can also lead to further business contacts. In particular, building trust with a customer is a decisive competitive advantage that also has a financial impact. ISO 27001 creates a basis of trust with customers and partners, but a company should not forget that the internal impact and therefore the trust of the workforce is also significantly increased.