ISO 27001 Checklist

ISO 27001 compliance in 10 clear steps.

Background

Please try your ISO 27001 certification te behalen, maar bent u nog niet bekend met de stappen die hiervoor nodig zijn? Onze ISO 27001 checklist omvat alles van het toewijzen van rollen tot het implementeren van de benodigde maatregelen, het beoordelen van risico's en het documenteren van uw processen voor toekomstige audits.

Want to know more about ISO 27001? Contact a specialist without obligation.

About the ISO 27001 checklist

The ISO 27001 (International Standards Organization) standard is one of 12 information security standards that are becoming increasingly relevant in a world where companies must demonstrate their commitment to keeping intellectual property, sensitive data and customers' personal information secure.

Certification happens slowly, over the course of several ISO 27001 phases. The first step is to decide whether a company will benefit most from SOC 2 certification versus ISO 27001 certification, prepare for the cost of certification, and get an overview of the process in running your ISO 27001 compliance checklist.

However, implementing ISO 27001 certification with or without an ISO 27001 checklist can be an overwhelming process with many moving parts. And after downloading the standards, companies may still not know how to implement them and pass an audit.

So why is an ISO 27001 checklist important? It guides information security teams step-by-step to practical information about what they need to prepare for certification. An ISO 27001 audit checklist streamlines the certification process and ensures that teams don't overlook anything over the course of four months (for small teams) to more than a year (for large companies).

Finally, an ISO 27001 compliance checklist gives you an overview of the recommended steps so you can tailor your resources accordingly from the start, saving time and energy.

ISO 27001 Checklist: 10 steps to compliance

Het implementeren van ISO 27001 is een aanzienlijke investering in tijd, moeite en middelen: als u probeert te veel tegelijkertijd te doen, raakt u misschien overweldigd. Daarom is het verstandig om uw ISO 27001 implementatie in kleinere, beter haalbare werkpakketten op te splitsen, zodat u de norm doelmatig kunt implementeren zonder de weg kwijt te raken. Enshore's ISO 27001 checklist is ontwikkeld om het implementatieproces makkelijker voor u te maken.

1. Assign roles

Some organizations choose an internal implementation manager and have employees create security documentation and conduct internal audits. Others prefer an outside consultant or contractors. The first step on your ISO 27001 checklist is to make this important decision based on the expertise of your employees. You should also consider your ability to redirect your teams from their current work to long-term, in-depth security work.

2. Voer een ''Gap Analysis'' uit

A Gap Analysis involves looking at your existing ISMS and documentation and comparing them to ISO 27001 standards. Conducting a Gap Analysis can give you a better idea of what to look for to bridge the gaps between your current situation and a scenario in which you are ISO 27001 compliant.

Using this analysis, you will gain insight into the differences between your current security policies and the requirements of the ISO 27001 standard, and approximately how long it will take to become compliant. Without this personalized roadmap, organizations may be spending time and money on projects that do not directly contribute to ISO 27001 compliance.

3. Develop and document the components required for ISO 27001 compliance

Companies getting certified for the first time need to set up parts of their ISMS and identify the areas that need protection. Your ISMS consists of all internal ISO 27001 policies and procedures for Cybersecurity. It consists of people, processes and technology, so it needs to look at how, when and by whom information is accessed.

You need to find all the locations where data is stored, document how it is accessed and create policies to protect it at these contact points (hint: you can find ISO 27001 templates for much of the work you need to present during your audit). Consider both physical and digital data in this step.

4. Conduct an internal risk analysis

Nu u alles weet over uw gegevens, is het tijd om de bekende risico's voor die gegevens te documenteren. Een ISO 27001 asset management checklist, ISO 27001 netwerkbeveiligingschecklist, ISO 27001 firewall beveiligingsaudit checklist of een ISO 27001 risicobeoordelingschecklist kan u helpen deze risico's te identificeren en te documenteren.

Hoe groot is de kans dat ze zich voordoen? Hoe ernstig zou de impact zijn als ze zich voordoen? Hoe neemt u een beslissing? Het proces begint met het bepalen hoe u risico's identificeert en beoordeelt. Een risicomatrix kan u helpen bij het prioriteren van risico's met een hoge waarschijnlijkheid en een grote impact om ze op die manier te sorteren. Ontwikkel voor elk risico een responsplan en wijs teamleden aan die verantwoordelijk zijn voor de follow-up. Voor externe datacenters kan een ISO 27001 datacenter audit checklist helpen bij het documenteren van kwaliteitscontrole en beveiligingsprocedures.

