ISO 27001 Information Security Management System
The ISO 27001:2013 standard adopts a process approach for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining, and improving an organization’s information security management system. ISO 27001 was established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It was first launched in 2005, as a replacement of BS 7799.
Protecting your assets
The standard takes a comprehensive approach to information security. Assets that need protection range from digital information, paper documents, and physical assets (computers and networks) to the knowledge of individual employees. Issues you have to address range from competence development of staff to technical protection against computer fraud.
ISO 27001 will help you protect your information in terms of the following principles:
Confidentiality ensures that information is accessible only to those authorized to have access.
Integrity safeguards the accuracy and completeness of information and processing methods.
Availability ensures that authorized users have access to information and associated assets when required.
Benefits of ISO 27001:2013
The benefits of standardization and of implementation of one or more of the ISO 27000 series are wide and varied. Although they tend to differ from organization to organization, many are common.
The following is a list of potential benefits. As with many items on this website, this is an ongoing project. Please feel free to add further points via the comments option below.
- Interoperability
This is a general benefit of standardization. The idea is that systems from diverse parties are more likely to fit together if they follow a common guideline.
- Assurance
Management can be assured of the quality of a system, business unit, or other entity if a recognized framework or approach is followed.
- Due Diligence
Compliance with, or certification against, and international standard is often used by management to demonstrate due diligence.
- Bench Marking
Organizations often use a standard as a measure of their status within their peer community. It can be used as a benchmark for current position and progress.
- Awareness
Implementation of a standard such as ISO 27001 can often result in greater security awareness within an organization.
- Alignment
Because implementation of ISO 27001 (and the other ISO 27000 standards) tends to involve both business management and technical staff, greater IT and Business alignment often result.
- Compliance
It might seem odd to list this as the first benefit, but it often shows the quickest “return on investment” – if an organization must comply to various regulations regarding data protection, privacy and IT governance (particularly if it is a financial, health or government organization), then ISO 27001 can bring in the methodology which enables to do it in the most efficient way.
- Marketing edge
In a market which is more and more competitive, it is sometimes very difficult to find something that will differentiate you in the eyes of your customers. ISO 27001 could be indeed a unique selling point, especially if you handle clients’ sensitive information.
- Lowering the expenses
Information security is usually considered as a cost with no obvious financial gain. However, there is a financial gain if you lower your expenses caused by incidents. You probably do have an interruption in service, or occasional data leakage, or disgruntled employees. Or disgruntled former employees.
The truth is, there is still no methodology and/or technology to calculate how much money you could save if you prevented such incidents. But it always sounds good if you bring such cases to management’s attention.
This one is probably the most underrated – if you are a company which has been growing sharply for the last few years, you might experience problems like – who has to decide what, who is responsible for certain information assets, who has to authorize access to information systems, etc.
How to get your ISO Certificate
Our approach is collaborative and transparent, guaranteeing open communication and expert execution throughout the project, from the initial concept to the final delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ISO?
ISO refers to the international standards organization, which was founded on 23 February 1947, and is an organization that is specialized in its work in setting standards, and consists of representatives of many national organizations.
According to that definition, it is a non-governmental organization, but its standard setting gives it the power to impose laws that are signed, followed and stipulated by treaties. this results in giving it more support and strength than most other non-governmental organizations. as a result, that organization has an alliance with the vast majority of world governments and its permanent headquarters is in Switzerland, specifically in Geneva.
The word ISO expresses International Organization for Standardization, which means to provide global guidelines and standards that ensure high quality and continuous customer requirements, which are presented to institutions and companies in the form of certificates, and recognizes that this company applies the agreed and authorized standards
Importance of ISO
ISO 9001 has grown in importance for several reasons :
– As the moment of application of the decisions of the World Trade Organization approaches on 1 January 2005, when institutions all over the world become equal rights in the markets, there is no monopoly or advantage offered to one institution over another. The win comes from the ability of the institution to satisfy its customers. the first step to satisfy its customers is to obtain one of the ISO 9001 certificates. therefore, in the end, all customers will expect that enterprises of any kind or size that have not obtained the certificate will seek to obtain them.
– It is also important that it is considered the entrance to the countries of the European Union, the United States of America and Canada, because obtaining this certificate gives the institution that has obtained the right to enter these huge markets, it gives a competitive advantage to the institutions that have obtained it.
– Facilitating trade and standardizing patterns and foundations throughout the world.
– It is also the first step to apply TQM despite its inability to apply principles such as continuous improvement, but it helps to clarify the current state of performance as it documents the entire performance of the organization and create a quality guide, hence it can proceed towards the application of TQM which has the tools and methods to achieve this improvement.
The importance of the ISO 9001 system lies within four main pillars
Most of the benefits of obtaining an ISO certification can be summarized within four main pillars: :
1-product quality: this is done through periodic review, improvement and continuous development of production methods and methods and then documenting and working under them.
2-competition: obtaining ISO certification motivates the company to maintain a high level of quality, especially in the face of competing companies that have not qualified for such certification and produce similar varieties.
3 – Customer service: in many cases, especially in export markets the imported request that the issuer holds an ISO certification.
4. Productivity and profitability: this is done by increasing the effectiveness of the enterprise through product quality and competitiveness and thus leads to increased sales volume and profit.
ISO is a real need, not just for advertising purposes
The desire to obtain the ISO certificate must be a real desire to develop and apply the total quality standards and not only for promotional aspects, because if the organization’s goal to obtain the certificate to satisfy the customers and gain their trust in the service provided or the product may get the certificate for the immediate stage, but if this
Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between the desire to obtain a quality certificate as a logo and an advertising area and between the radical and real structural change towards excellence in comprehensive and integrated performance in the areas of performance built on sound and committed firm foundations. Following these foundations, a company or organization can progress and excel in a sequential and interrelated manner, making it eligible for higher degrees and certificates of efficiency and quality of multiple and diverse.
The decision of an institution or a company to become distinctive and enjoy the application of quality standards is a cumulative process and requires constant effort it is not a routine thing or a decision that can be applied in a short period of time (and if done, what comes quickly goes quickly), so it is necessary to take care of the proper construction of the
And there are things that the organization must take care of in order to ensure continuity in excellence and development in general :
Interest in research and development.
Attention to training and Human Development.
Achieve technical leadership.
Encourage teamwork and innovation.
Open communication lines and their continuity.
Provides conscious and open-minded leadership.
Interest in the consumer and make it (the first factor) that influences the decisions and actions of the enterprise.
What are the types of ISO certificates?
* ISO 9001 Quality Management System
* ISO 14001 Environmental Management Certificate
* ISO 45001 Occupational Safety and health management system
• ISO 22000 Food safety management
* ISO 20000 Information Technology Management System
• ISO 27001 Information Security
* HACCP hazard analysis and critical point identification system
* Quality certificate for ISO 17025 test coefficient numbers
* ISO13485 Medical Equipment Quality certificate
* ISO 50001 Energy Resource Management System
* ISO 10002 Customer Satisfaction Management
* CE Mark European market certificate of conformity
* Quality and safety of BRC packaging materials
