Security frameworks can make IT security feel daunting. In this guide, we explore 14 options and help you choose the right ones for your organization.

Essential Guide to Security Frameworks & 14 Examples | Secureframe

While most CEO and compliance experts understand the value of cybersecurity measures, security frameworks can make safeguarding your organization feel daunting. You know you need to put something formal in place but might not know which frameworks you should consider (or legally need to adhere to).

This guide explores 14 common security frameworks and provides actionable insight so you can confidently choose the right one(s) for your organization.

A security framework defines policies and procedures for establishing and maintaining security controls. Frameworks clarify processes used to protect an organization from cybersecurity risks. They help IT security professionals keep their organization compliant and insulated from cyber threats.

It’s important to note that once you’ve implemented a security framework, you shouldn’t check “compliance” off your to-do list.

One of the biggest security-related mistakes that companies make is reviewing compliance once then forgetting about it. 

As our CEO Shrav Mehta explains, “Compliance requirements, controls, and policies are all things that need to be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis in order to stay truly secure.”

Now that we’ve established why security frameworks are important, let’s take a look at some of the most common frameworks to help you decide which are right for your organization.

Systems and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 is a set of compliance criteria developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Who it’s for: Companies and their third-party partners

Focus: Customer data management and third-party risk management

SOC 2 evaluates a company’s security posture as it relates to five Trust Services Criteria. Following an audit, the auditor gives the company a SOC 2 report with insight into its cybersecurity quality as it relates to the TSC: security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, and privacy.

Despite the value it provides an organization, implementing SOC 2 can be challenging and time-consuming. Secureframe streamlines that process, helping companies become SOC 2 compliant in record time.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) established the ISO 27000 series to introduce guidelines for implementing information security policies. As the international standard for security program validity, ISO certification tells partners that you are reliable and trustworthy.

Specifically, ISO 27001 lists requirements for building and maintaining an information security management system (ISMS). An ISMS is a tool used to keep information security risk at a minimum by helping you manage people, processes, and technology.

Who it’s for: Companies that handle sensitive data

Focus: Building and maintaining an information security management system (ISMS)

If attaining ISO 27001 compliance will improve the trustworthiness of your brand, consider streamlining your certification process with Secureframe.

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (also known as the NIST Risk Management Framework) in response to a 2013 initiative from former President Obama. The initiative called for the government and the private sector to collaborate in the fight against cyber risk.

Focus: Comprehensive and personalized security weakness identification

The framework is separated into three components: the Core, the Implementation Tiers, and Profiles.

The Core: Defines cybersecurity goals and organizes them into five phases: identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover. For example, addressing supply chain risk management is a part of the “identify” phase.

The Implementation Tiers: Determine how effectively an organization’s cybersecurity efforts target the framework’s goals. They range from partial (Tier 1) to adaptive (Tier 4). An organization aiming for Tier 4 would want to make sure their cybersecurity efforts are top-notch according to the framework’s standards.

Profiles: Help organizations compare their existing objectives to the framework’s core and identify opportunities for improvement. They guide how NIST can best serve the organization’s specific needs.

Compliance with the framework is voluntary. That said, NIST is widely respected for locating security weaknesses. It can help organizations adhere to regulations, and even offer personalized security suggestions.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a 1996 federal statute that created standards for protecting patient health information. All healthcare organizations must follow cybersecurity practices and run risk assessments to comply with HIPAA.

Focus: Protection of patient health information

The healthcare sector is the seventh most frequent target of cyberattacks, so organizations within the sector need to be vigilant.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) was created in 2006 to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information operate securely. The framework is primarily intended to keep cardholder information safe. All companies handling this information must comply with PCI DSS, regardless of size. 

Who it’s for: Any company handling credit card information

Unlike government-mandated frameworks, payment brands (MasterCard, Visa, etc.) enforce PCI DSS compliance.