Note: We often see the ISMS made too complicated. Simplicity is important to keep the measures manageable. Therefore, focus on the belangrijkste risico's uit de risicoanalyse.

iso 27001 checklist risicoanalyse

ISO 27001 risk analysis perform?

Are you in the process of achieving ISO 27001 compliance? We have developed a tool for your risk analysis that is free and non-binding to use. The information you enter can be downloaded as a PDF, but will not be saved.

Open the Risk analysis tool 

5. Establish a Statement of Applicability (AoA).

Het is tijd om in de ISO 27001-richtlijnen te duiken. In Bijlage A vindt u een lijst met 114 mogelijke maatregelen. Selecteer de maatregelen die betrekking hebben op de risico's die u hebt geïdentificeerd in uw risicobeoordeling. Schrijf vervolgens een verklaring over welke maatregelen u gaat toepassen. U hebt dit document nodig voor het auditproces.

For more information, check out our page on the Statement of Applicability of ISO 27001.

6. Implement your measures

Now that you've compared your policies and systems to the ISO 27001 measures and applied measures to your own ISMS, it's time to make the systems in your workplace reflect what you've documented.

You may need to update software, procedures or policies related to how people handle data. For example, if you have confirmed that your organization uses cryptography to protect the confidentiality of information, you should add that layer to your software stack.

7. Train the internal team on your ISMS and security measures

Training is een veel voorkomende valkuil in het implementatieproces, ondanks het feit dat gegevensbeveiliging relevant is aan diverse rollen binnen een organisatie en de dagelijkse activiteiten van veel werknemers. Regelmatige training is een manier om uw betrokkenheid bij Cybersecurity te laten zien en een cultuur van veiligheid bij uw team te creëren. Werknemers moeten training krijgen over het ISMS, beveiligingsrisico's, het "waarom" achter processen en de gevolgen van het niet naleven van de regels.

8. Conduct an internal audit

An internal audit prepares you for the official audit and tests your new systems. Are your measures working properly? This can be performed by an internal team that was not part of setting up and documenting your ISMS, or by an external auditor.

An internal audit identifies areas for improvement prior to the official ISO 27001 audit, and gives you the opportunity to implement them in a timely manner. To get started, you can use an ISO 27001 self-assessment checklist or an ISO 27001 internal audit checklist.

Note: Consider streamlining ISO 27001 certification with automation. If deficiencies need to be addressed, this can be a great opportunity to optimize business processes as a whole.

9. Have an ISO 27001 audit performed by an accredited auditor

You need an accredited ISO 27001 auditor from a recognized accreditation body to conduct a two-step audit: first, they review your documentation and measures. Make sure you master this part of the audit in advance by reviewing an ISO 27001 Phase 1 audit checklist.

Then the auditor will conduct an on-site audit. They will test your measures to make sure they are working properly. You guessed it: you can also get ahead of this step with an ISO 27001 Phase 2 audit checklist. You will get a list of major and minor deficiencies for each step, and once the major deficiencies are fixed, you will get the ISO 27001 certificate.

10. Plan for maintaining your ISO 27001 certification.

ISO 27001 certification is valid for three years, but you must conduct risk assessments and surveillance audits each year and prepare new documentation for the renewal audit in the third year. In addition to updating your policies and systems and managing your ISMS, you must schedule annual training for your employees.

In general, the steps you need to comply with ISO 27001 guidelines can be broken down into several smaller checklists. Depending on your organization's needs, you can use tools such as an ISO 27001 Annex A checklist, ISO 27001 evidence checklist, ISO 27001 gap analysis checklist or ISO 27001 surveillance audit checklist.

For more information, check out our page on ISO 27001 certification.

3 tips for ISO 27001 implementation

ISO 27001 is a detailed standard and it is impossible to be familiar with the best practices in your industry beforehand. However, a few simple tips can get you started with your ISO 27001 checklist.

1. Study the ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 standards.

The ISO 27002 standards have additional information on each measure in Appendix A that you can use to write an IoT for experts (step 5 on your ISO 27001 checklist).

2. Prepare in advance

Preparation for the official audit is a big part of the certification process. Even with all that preparation work, audits can cause your team to rush at the last minute to find more information to support their processes.

Get early input on your documentation. Record and track meetings and implement a project management system that identifies who performs what tasks and when tasks are completed. Your project management team can take control of your ISO 27001 checklist and make sure everything is in place for a complete ISO 27001 implementation roadmap.

3. Consult reliable experts

By the end of the process, many employees feel they have become experts in the process. But at the beginning and along the way, it can be challenging to extrapolate the needs of your industry and organization regarding certification. Guessing means spending time and energy on tasks that don't lead to certification. So whether using a consultant, hiring talent to lead certification or engaging your certification body, choose clarity over assumptions.

