In today’s digital era, information is a critical asset that needs to be safeguarded from potential threats and vulnerabilities. If you are an IT professional, a software business founder, or simply interested in protecting your organization’s IT infrastructure from malicious cyber threats, you may want to learn about ISO 27002.
ISO 27002 is another security framework from the ISO family, which means it provides more guidelines for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving information security management systems (ISMS) within an organization. It is closely associated with the ISO 27001 compliance standard — and adds to its regulations to ensure greater security for your ISMS.
In this blog, we will provide you with a brief overview of what ISO 27002 is, why it is important, the benefits of complying with it, and some best practices to ensure you are doing everything right in adhering to this security standard.
What is ISO 27002?
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) issued ISO/IEC 27002, an information security standard, in 2013, as a supplement to ISO 27001 guidelines. In general, it provides guidelines for implementing an ISO 27001 ISMS.
ISO/IEC 27002 specifies a set of controls for information security, cybersecurity, and privacy protection and implementation recommendations based on internationally known best practices that organizations looking to implement from the Annex A of the ISO 27001 must particularly refer to.
While ISO 27002 is not a certifiable standard in and of itself, following its standards for information security, physical security, cyber security, and privacy management will get your company one step closer to satisfying ISO 27001 certification requirements.
Why is ISO 27002 Important?
Information security risks and hazards will always exist when your company collects, uses, or analyzes data. To reduce risk, you should have an Information Security Management System (ISMS) in place to secure the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of all information and information assets. The most difficult obstacle for businesses new to information security management is its enormous breadth. Most managers are unsure where to begin when it comes to implementing and managing an ISMS. In the next section, we will cover the benefits of complying with the ISO 27002 security framework.
Benefits of Complying with the ISO 27002 Framework
Organizations can feel certain that their information assets are safeguarded by internationally established and recognized best practices by implementing ISO 27002 information security procedures.
Here are the benefits of ISO 27002 code of practices:
- It provides a framework for resolving challenges related to information security, cyber security, physical security, and information privacy.
- Customers and business partners will be more confident in an organization that adopts recommended standards and information security safeguards.
- Cooperation with international partners is simplified because the policies and processes supplied match internationally acknowledged security needs.
- Compliance with the standard contributes to the development of an organization’s best practices, which increases overall productivity.
- It specifies the implementation, management, maintenance, and assessment of information security management systems.
- An ISO-compliant corporation will have a competitive advantage in contract negotiations and global commercial possibilities.
- Compliance with ISO 27002 information security procedures might result in cheaper insurance prices.
Since its introduction in 2013, ISO/IEC 27002 has gone through a few more changes. The latest version was issued in 2022. Let’s check out the changes in the recent revision. What are the Changes in Scope Between ISO/IEC 27002: 2013 and ISO/IEC 27002: 2022?
ISO/IEC 27002:2013 Scope
ISO 27002:2013 provides a code of practice for an information security management system (ISMS) that goes much deeper than ISO 27001’s Annex A Controls, containing security techniques and requirements, access controls, information security risk treatment controls, personal and proprietary information controls, control objectives, and generic information about the security controls.
The major goal of ISO 27002:2013 was to provide complete information security procedures and asset management controls to any company that needed a new information security management program or wished to improve its existing information security policies and practices
ISO/IEC 27002:2022 Scope
The first notable change to the standard is the shift away from a “Code of Practice” and towards establishing it as a collection of stand-alone information security measures.
The updated standard has a simpler structure that can be used throughout an enterprise. ISO 27002 has been updated and can now be used to manage a broader risk profile. This encompasses information security as well as the more technical components of physical security, asset management, cybersecurity, and human resource security, as well as privacy protection.
How is ISO 27002 Different From ISO 27001?
Organizations interested in learning more about information security management systems may have come across the ISO 27001 and 27002 standards. The primary standard in the ISO 27000 family is ISO 27001. Companies can be certified against ISO 27001 but not against ISO 27002:2022 because it is a supporting code of practice. ISO 27001 Annex A, for example, lists security measures but does not explain how to implement them; instead, it refers to ISO 27002.
ISO 27002, on the other hand, provides guidelines on how to implement the controls described in ISO 27001. The beautiful thing about ISO 27002 is that the controls are optional; organizations can choose whether or not to employ them, depending on whether they are applicable in the first place.
In a nutshell, ISO 27001 is the international standard for information security management, while ISO 27002 is a supporting standard that specifies how information security measures should be applied. Now, let’s talk about some best practices for ISO 27002 compliance.
Best Practices For ISO 27002 Compliance
Here is a list of best practices for ISO 27002 compliance:
- Conduct a risk assessment: A risk assessment assists in the identification of potential threats and vulnerabilities to your organization’s information assets. This will allow you to create appropriate controls to effectively manage the identified risks.
- Create policies and processes: Create policies and procedures that are in accordance with ISO 27002. Policies must clearly outline the organization’s information security objectives, roles, and duties, while procedures must detail how to implement and maintain the controls.
- Train employees and monitor their access: Employees are frequently the weakest link in information security. As a result, it is critical to give frequent training and awareness programs to ensure that staff understand the value of information security and their roles in ensuring it.
- Implement access controls: Access controls are critical for preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information. Controls such as authentication, authorization, and audit trails should be implemented to guarantee that only authorized individuals have access to information.
- Conduct frequent security audits: They will help you identify weaknesses in your information security procedures and ensure that they are in accordance with ISO 27002. This will assist you in identifying areas that demand improvement and making the necessary changes.
- Implement a monitoring and evaluation procedure: This will help you ensure that your information security controls are effective and in accordance with ISO 27002. This should entail a thorough examination of policies and procedures, security incidents, and security performance metrics on a regular basis. You should also take measures that restrict unauthorized physical access to the organization’s premises or support infrastructure.
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