The European Union passed the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to protect the data of EU citizens. It applies to all businesses that collect and process EU citizens’ data, whether those businesses are based in the EU or internationally. The framework lists regulations related to consumer data access rights, data protection rights, consent, and more. It is enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Who it’s for: All businesses that collect EU citizens’ data

Focus: Privacy and data protection for citizens of the EU

The regulation is extensive — 88 pages, to be exact — and ICO is notorious for heavily fining companies that fail to comply. For example, in 2018 (the same year that GDPR was established), the ICO fined Google €50 million.

Despite HIPAA being a helpful framework to mitigate cyber threats, breaches in healthcare are still far too common. 42% of healthcare organizations lack an incident response plan, and HIPAA compliance is not always sufficient.

Who it’s for: Anyone (especially the healthcare sector)

Focus: Enhance security for healthcare organizations and technology vendors

HITRUST CSF enhances security for healthcare organizations and technology vendors by combining elements of other security frameworks. Specifically, the framework utilizes risk analysis and risk management to ensure organizational security.

While HITRUST CSF was developed to supplement HIPAA, it has been globally adopted by organizations in nearly every industry.

In the mid-’90s, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) developed Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT). The framework reduces organizational technical risk by helping companies develop and implement information management strategies.

COBIT has been updated several times since the ’90s to keep up with security threats. The most updated versions focus on aligning IT with business goals, security, risk management, and information governance. COBIT is often used to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) rules, which were enacted in the early 2000s to protect investors.

Who it’s for: Publicly traded companies

Focus: Align IT with business goals, security, risk management, and information governance

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation - Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC-CIP) was created in 2008 in response to attacks on U.S. infrastructure. It applies to businesses operating in the utility and power sector. The framework’s goal is to minimize risk in this sector and keep North America’s bulk electric systems operational.

Who it’s for: The utility and power sector

Focus: Protect North America’s bulk electric systems

The framework lays out specific requirements for organizations in this sector. These include taking inventory of all protected assets, outlining existing security measures, properly training employees, developing an incident response plan, and more.

The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) insulates the U.S. government’s assets from cyber threats. It applies to the federal government and third parties operating on its behalf. The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for overseeing its implementation.

Who it’s for: The federal government and third parties operating on its behalf

Much like NIST, FISMA mandates documentation of digital assets and network integrations. Organizations must also monitor their IT infrastructure and regularly evaluate risks.

NIST published NIST Special Publication 800-53 in 1990, but the framework has developed over time. It now advises agencies and other organizations on nearly every area of information security. It lists security and privacy controls for all U.S. federal information systems (excluding national security).

Government agencies follow NIST SP 800-53 to follow the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 200 requirements. However, companies in nearly every industry can implement it. In fact, many existing security frameworks were built using NIST SP 800-53 as a starting point.

Who it’s for: Anyone (especially government agencies)

Focus: Compliance with FIPS’s 200 requirements and general security advice

NIST SP 800-171 is a companion document to NIST SP 800-53 intended to protect federal information systems. It explains how contractors and subcontractors of federal agencies (often within the manufacturing sector) must manage controlled unclassified information (CUI). Contractors must comply with NIST 800-171 to pursue new business opportunities.

Who it’s for: Contractors and subcontractors of federal agencies

Focus: Defense of federal information systems

While many frameworks require third-party certification, contractors can self-certify with NIST SP 800-171 by following NIST’s documentation.

If you live in the state of California and have ever seen a link saying “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” on a website, you’ve encountered the IAB CCPA Compliance Framework (the Interactive Advertising Bureau California Consumer Privacy Act). This framework provides California consumers with more control over their personal data. It requires compliance from businesses that collect user information and the ad tech companies that purchase it.

Who it’s for: Businesses and ad tech companies that manage California residents’ personal data

Focus: Protecting California consumers’ data

When users decide that they don’t want their data sold, businesses must communicate this to ad tech companies and the user’s data cannot be sold.

