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ISO 27001 is a regulatory standard that helps companies keep information safe. In an increasingly interconnected world, information is considered one of the most valuable assets a company can have.
Undeniably, data security is a recurring concern, especially to ensure consumer trust and business continuity.
The standards and guidelines provided by ISO 27001 focus on the protection of confidential data. This includes not only personal data but also financial information, intellectual property, and any other sensitive data.
Learn how to keep your company’s confidential data safe. Understand everything about ISO 27001.
What is ISO 27001 and What Does It Regulate?
ISO 27001 is an internationally recognized standard for information security management, offering a set of practices and guidelines to ensure confidential data protection.
Published by ISO in partnership with IEC, it is a standard suitable for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining, and continuously improving an Information Security Management System (ISMS).
This system provides a comprehensive view of security brought by technology in data protection. ISMS offers insights into practices related to telecommunications, physical environment protection, business continuity, licensing, among others.
Thus, it aims to establish processes and procedures to mitigate and manage organizational risks. The guidelines must be adapted to each organization and its specificities, considering mainly the technological and organizational environment.
The main topics covered by ISO 27001 include:
- Risk analysis
- Information security policies
- Security controls (access identification, network security, and encryption)
- Periodic audits and reviews to ensure efficiency and effectiveness
What Are the Benefits of ISO 27001?
Adopting ISO recommendations prepares businesses to act and mitigate possible threats to data. Companies of different sizes that adopt ISO 27001 benefit from:
Identification and mitigation of information security risks with Risk Management
- Protection of sensitive data
- Regulatory compliance
- Increased trust from customers, suppliers, partners, and investors
- Enhanced confidentiality, availability, and integrity of data
- Improved and consistent decision-making
- Implementation of management controls for process optimization
- Efficiency and operational performance gains
Implementing the Standard in My Company
Implementing ISO 27001 is a valuable initiative to ensure data protection and earn the certification seal. To achieve this, several steps are required:
Defining the Implementation Team
First, define which employees will form the implementation team and who will be responsible for the project. A leader should be appointed to oversee and implement the ISMS. The selected team members must have in-depth knowledge of information security as well as the guidelines and requirements of ISO 27001.
It will be necessary to develop a project plan outlining the goals, time required, and investments. Management and strategic levels of the company must be involved.
Scope of the ISMS
Before drafting the scope, determine what type of information needs protection. This approach is specific to each company and involves identifying assets, storage locations, whether physical, digital, or portable.
The scope must be comprehensive enough to protect and ensure the security of information while avoiding complex management.
Regarding scope, the standard allows it to be applied to the entire company or a specific department or system.
Pay attention to clauses 4.1 and 4.2 of the standard. The first requires identifying internal and external conditions that can influence the information security system.
The second involves defining relevant stakeholders and their requirements: needs and expectations regarding the organization. These requirements must be evaluated, met, and monitored.
Risk Mapping and Identification
Now it’s time to evaluate the organization’s formal risks. This process involves data, analyses, and results that must be documented. The identification and evaluation of risks can be scenario-based, like possible events and their consequences, or related to the vulnerability of data storage locations.
Establishment of Risk Management
At this stage, the focus should be on mitigating and controlling risks. Threats must be noted and updated in the security policy.
The company must develop a Statement of Applicability and a Risk Treatment Plan for the auditor to review during the certification audit. These documents should include responses or decisions for each identified risk.
This phase is crucial for establishing responses to identified risks, necessitating new procedures and technologies that ensure security, such as device locks and user authentication. As this will change how activities and procedures are executed in the company, adopt training and awareness programs to reduce resistance and non-compliance incidents.
Monitoring and Audit
With risks identified and action plans established, verify if policies and controls are effective and compliant with the standard’s guidelines. Monitoring should be part of daily routine, documenting incidents and procedures performed. This study allows for corrective or preventive actions if results do not meet objectives.
Internal audits are mandatory for monitoring and reviewing procedures. They should be planned periodically to seek changes and improvements. Certification audit is obligatory for any ISO implementation process, covering the documentary evaluation of procedures and system audits, employee interviews, process and infrastructure assessments, among others.
Continuous Improvement
It’s important to clarify that ISO 27001 certification is valid and that security must be constantly evaluated. Even after certification, continue monitoring and improving the ISMS. Business growth and evolution bring new opportunities and risks to the business’s health.
Thus, a continuous improvement approach is crucial. Implement a process management system to ensure optimized and properly controlled workflow.
The link Between ISO 27001 and Process Management
Companies of different sizes and sectors can apply ISO 27001. Every type of business has data that needs protection.
ISO and Process Management are interlinked, as fully implementing standards and guidelines requires a complete understanding of business processes.
A process management platform allows for centralizing information, enabling secure activities, access, and data use.
Neomind’s Fusion Platform is a comprehensive tool for managing processes, documents, and indicators, helping companies achieve their goals by optimizing processes for efficient, effective, and legally compliant workflows.
Thus, the software enables the identification, analysis, modeling, documentation, monitoring, and improvement of organizational workflows. Aligned with ISO 27001 standards, Fusion Platform ensures each user is properly authenticated, with access control specifications incorporated into processes. Some users are authorized to modify data, while others can only view or are restricted from accessing them.
Additionally, the platform has traceability, meaning every access or edit is recorded, allowing for monitoring when and by whom it occurred.
Neomind’s solution includes a complete Risk Management module, enabling detailed action plans to mitigate impacts.
Adopting an integrated approach with Fusion Platform and ISO 27001 ensures data and information security while making the organization more efficient.
Try Fusion Platform and gain total control and monitoring over your business’s sensitive data.
