Over the past 73 years, the International Organization for Standardization(ISO) has issued more than 20,000 standards. ISO certification applies to all production areas, except electronics and electrical engineering (a separate organization deals with them). ISO certification represents several specific regulations to control the company’s management activities, including document flow, material base, resources, and other production nuances. The presence of an ISO certificate guarantees that all products and services that have passed the certification procedure fully comply with the accepted international ISO standards. Currently, the topic of cybercrime defenses of enterprises is one of the pressing problems that can resurface in the production areas across the globe. So let’s talk in more detail about the existing ISO standard for maintaining information security.
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The Importance of Information Security
For the present, the prevailing majority of countries experience the stiffening of demands for companies, which keep and handle the personal data of their clientele and/or affiliates. There is a noticeable trend towards digitalization of document flow. A vast number of firms have already accumulated a wide array of classified data in the form of both electronic files and paperwork.
However, modern enterprise cybersecurity represents something more than a collection of technical tools like firewalls or virus protection programs. On the contrary, it represents a comprehensive approach to handling not only the firm’s resources but also vitally important data. While each company has its own approach to tackling such issues, it is always better to implement the internationally accepted standard for information security, commonly known as ISO 27001 or IEC 27001. Many developed countries resort to the discussed standard. It involves satisfying the enterprises demand in the sphere of data protection, the emerging problems of which must be covered by the developed advanced engineering techniques and contribute to forming manufacturing activity.
Such verification of the information security management system (or simply the ISMS) combines the advanced experience of such systems’ layout. More importantly, it provides for the choice of proper administration technologies to guarantee the correct operation and continuity of production, the fulfillment of the terms for the process safety, and human resource management in the firm. In essence, it is critical to bear in mind that faults and failures of hardware are just the “tip of an iceberg” when it comes to the existing issue. When talking about IT security, the human error aspect still plays a big part in all of it, and such mistakes are much more challenging to exclude or minimize.
Basics of the ISO 27001 Standard and ISMS
ISO 27001 is an international standard created for information safety, which describes the world’s best practices for keeping vital data confidential and safe, along with the requirements for a management system to demonstrate the ability of an organization to protect its information resources.
So, what organization needs an information safety management system (ISMS)?
First and foremost, the information security management system is necessary for enterprises with this information (in the form of confidential data, government secrets), any information that can influence both a separate individual and cause damage on a macro scale, affecting humanity markets.
Thus, the following areas of activity are in acute need of tools, keeping and maintaining their information integrity:
- IT sphere;
- Medical field;
- Trade;
- Banks, insurance, and other financial institutions;
- Governmental and law enforcement structures;
- Municipal establishments;
- Education;
- Industry, communications, and transport.
For guaranteeing data protection in line with the ISO 27001 standard, companies should follow these rules:
- Confidentiality of information (only those who have the proper authority can gain access to it).
- The integrity of data (i.e., ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the information provided).
- Availability of information (obtaining access when it is required).
Nevertheless, the abovementioned principles don’t end there. Thus, the ISO and ISO 27001 standards are also designed to guarantee that the information is managed, copied when necessary, used correctly, prevented from leaking, and have the minimized risk of cyber-attacks, up to the physical protection of the equipment that stores it.
How to Acquire the ISO 27001?
To feel confident in the conditions of tough competition, every viable business needs to confirm the decent quality of the products/services offered and the compliance of the company’s management activities with global requirements. To do so, companies should pass a quality management system (QMS) check and get the ISO 27001 certificate.
Before submitting a request for a certificate to the authorized center, the enterprise must prepare and collect specific documentation (licenses, ITN, the charter, details, structure of the firm, etc.) and go through all QMS steps. Such an audit will make it possible to determine whether there are inconsistencies in the current management system and apply several recommendations for the reorganization of the QMS, which will help bring it to the proper level.
Only after that comes the following stage of certification. The organization sends in an application and a package of required documents to the certification authority. Experts review the presented papers. They form a conclusion about whether the QMS meets the ISO conditions or not. If all the essential requirements are maintained, the enterprise is endowed with the much-desired certification.
