ISO 27001
The international standard for information security management systems (ISMS). ISO 27001 provides a systematic approach to managing sensitive company information, ensuring it remains secure through a framework of policies, processes, and technical controls.
ISO/IEC 27001 is the world's most recognized standard for information security management. Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), it provides requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an information security management system (ISMS). The latest version, ISO 27001:2022, includes 93 controls organized across four themes: organizational, people, physical, and technological.
Certification to ISO 27001 demonstrates to customers, partners, and regulators that an organization takes information security seriously. The certification process involves a two-stage external audit by an accredited certification body. Stage 1 reviews documentation and readiness, while Stage 2 assesses the actual implementation and effectiveness of the ISMS.
In the European financial sector, ISO 27001 is often a prerequisite for doing business and complements regulations like DORA and GDPR. Many organizations use ISO 27001 as their baseline security framework and map additional regulatory requirements (DORA, NIS2) onto their existing ISMS controls.
Related Terms
ISMS (Information Security Management System)
A systematic approach to managing sensitive company information to keep it secure, consisting of policies, procedures, and technical controls. An ISMS is the core requirement of ISO 27001 and provides the organizational framework for information security governance.
Risk Assessment
A systematic process of identifying potential threats, evaluating vulnerabilities, and determining the likelihood and impact of risks to an organization's information assets and operations. Risk assessments are foundational to ISO 27001, DORA, and virtually every compliance framework.
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls)
A compliance framework developed by the AICPA that defines criteria for managing customer data based on five Trust Services Criteria: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. SOC 2 reports are essential for SaaS companies and service providers.
Access Control
The selective restriction of access to resources, systems, and data based on user identity and authorization. Access control is a fundamental security control required by ISO 27001, SOC 2, DORA, and GDPR to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive information.
Encryption
The process of converting data into a coded form that can only be read by authorized parties with the correct decryption key. Encryption protects data both at rest and in transit, and is a fundamental requirement across all major compliance frameworks.
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