Most cybersecurity frameworks focus on risk identification and management. In contrast, CIS Controls are simply a list of actions that any organization can take to protect itself from cyber threats. Some examples of controls include data protection measures, audit log management, malware defenses, penetration testing, and more.

Focus: General protection against cyber threats

Essentially, other frameworks are great for locating where the security “pipe” is leaking. CIS Controls provide guidance on how to seal the leak.

Which IT security framework is right for me?

Now that we’ve explored some of the most common security frameworks, you’re probably wondering which apply to your business. 

Your decision depends on a variety of factors, such as your industry’s standards, any compliance requirements enforced by the government or your sector, and your susceptibility to cyber threats.

To help you get started, ask yourself the following questions:

Are you or your clients in the retail or healthcare industry? You'll likely need to be compliant with PCI DSS or HIPAA.

Do you collect, process, or store user data for EU citizens or California residents? GDPR or CCPA may be legally required.

Do you process or store customer data in the cloud? SOC 2 and ISO compliance can strengthen your security posture and build trust with customers.

Are you a publicly traded company? COBIT will help you become SOX-compliant.

Are you a U.S. federal agency or a contractor employed by one? You’re probably required to comply with NIST SP 800-53 or NIST SP 800-171.

Thankfully, many frameworks share a similar foundation. If you later learn that your organization should comply with another framework, there may be an easy path from your current framework.

While security frameworks can help clarify what organizations should do to safeguard their data, compliance can still be complex. 

Essential Guide to Security Frameworks & 14 Examples

Secureframe Raises $18m from Kleiner Perkins to Automate Security Compliance. Read on TechCrunch →

https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/18/secureframe-series-a-cybersecurity-compliance/

We’ve compiled 70 compliance statistics to highlight the importance of compliance and help shape your compliance program for the future.

70 Compliance Statistics To Know in 2022 | Secureframe

If there’s one constant within the compliance industry, it’s this: 

The state of risk and compliance is ever-changing. 

As cybersecurity concerns continue to grow, the cost associated with not having a well-thought-out risk and compliance program is sky-high. 

We’ve compiled 70 compliance statistics for 2022 that cover the cost of non-compliance, compliance management, internal audit numbers, vendor risk management data, and industry trends. 

We hope these statistics will help educate teams about the importance of compliance, build a solid compliance program, and get executive buy-in to address the changing nature of compliance risks. 

As the compliance industry evolves, new technologies and tools are being introduced to streamline and improve processes. When companies take a proactive approach to creating and solidifying their compliance strategy, they find it saves them money and improves their overall security posture. 

Find out how the industry has changed in recent years. 

1. 86% of companies surveyed agreed that innovative digital technologies have helped identify financial crime. (Refinitiv's Global Risk and Compliance Report 2021)

2. The leading risk among organizations for 2021 was business interruption (41%), including supply chain disruptions. This was followed closely by cyber incidents such as cybercrime, data breaches, and fines and penalties at 40%. (Statista)

3. 70% of risk and compliance experts said the pandemic has increased their reliance on technology to improve decision making, performance monitoring, and risk management. (Thomson Reuter’s Fintech, Regtech and the Role of Compliance Report 2021) 

4. Firms have identified the top five risk and compliance functions that can benefit from technology as the following: 

Compliance policy/activity tracking (41%)

Regulatory reporting (24%). (ACA Key Trends and Forces Shaping Risk and Compliance Management in 2021) 

5. Cybersecurity practices among vendors are becoming an expectation, as 44% of firms say they are being asked for proof of cybersecurity as part of a request for proposal (RFP). (ACA Key Trends and Forces Shaping Risk and Compliance Management in 2021) 

6. Risk and compliance programs are maturing. Navex Global found that the number of "mature and advanced" risk and compliance programs grew by 29%, while the number of "reactive and basic" ones declined by 35%. (Navex Global's 2021 Definitive Risk & Compliance Benchmark Report) 

7. 34% of organizations outsource some or all of their compliance functionality. (Thomson Reuter's Cost of Compliance Report 2021)

