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ISO 27000 Series

International standards for information security management systems and best practices

What is ISO 27000 Series?

The ISO 27000 series is a collection of international standards that provide a framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving information security management systems (ISMS).

Key Benefits:
  • Risk Management: Systematic approach to identifying and managing information security risks
  • Business Continuity: Improved resilience and operational continuity
  • Compliance: Meet legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements
  • Customer Trust: Demonstrate commitment to information security
  • Competitive Advantage: Certification can differentiate your organization
Applicable To:
  • Organizations of all sizes and sectors
  • Government agencies and public sector
  • Financial services and healthcare
  • Technology and service providers
  • Manufacturing and critical infrastructure
  • Non-profit and educational institutions

Key Standards in ISO 27000 Series

StandardTitlePurpose
ISO 27000Information Security Management Systems - Overview and VocabularyProvides overview of ISMS and defines key terms and concepts
ISO 27001Requirements for Information Security Management SystemsSpecifies requirements for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an ISMS (certifiable)
ISO 27002Code of Practice for Information Security ControlsProvides guidance on implementing information security controls (reference)
ISO 27003Information Security Management System Implementation GuidanceGuidance for implementing an ISMS based on ISO 27001
ISO 27004Information Security Management - Monitoring and MeasurementGuidelines for measuring and monitoring ISMS effectiveness
ISO 27005Information Security Risk ManagementGuidelines for information security risk management processes
ISO 27007Guidelines for Information Security Management Systems AuditingGuidance for conducting ISMS audits
ISO 27017Code of Practice for Information Security Controls for Cloud ServicesCloud-specific guidance based on ISO 27002
ISO 27018Code of Practice for Protection of Personally Identifiable InformationGuidelines for protecting PII in public cloud environments

ISO 27001 ISMS Framework (Plan-Do-Check-Act)

PLAN
  • Establish ISMS scope and boundaries
  • Define information security policy
  • Conduct risk assessment
  • Risk treatment plan
  • Select appropriate controls
  • Statement of Applicability (SoA)
DO
  • Implement risk treatment plan
  • Deploy selected controls
  • Train personnel
  • Manage operations
  • Manage resources
  • Document procedures
CHECK
  • Monitor and measure processes
  • Internal ISMS audits
  • Management review
  • Review effectiveness of controls
  • Identify nonconformities
  • Evaluate compliance
ACT
  • Take corrective actions
  • Take preventive actions
  • Apply lessons learned
  • Update risk assessment
  • Communicate improvements
  • Continual improvement
PDCA Cycle

The PDCA cycle ensures continuous improvement of the ISMS through systematic planning, implementation, monitoring, and improvement.

Note: This cycle repeats continuously to maintain and improve information security posture.

ISO 27002 Control Categories (2022 Edition)

Control CategoryControlsKey Areas
Organizational Controls37 controlsInformation security policies, roles and responsibilities, supplier relationships, incident management
People Controls8 controlsScreening, terms and conditions of employment, awareness training, disciplinary processes
Physical Controls14 controlsSecure areas, equipment protection, clear desk policy, secure disposal
Technological Controls34 controlsAccess control, cryptography, system security, network security, application security
Total: 93 controls organized into 4 themes. The 2022 revision consolidated from 14 to 4 categories and reduced from 114 to 93 controls while adding 11 new controls for emerging technologies.

ISO 27005 Risk Management

Risk Management Process:
  1. Context Establishment:
    • Define scope and boundaries
    • Identify stakeholders
    • Establish risk criteria
  2. Risk Assessment:
    • Risk identification
    • Risk analysis
    • Risk evaluation
  3. Risk Treatment:
    • Select treatment options
    • Implement controls
    • Accept residual risk
  4. Risk Communication:
    • Stakeholder engagement
    • Risk reporting
    • Decision support

Risk Treatment Options

Four Risk Treatment Strategies:
Risk Modification (Mitigation)

Implement controls to reduce risk likelihood or impact

Risk Avoidance

Eliminate the risk source or cancel the risky activity

Risk Sharing

Transfer risk through insurance, outsourcing, or partnerships

Risk Retention

Accept the risk when cost of treatment exceeds potential impact

Remember: Residual risk after treatment must be formally accepted by management.

ISO 27001 Certification Process

Certification Timeline (Typical 12-18 months):

Phase 1: Gap Analysis & Planning (2-3 months)
  • Current state assessment
  • Scope definition
  • Project planning and resource allocation
Phase 2: ISMS Implementation (6-9 months)
  • Policy and procedure development
  • Risk assessment and treatment
  • Control implementation
  • Staff training and awareness
Phase 3: Internal Audit & Management Review (1-2 months)
  • Internal ISMS audit
  • Corrective action implementation
  • Management review meeting
Phase 4: Certification Audit (1-2 months)
  • Stage 1: Document review
  • Stage 2: Implementation audit
  • Corrective action (if needed)
  • Certificate issuance
Ongoing Requirements
Annual Surveillance Audits
  • Year 1 & 2 surveillance audits
  • Continued compliance verification
  • ISMS effectiveness review
Three-Year Recertification
  • Full certification audit
  • Comprehensive ISMS review
  • Certificate renewal
Note: Certification can be suspended or withdrawn for non-compliance.

