# An Overview of ISO 27001 | Secureframe

> Learn the basics of ISO 27001, including its history, ISMS, and certification process.

canonical: https://secureframe.com/hub/iso-27001/iso-27001-overview

The average cost of a data breach in the US has climbed to a record $10.22 million, according to [IBM's 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report](https://secureframe.com/blog/data-breach-statistics). And with attackers now using AI to scale phishing and social engineering campaigns, the threat landscape is evolving faster than most security programs can keep up.

You understand the importance of keeping your company and customer data secure, and you know that any kind of breach can put your company's future in serious jeopardy. You wouldn't be reading this if you didn't.

You need complete confidence that your critical services and data are protected. 

The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 framework was designed to help companies achieve that confidence. It’s the current edition of the leading international standard for information security. 

In this ultimate ISO 27001 overview for beginners, we’ve broken down the framework into a series of clear-cut, jargon-free primers on the fundamentals of compliance. 

You’ll learn the essentials of ISO 27001, the benefits of compliance, the difference between ISO 27001 and other popular security standards like SOC 2 — everything you need to know to decide if pursuing certification is the right choice for your business.

## Beginner: I'm New to ISO 27001

**Let’s start at the beginning. **

Understanding the basics of ISO 27001 compliance helps streamline the entire preparation and audit process, allowing you to get that certification in hand faster and with less stress.

Here are the essentials you need to know.

![](https://images.prismic.io/secureframe-com/f39a7fd8-ad76-4908-b082-10a79aba83a9_1658fe79-fd68-45bb-8941-f77194adb2d5_blog-iso-27002-1-b%402x.png?auto=compress,format)

## The basics of ISO 27001

Data breaches are a significant and growing threat in today’s digital world. In 2024, there were [more than 3,000](https://www.statista.com/statistics/273550/data-breaches-recorded-in-the-united-states-by-number-of-breaches-and-records-exposed/) publicly reported data breaches in the US affecting millions of individuals, and the number of global data breaches hit a record high of 10,000. 

With new threats constantly emerging, organizations need to make protecting sensitive customer information, proprietary data, and intellectual property a top priority. So what can organizations do to safeguard against a security breach?

Various [security frameworks and standards](https://secureframe.com/blog/security-frameworks) have been created to help organizations demonstrate a strong security posture and earn customer trust, including [SOC 2](http://secureframe.com/frameworks/soc-2), [GDPR](http://secureframe.com/frameworks/gdpr), [CCPA](http://secureframe.com/frameworks/ccpa), [HIPAA](https://secureframe.com/products/hipaa), [PCI DSS](https://secureframe.com/products/pci), [NIST CSF](http://secureframe.com/frameworks/nist-csf), and many others. 

One of the most widely respected of these security frameworks is ISO 27001.  

## Who created ISO 27001 and why? 

ISO/IEC 27001:2022 was created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), in partnership with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). 

As businesses moved away from paper records and into the cloud, data security became more of a priority. Many organizations had put data security controls in place, but they were usually implemented on an ad hoc basis. Controls and processes varied depending on department or office location, which made creating a strong, organization-wide security strategy difficult. 

ISO 27001 provides guidelines on how to build, maintain, and continuously improve a secure Information Security Management System (ISMS). An ISMS helps companies think critically and strategically about information security across the entire organization. And because ISO 27001 places a heavy emphasis on continuous improvement, the standard ensures that company stakeholders dedicate resources to maintaining and improving the ISMS over time. 

Ultimately, ISO 27001 helps service organizations establish trust with their customers. If your organization stores, processes, or transmits any kind of sensitive data, it’s likely that you’ll need to be ISO 27001 certified to compete in an international market.

## How do you become ISO 27001 certified? 

To achieve certification, organizations must undergo a series of formal audits with an accredited auditor. During the audits, the auditor will evaluate the company’s ISMS documentation and functionality. 

The Stage 1 audit is a documentation review, where an auditor reviews policies and procedures. 

A Stage 2 audit involves a review of the business processes and controls to ensure compliance with ISO 27001 requirements. After a successful stage 2 audit, certification is granted and valid for three years. 

Annual surveillance audits are conducted to ensure the ISMS is still effective and being properly maintained. 

After three years, a recertification audit once again assesses the ISMS, Clauses, and Annex A controls. Recertification is valid for another three years. 

![](https://images.prismic.io/secureframe-com/3af4ff0b-4264-4476-a486-33eb30a7afcf_ISO+27001+Audit+Preparation+Steps+copy%402x-100.jpg?auto=compress,format)

Now that you have a solid understanding of what ISO 27001 certification is and why it matters, let’s dive deeper into the framework's security requirements and audit process. 

Preparing for a successful certification can be a months-long endeavor, so you’ll want to understand the steps involved before you get started. 

The following section dives into the what and why of ISO 27001, including how the standard came about, the benefits of certification, and comparisons with other popular frameworks like SOC 2 and NIST.