8. If it were a country, U.S. regulation would be the world’s eighth-largest economy. (CEI Ten Thousand Commandments 2021) 

9. When security professionals are asked how to improve their company’s security posture, the top answer is upgrading tools (67%). This is an effort which they also report is being thwarted by integration difficulties, lack of expertise, and the sheer number of tools to manage. (Netenrich's Global 2021 Survey of IT and Security Professionals)

10. 80% of respondents say they had a business continuity plan in place and that it helped them navigate the pandemic’s impact. (Navex Global's 2021 Definitive Risk & Compliance Benchmark Report) 

Turning your compliance program into a well-oiled machine can be a daunting task. But the cost of not having such a program in place far outweighs any hesitations you may have. If you need a reminder of just how high the costs associated with poor compliance management practices can be, look no further than the data points below. 

11. Organizations lose an average of $4 million in revenue due to a single non-compliance event. (GlobalScape's The True Cost of Compliance with Data Protection Regulations) 

12. There has been a 45% increase in the cost of non-compliance since 2011. (Diligent Insights' How Compliance Officers See the World in 2020)

13. 50% of organizations said they spend 6-10% of their revenue on compliance costs. (Bloomberg) 

14. 31% of respondents predict their compliance teams will grow in the next 12 months, down from 43% in 2018. (Thomson Reuter's Cost of Compliance Report 2021)

15. The projected total cost of financial crime compliance across financial institutions worldwide is $213.9 billion. (LexisNexis Global True Cost of Compliance 2020 Report)

16. U.S. businesses spend an average of $10,000 per employee on regulatory costs. (CEI Ten Thousand Commandments 2021) 

17. In the U.S., PCI compliance fines aren’t published, but they can range from $5,000 to $100,000 per month until the issue is dealt with. (Diligent Insights' How Compliance Officers See the World in 2020) 

18. Regulatory monitoring can save businesses $1.03 million on average. (GlobalScape's The True Cost of Compliance with Data Protection Regulations) 

19. Globally, fraud causes total losses upwards of $3.6 billion. (Association of Fraud Examiners’ 2020 Global Study on Occupational Fraud and Abuse)

20. Regulators fined banks $10 billion in a 15-month period through 2019, with most of those fines caused by cyber attacks (60%).  (Fenergo) 

21. Organizations spend $5.47 million on compliance compared to an average of $14.82 million for non-compliance. (GlobalScape The Total Cost of Compliance with Data Protection Regulations)  

22. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) offers some of the strictest penalties among data protection regulations and standards. Under the GDPR, EU authorities can fine organizations up to €20 million, or 4% of worldwide turnover for the preceding financial year, whichever is higher. (Tessian Biggest GDPR Fines of 2019, 2020, and 2021 (So Far))

Many organizations have begun to automate aspects of their compliance strategy. Find out what practices are becoming the norm within the risk and compliance industry below. 

23. 44% of organizations say their top compliance management challenges are handling compliance assessments, undergoing control testing, and implementing policy and process updates. (MetricStream State of Compliance Survey Report 2021) 

24. 76% of compliance managers say they manually scan regulatory websites to track changes and assess the impact on their organization. (MetricStream State of Compliance Survey Report 2021)

25. 40% of organizations say they use office productivity software, such as documents and spreadsheets, for compliance management. (MetricStream State of Compliance Survey Report 2021)

26. The top three skills for compliance officers are: subject matter expertise, communication skills, and anticipating future regulatory trends. (Thomson Reuter's Cost of Compliance Report 2021) 

27. Stagnant budgets and a shifting workforce have left many compliance teams feeling stretched, with 87% of organizations reporting they have no additional capacity due to being understaffed or only adequately staffed. (Deloitte State of Compliance 2020 Report)

28. ISO is the largest international standards organization in the world, with 24,130 international standards covering nearly every aspect of technology and manufacturing. In the year 2020 alone, ISO published 1,627 new standards. (ISO) 