Implementation Examples

Access Control Implementation (ISO 27002 Control 5.15)

Role-Based Access Control:
# ISO 27001 compliant access control
class ISO27001AccessControl:
    def __init__(self):
        self.roles = {
            'admin': ['read', 'write', 'delete', 'admin'],
            'user': ['read', 'write'],
            'auditor': ['read', 'audit'],
            'guest': ['read']
        }
        self.access_log = []
    
    def grant_access(self, user_id, resource, action):
        user_role = self.get_user_role(user_id)
        
        # Principle of least privilege
        if action not in self.roles.get(user_role, []):
            self.log_access_attempt(user_id, resource, action, 'DENIED')
            raise PermissionError(f"Access denied for {action}")
        
        # Log successful access (monitoring requirement)
        self.log_access_attempt(user_id, resource, action, 'GRANTED')
        return True
    
    def review_access_rights(self):
        """Regular access review as per ISO 27002"""
        expired_users = self.get_expired_user_accounts()
        inactive_users = self.get_inactive_users(days=90)
        
        return {
            'expired_accounts': expired_users,
            'inactive_accounts': inactive_users,
            'review_date': datetime.utcnow(),
            'recommendations': self.generate_access_recommendations()
        }
Incident Management Process:
# ISO 27035 incident management
class IncidentManagement:
    def __init__(self):
        self.severity_levels = {
            'critical': {'response_time': 1, 'escalation': 'immediate'},
            'high': {'response_time': 4, 'escalation': '2_hours'},
            'medium': {'response_time': 24, 'escalation': '8_hours'},
            'low': {'response_time': 72, 'escalation': '24_hours'}
        }
    
    def report_incident(self, description, reporter, affected_systems):
        incident = {
            'id': self.generate_incident_id(),
            'timestamp': datetime.utcnow(),
            'description': description,
            'reporter': reporter,
            'affected_systems': affected_systems,
            'severity': self.assess_severity(affected_systems),
            'status': 'reported'
        }
        
        # Immediate response for critical incidents
        if incident['severity'] == 'critical':
            self.activate_incident_response_team()
            self.notify_management()
        
        self.log_incident(incident)
        return incident['id']
    
    def conduct_lessons_learned(self, incident_id):
        """Post-incident review for continual improvement"""
        incident = self.get_incident(incident_id)
        return {
            'what_happened': incident['timeline'],
            'what_went_well': self.identify_successes(incident),
            'what_can_improve': self.identify_improvements(incident),
            'action_items': self.generate_improvement_actions(incident)
        }

Risk Assessment Framework

# ISO 27005 risk assessment implementation
class RiskAssessment:
    def __init__(self):
        self.likelihood_scale = {
            'very_low': 1, 'low': 2, 'medium': 3, 'high': 4, 'very_high': 5
        }
        self.impact_scale = {
            'negligible': 1, 'minor': 2, 'moderate': 3, 'major': 4, 'catastrophic': 5
        }
        self.risk_appetite = {
            'low': (1, 6),      # Risk scores 1-6: Acceptable
            'medium': (7, 15),  # Risk scores 7-15: Monitor and mitigate
            'high': (16, 25)    # Risk scores 16-25: Immediate action required
        }
    
    def assess_risk(self, asset, threat, vulnerability):
        # Calculate inherent risk
        likelihood = self.assess_likelihood(threat, vulnerability)
        impact = self.assess_impact(asset, threat)
        inherent_risk = likelihood * impact
        
        # Consider existing controls
        control_effectiveness = self.evaluate_controls(asset, threat)
        residual_risk = inherent_risk * (1 - control_effectiveness)
        
        risk_assessment = {
            'asset': asset,
            'threat': threat,
            'vulnerability': vulnerability,
            'inherent_risk': inherent_risk,
            'residual_risk': residual_risk,
            'risk_level': self.categorize_risk(residual_risk),
            'treatment_required': residual_risk > self.risk_appetite['low'][1]
        }
        
        return risk_assessment
    
    def generate_treatment_plan(self, high_risks):
        """Generate risk treatment plan for high-risk items"""
        treatment_plan = []
        for risk in high_risks:
            if risk['residual_risk'] >= self.risk_appetite['high'][0]:
                treatment_plan.append({
                    'risk_id': risk['id'],
                    'priority': 'immediate',
                    'recommended_controls': self.suggest_controls(risk),
                    'target_risk_level': 'medium',
                    'implementation_timeline': '30_days'
                })
        return treatment_plan

Key Takeaways

Remember:
  • ✅ ISO 27001 is the certifiable standard for ISMS requirements
  • ✅ Risk assessment and treatment are central to the framework
  • ✅ PDCA cycle ensures continuous improvement
  • ✅ Controls must be selected based on risk assessment
  • ✅ Management commitment and leadership are essential
Best Practices:
  • 📋 Document all ISMS processes and procedures
  • 🔄 Conduct regular internal audits and management reviews
  • 🛡️ Implement defense-in-depth security strategy
  • 📚 Provide ongoing security awareness training
  • 📊 Monitor and measure ISMS performance regularly