How can Enshore Security help you with ISO 27001 certification?

First, prepare properly for an audit by completing the steps in this ISO 27001 checklist. Then you can ask Enshore Security to help you design and implement better security and systems audits needed to become and remain ISO 27001 compliant.

We manage and control access to your databases, servers, clusters and web applications to cover, manage and document all the touch points you have identified in your risk assessment. We can help you determine what measures are needed and help you implement them as effectively as possible.


ISO 27001 Checklist FAQ

How do I implement an ISMS?

To successfully implement an ISMS, organizations must implement the PDCA model follow. This includes the following steps:

Plan: Stel het toepassingsgebied en de doelstellingen van het ISMS vast. Identificeer de risico's en kwetsbaarheden van de informatiemiddelen van de organisatie. Ontwikkelen van een risicomanagementplan en definiëren van beleid, procedures en maatregelen om de geïdentificeerde risico's te beperken.

Do: Implement the plan. Train employees on ISMS policies and procedures. Implement the security measures and establish a framework for monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of the ISMS.

Check: Monitor the ISMS to ensure that it meets established objectives. Evaluate the performance of the ISMS against established benchmarks. Conduct regular internal audits to identify potential areas for improvement.

Act: Take corrective action to address identified vulnerabilities in the ISMS. Implement improvements to the system based on audit findings. Repeat the PDCA cycle to continuously improve the effectiveness of the ISMS.


What are the components of ISO 27001?

ISO 27001:2022 bevat 93 maatregelen op het gebied van informatiebeveiliging die zijn onderverdeeld in 4 'thema's' in plaats van de voorheen bekende 14 onderwerpen. De 4 thema's zijn:

1. Organizational measures - Definieert organisatorische regels plus verwacht gedrag van gebruikers, apparatuur, software en systemen. Bijvoorbeeld toegangscontrolebeleid, BYOD-beleid.

2. Human measures - Gebruikt om werknemers te trainen en op te leiden over veilige manieren om met gegevens om te gaan binnen de organisatie. Bijvoorbeeld ISO 27001-bewustzijnstraining, ISO 27001-training voor interne controleurs.

3. Physical measures - Maakt gebruik van hulpmiddelen die fysiek in wisselwerking staan met mensen. Bijvoorbeeld CCTV-camera's, alarmsystemen, sloten.

4. Technological measures - Voegt software-, hardware- en firmwarecomponenten toe aan het huidige ISMS. Bijv. back-up, antivirussoftware


What is the difference between ISO 27001 and ISO 27002?

ISO 27001 specifies the requirements for an information security management system. This includes the requirement to consider 114 industry-standard security measures, which are specified in Annex A of ISO 27001.

ISO 27002 provides implementation guidelines for each of the measures in ISO 27001 Annex A. These guidelines are a useful complement to the requirements in Annex A and provide organizations with best practice guidelines for security.

Dit betekent dat er een belangrijk verschil is in terminologie. In Bijlage A zijn de maatregelen geformuleerd als 'De organisatie zal…', terwijl in ISO 27002 dezelfde maatregelen zijn geformuleerd als 'De organisatie zou…'. Will refers to a mandatory requirement, while would includes a guideline.

Organizations can be certified for ISO 27001, but not for ISO 27002.


Does ISO 27001 cover the requirements of the AVG?

The AVG (Algemene Verordening Gegevensbescherming) verwijst naar persoonlijke gegevens, een soort informatie. ISO 27001 is een norm voor informatiebeveiliging. Een organisatie die ISO 27001-gecertificeerd is, heeft de beveiligingsrisico's voor de persoonlijke gegevens die ze verwerkt in de context van AVG overwogen. In dat opzicht is ISO 27001 een maatstaf voor naleving van AVG Artikel 5.1 (d), (e) en (f), en Artikel 32 (Beveiliging van de verwerking).

For full coverage of AVG, as it relates to an organization's processing activities and as a measure to demonstrate compliance, ISO 27701 should be implemented in addition to ISO 27001. This complements ISO 27001 and implements a Privacy Information Management System.

Dit is een citaat uit een persbericht in april 2020 van het Franse equivalent van de Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, de CNIL: "De norm is opgesteld op internationaal niveau met bijdragen van deskundigen uit alle continenten en de deelname van verschillende autoriteiten in gegevensbescherming. Deskundigen van de CNIL hebben actief bijgedragen aan deze norm, met de steun van het Europees Comité voor gegevensbescherming. De norm vertegenwoordigt de laatste stand van zaken op het gebied van privacybescherming en zal organisaties die de norm implementeren in staat stellen een actieve benadering van gegevensbescherming te demonstreren.