29. 55% of organizations say their compliance culture is based around a “Can we?” rather than “Should we?” attitude, indicating a focus on building a more proactive and positive compliance culture. (Deloitte State of Compliance 2020 Report)

30. 43% of those under extreme pressure to increase revenue due to the pandemic said they would like to deploy (AI) and ML to combat financial crime in the future. (Refinitiv's Global Risk and Compliance Report 2021)

​​31. 68% of companies prioritize threats according to the potential cost to the business. The impact they fear most is loss of data and negatively affecting customer relationships. (Netenrich's Global 2021 Survey of IT and Security Professionals)

32. In the wake of the pandemic, compliance training has shifted to e-learning, with 62% of organizations reporting using that method rather than blended learning (30%) and instruction-led (9%). (Deloitte State of Compliance 2020 Report)

The Importance of Vendor and Third-Party Risk Management 

As many organizations opt to outsource various tasks to third-party vendors, the risks associated with sharing sensitive information jump sharply. Look at how other organizations are handling their vendor risk management practices with the statistics below. 

33. 44% of organizations have experienced a breach within the last 12 months, with 74% saying it was the result of giving too much privileged access to third parties. (Ponemon Institute’s A Crisis in Third-Party Remote Access Security report) 

34. 47% of firms predict they will spend more on third-party risk management resources in 2021. (ACA Key Trends and Forces Shaping Risk and Compliance Management in 2021) 

35. 58% of organizations say that the top challenge they face when it comes to third-party risk management is vendor responsiveness in the due diligence phase. (ACA Key Trends and Forces Shaping Risk and Compliance Management in 2021)

36. 48% of organizations find it challenging to track third-party compliance. (MetricStream State of Compliance Survey Report 2021)

37. Organizations spend more than 15,000 hours completing risk assessments each year. (Ponemon Institute and CyberGRX’s The Cost of Third-Party Cybersecurity Risk Management 2019) 

38. The average annual spend on vetting third parties is $2.1 million. (Ponemon Institute and CyberGRX’s The Cost of Third-Party Cybersecurity Risk Management 2019)

39. 63% of organizations say that reliance on a vendor’s reputation is the most common reason they are not thoroughly evaluating their privacy and security practices. (Ponemon Institute’s A Crisis in Third-Party Remote Access Security Report) 

40. 61% of respondents say their third-party management program does not define or rank risk levels. (Ponemon Institute’s A Crisis in Third-Party Remote Access Security report) 

41. 73% of organizations find managing third-party permissions and remote access to be a drain on internal resources and an overwhelming undertaking for their team. (Ponemon Institute’s A Crisis in Third-Party Remote Access Security report) 

42. Many organizations are not thoroughly vetting a vendor’s security and privacy practices. Only 49% say their organizations are doing this due diligence with all third parties before allowing them access to sensitive and confidential information. (Ponemon Institute’s A Crisis in Third-Party Remote Access Security report) 

Data breaches continue to be a costly risk for businesses, highlighting the need for preventative measures to monitor and flag any potential weaknesses in a company’s data protection. We’ve compiled a list of stats that underscore the costs associated with data breaches and common causes. 

43. 65% of organizations say they predict spending more on cybersecurity and privacy resources in 2021. (ACA Key Trends and Forces Shaping Risk and Compliance Management in 2021) 

44. Identity-based attacks are on the rise. Almost 90% of web application breaches were caused by credential abuse, and phishing was present in more than a third of all breaches. (Verizon's Data Breach Investigations Report 2021)

45. 78% of companies worldwide say zero trust has increased in priority, and nearly 90% are currently working on a zero trust initiative. (Okta's State of Zero Trust Security 2021 Report) 

46. More than 60% of all data breaches involve stolen or weak credentials. (Verizon's Data Breach Investigations Report 2021)

47. From February to April 2020, attacks targeting the financial sector grew by 238%. (VMWare Modern Bank Heists Threat Report) 

