ISO 27001 Audit: What Is it and How Does it Work?
Audits are frequently utilised to ensure that an action meets a set of predetermined criteria. For all ISO management standards, audits are performed to make sure the system continues to be efficient and effective while meeting the requirements of the applicable standard. To verify this, a program ISO 27001 audit will need to be carried out.
What Exactly Is ISO 27001 Audit?
In an ISO 27001 audit, a capable and impartial auditor focuses on the following:
- The ISMS or components of it are being tested to see if it complies with the standard’s requirements.
- The organisation’s own information needs and the ISMS’s goals.
- That the controls, procedures, and other measures are useful and effective.
As ISO 27001 is created to allow an organisation to handle its security hazards to an acceptable extent, it will be necessary to verify that the measures taken minimise risk to a point where the person in charge of the risk is pleased with the residual risk. This is in addition to the general compliance and efficacy of the ISMS.
Why Is it Required?
The ISO 27001 certification procedure, which is an independent assessment of how successful an organisation’s information security practices are, requires it as a necessary step. Although ISO 27001 accreditation is not required, it can aid in increasing client, partnership, and other stakeholder trust.
What Kinds of Audits Are There?
To demonstrate compliance with the standard, a company is obligated under the standard to create and carry out a schedule of “internal audits”. Additionally, if a company wants to be certified, “external audits” must be performed against ISO 27001.
It is highly advised to confirm that the certification body chosen is authorised by a reputable supervising authority in order to get the greatest advantage from the ISMS.
- Internal
- External
How Are ISO 27001 Audits Conducted Both Internally and Externally?
The ISO 27001 certification procedure is arduous and protracted and entails ongoing audits and assessments. Internal and external audits are the two primary types of ISO 27001 audits that a business can conduct.
Whether or not a company is seeking certification, an internal audit is required for compliance. However, certification calls for an outside audit. Organisations must hire a third party with qualified auditing abilities to execute external audits in compliance with ISO 27001 criteria.
Let’s examine how internal and external audits are carried out:
- External
In order to verify an organisation’s ISMS, interested parties or certification organisations may undertake external audits. These audits adhere to rigorous standards and are necessary to get and keep certification. Any interested party can conduct an external audit, but only a certification organisation can certify an organisation.
The external auditors or certification authorities establish a strategy for the audit, assign resources, and set the dates, times, and locations before the audit is carried out.
- Internal
An extensive examination of your company’s ISMS is conducted as part of an internal audit for ISO 27001 to make sure it meets certification requirements. This audit is conducted by your workers, as opposed to a certification review, and the findings will be utilised to guide the development of your ISMS.
It is crucial to remember that if a business lacks qualified and impartial in-house auditors, audits can be carried out by a hired service. Since the supplier serves as an “inside resource” for the consumer, “2nd party audits” are frequently employed.