The Ultimate Checklist for ISO® 27001 to Help You Prepare for Certification

What is ISO® 27001?

ISO® 27001 is an international standard for ISMS that centers around how companies should structure their security management systems. It’s a wide-ranging set of rules and regulations designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.

To be certified, companies must prove that their ISMS meets the requirements of ISO® 27001. That means showing that their procedures and systems are adequate, secure, and well-documented.

How Does an ISO® 27001 Certification Benefit You?

Avoid the Financial Penalties and Losses Associated with Data Breaches

In 2022, the average cost of a security breach increased to $4.35 million. Achieving ISO® 27001 compliance helps you avoid these costly security breaches through the systematic implementation of a range of security best practices.

Global Recognition of the Certification

The ISO® 27001 certification is recognized globally. This means achieving compliance could help your business expand to different regions — companies from different countries will recognize the value of ISO® 27001 compliance and be more likely to work with you.

Comply with Business, Legal, Contractual, and Regulatory Requirements

The ISO® 27001 standard ensures your ISMS stays compliant with all legal regulations surrounding data protection and information systems. Rather than worrying about becoming compliant with each changing regulation, you can rest assured your organization has a process in place to stay compliant with them all.

Build Stronger Trust in B2B Relationships

Passing the ISO® 27001 certification allows you to build better rapport with your partners or shareholders — it shows them that you’re taking extra measures to improve your information security. Clients will be more willing to trust their data with you if they see that you’re following such high-level procedures and policies.

Plus, since the ISO® 27001 certification requires renewal every three years, it’s seen as a long-term commitment that proves your dedication to information security.

ISO® 27001 Certification for Various Industries

The ISO® 27001 certification is not specific to any one industry. Many sectors that deal with online data can benefit from improved information security.

Some examples of industries that partake in ISO® 27001 certification include:

• Healthcare

• IT (Information Technology)

• Finance

• Government

• Telecommunication

ISO® 27001 Checklist

Assign Roles and Responsibilities

Determine what key roles or tasks are involved in your ISMS implementation or management. Note down all the roles required and assign different responsibilities and access permissions. Make sure to document this step clearly and concisely so everyone understands what tasks they’re in charge of.

Conduct a Gap Analysis

A gap analysis will help you identify areas where your current ISMS is not meeting ISO® 27001 requirements. Start by pairing up each ISO® 27001 requirement with existing policies, processes, and procedures. Document any areas where you need further development or improvement.

Develop and Document the Parts of Your ISMS Required for Certification

Once you’ve performed a gap analysis, it’s time to start implementing ISO® 27001 policies and procedures in your ISMS. 

Develop or change aspects of your security management system to make them satisfy ISO® 27001 requirements. Document your ISMS (including records, policies, and procedures) and keep the information up-to-date as you improve your information security.

When building or changing an ISMS, it’s crucial that you closely monitor who is accessing your data and when they’re accessing it to prevent security breaches.

Conduct an Internal Risk Assessment

Perform a risk assessment to see if any vulnerabilities in your information security system need to be addressed. Determine which assets need to be protected and prioritize fixing vulnerabilities that put those assets at risk.

When assessing security threats, you should analyze how likely they are to cause problems and how big their impact would be. This will help you develop appropriate risk treatment plans for these issues.

Here’s a list of things to consider when conducting your risk assessment:

• Identify all threats that could impact your company.

• Create a probability scale to estimate the likelihood of threats.

• Create a financial impact scale to estimate the cost of threats.

• Identify other potential impacts.

• Assess the severity of each risk (taking probability and impact into account).

• Define acceptable and unacceptable risk.

Write a Statement of Applicability (SoA)

A Statement of Applicability (SoA) helps outline which security controls from the ISO® 27001 standard you’ve chosen to implement or omit from your company’s ISMS. Keep your statement concise and easy to understand since you’ll need this document for your official ISO® 27001 audit process.

Your SoA must include the following:

• Identify which security controls you’ve used in response to certain risks.

• Discuss why you chose to use those specific controls.

• Go through all the security controls and state whether you’ve implemented or omitted them. If you’ve omitted some, explain why you made that decision.

• Make sure each security control has its dedicated entry so you can write in detail about everyone. If you’ve actively used any control to mitigate security threats, link to the relevant document (where you discuss how you implemented the control).

If you’ve yet to implement any security controls, note down which ones you plan to use in the future (refer to your risk treatment plans).

Implement Your Security Controls

Decide which security controls are best suited to handle your identified risks and implement them into your ISMS. Check whether they’ve been implemented properly by running regular tests and assessments, and use this opportunity to assess their effectiveness in mitigating threats.

Remember to update your procedures and policies accordingly after implementing new controls in your system. Your team should be made aware of these changes and alter the way they handle risks or data in the future.

Create a Training and Awareness Program

Your employees must be well-trained in information security procedures and the ISO® 27001 standard. Create a security awareness program to teach your employees ISMS best practices, risk mitigation, and ISO® 27001 requirements to help them perform to a high standard.

Conduct Internal Audits

Review the quality of your ISMS regularly by conducting internal audits. Make sure a qualified auditor is running these assessments so you’re better prepared for the official ISO® 27001 audit. Whenever you make big changes to your ISMS, perform an audit to test its efficiency and identify faults in your system early on.

Here are some questions to keep in mind when conducting an internal audit:

• Are your security controls functioning as expected?

• Are there any major weak points in your ISMS?

• Are security threats dealt with efficiently?

You can also use a service like ISMS Connect to gain instant access to unlimited guidance via chat and video calls. Our experts can answer questions and comment on concerns that arise in your internal audits. This ensures that you have the right advice and information to help your organization pass its official audit with flying colors.