48. The average cost of a data breach among companies surveyed reached $4.24 million per incident in 2021, the highest in 17 years. (IBM)

49. Remote work poses a new threat for data breaches. Breaches cost over $1 million more on average when remote work was indicated as a factor in the event. (IBM) 

50. Customer personal data (such as name, email, and password) is included in 44% of data breaches. (IBM)

51. The total number of cyber attack-related data compromises year-to-date is up 27% compared to the fiscal year 2020, with phishing and ransomware seen as the top attack methods. (Identity Theft Resource Center Q3 2021 findings)

52. 67% of organizations with 5,001–10,000 employees plan to invest in employee security awareness, which is twice the number reported in 2019 (33%). (Netwrix 2020 IT Trends Report)

53. About 60% of companies have over 500 accounts with non-expiring passwords, highlighting just one of the inadequate security practices that leave companies open for data breaches. (Varonis)

54. By 2023, Gartner predicts that 65% of the world’s population will have its personal data covered under modern privacy regulations. (Gartner’s State of Privacy and Personal Data Protection report)

A key component of an organization’s governance, risk, and compliance program is regular internal audits. 

Internal audits help companies find weak spots in internal processes before an external source does. We’ve compiled the following insights surrounding internal audits, highlighting their importance and how they’re conducted. 

55. Only two in 10 chief audit executives said internal audits have experienced “extensive impact” from COVID-19. (The Institute of Internal Auditors 2021 North American Pulse of Internal Audit Report) 

56. The top five highest risk areas as defined by chief audit executives are: 

IT (51%); third-party relationships (41%)

Operational (33%). (The Institute of Internal Auditors 2021 North American Pulse of Internal Audit Report)

57. 66% of audit departments communicate with other risk and control groups within their organizations on how they can better share resources, particularly risk assessment and data analytics. (Gartner 2020 State of the Internal Audit Function Report)

58. Pre-pandemic, internal audit budgets grew 5% per year between 2017 and 2019. However, in 2020, that figure saw a 1.5% decrease. Gartner expects that number to remain flat in 2021. (Gartner 2020 State of the Internal Audit Function Report)

59. The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) suggests that over 75% of audit teams lack a modern audit technology solution. (IIA)

60. 62% of survey respondents said that moving from traditional, manual processes to a data-driven audit is a top challenge. (CaseWare IDEA State of Internal Audit 2020 survey)

61. Only 29.8% of respondents say that they regularly use data analytics in their audits. (CaseWare IDEA State of Internal Audit 2020 survey)

62. Holding regular compliance audits can save organizations up to $2.86 million. (GlobalScape's The True Cost of Compliance with Data Protection Regulations)

63. 37% of companies perform one or more internal audits annually. (GlobalScape's The True Cost of Compliance with Data Protection Regulations)

When it comes to the future of the compliance industry, businesses have been forced to rethink their operational resilience. With the disruption organizations continue to face due to the pandemic, companies have seen first-hand the need for — and benefits of — a well run risk and compliance management program.

We’ve rounded up a few of the compliance trends industry experts predict for the coming year. 

Our SOC 2 Hub features 35+ resources to cover the fundamentals of SOC 2 all in one place.

Introducing the SOC 2 Compliance Hub | Secureframe

Today we’re excited to share our new SOC 2 Compliance Hub, a library of 35+ free resources that covers everything you need to know about SOC 2 compliance in one spot. 

Learn the basics of SOC 2, understand the audit process, get best practices for achieving compliance, and much more. 

Check out the complete SOC 2 Compliance Hub here. 

Part of the challenge of SOC 2 is that it can feel daunting and complex. We built the Hub as a one-stop resource to demystify the compliance process, with 35+ articles plus dozens of illustrations, charts, and infographics. And our in-house SOC 2 compliance experts added insights and best practices from their 50+ years of combined experience throughout. 

The Hub offers a self-guided learning experience. You can navigate sequentially to learn about SOC 2 from start to finish, or use the chapter navigation to jump directly into the information you’d like to learn. You can also use the search bar on the Hub main page to quickly find answers to specific questions. 

We’ve broken the SOC 2 Compliance Hub down into six main categories:

SOC 2 Overview: Learn the basics of SOC 2, including its history, control types, and common criteria. 

Report Structures: What goes into a SOC 2 report?  Understand the difference between Type I vs Type II reports, see an example of a real SOC 2 report, and more. 

Audit Process, Timeline, & Costs: Get a breakdown of audit costs and timelines for both Type I and Type II reports. 

How to Prepare for an Audit: How do you scope a SOC 2 audit? Get tips for creating a project plan, conducting readiness assessments, and more. 

Automating SOC 2 Compliance: Automation is a game-changer for SOC 2. Find out what compliance software can (and can’t) do to streamline the process. 

SOC 2 Tools & Resources: Find a curated list of SOC 2 tools and resources to help on your journey to compliance. 

We’d love to hear your thoughts on our latest resource. What would you like to see added? Reach out to us on Twitter and LinkedIn with your suggestions.

Introducing the SOC 2 Compliance Hub: 35+ Free SOC 2 Resources

Get tips to maintain your ISO 27001 certification from an experienced ISO 27001 auditor.

Interview with an ISO 27001 Auditor: Maintaining ISO 27001 Certification

Information is the currency of the modern world.

Sadly, many organizations lack the proper controls and standards to protect their information assets.

This is especially dangerous for companies that deal with confidential user data. A data breach can be a painful hit — one many organizations won’t recover from. 

ISO 27001 helps you implement a solid information security management system (ISMS) to protect your most valuable information assets and mitigate security risks.

We interviewed Mahtab Haider, the director of ISO Service Line at The Cadence Group, and asked him seven questions about maintaining your ISO 27001 certification.

Before we dive into the actual interview questions, let’s start with a quick recap of the ISO 27001 standard.

ISO 27001 is an international standard that explores an organization’s security controls and processes to ensure they protect users’ confidential information. 

To do this, ISO 27001 analyzes an organization’s security performance in three main areas:

Confidentiality: How are you protecting confidential user information against unauthorized access?

Integrity: What are you doing to ensure your data is accurate and complete?

Availability: What processes do you have in place to make your information available to users when they need it?

ISO 27001 provides you with the guidelines and requirements you need to implement an information security management system (ISMS) the right way. 

An organization’s ISMS represents the collection of all security controls in your business. That is, everything you’re doing to manage and coordinate your internal security controls, including:

People: Every member of your organization (i.e., employees, stakeholders, consultants, and leaders)

Processes and operations: Processes and operations that are directly or indirectly related to protecting confidential information

Systems, software, and technology: Computer systems, SaaS providers, apps, and any other technology that helps you implement your security controls

Risks and threats involved: Contingency plans and controls you use to mitigate risks and avoid threats

Secureframe Blog

Essential Guide to Security Frameworks & 14 Examples

70 Compliance Statistics to Know in 2022

Introducing the SOC 2 Compliance Hub: 35+ Free SOC 2 Resources

Interview with an ISO 27001 Auditor: How Can You Maintain Certification?

What is Vendor Risk Management?

Secureframe Helps Launch the Open Finance Data Security Standard (OFDSS) as a Founding Supporter

SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: What’s the Difference and Which Standard Do You Need?

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Secureframe Blog

Essential Guide to Security Frameworks & 14 Examples

70 Compliance Statistics to Know in 2022

Introducing the SOC 2 Compliance Hub: 35+ Free SOC 2 Resources

Interview with an ISO 27001 Auditor: How Can You Maintain Certification?

What is Vendor Risk Management?

Secureframe Helps Launch the Open Finance Data Security Standard (OFDSS) as a Founding Supporter

SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: What’s the Difference and Which Standard Do You Need?

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