ISO 27001 is not something startups should think about for many years. A few days later, an email is sent from an enterprise client who is promising: “Please provide your ISO 27001 certificate as part of our vendor security audit.”
Then, it’s not something to look at next year. It’s tied into a contract that the company is looking to end.
For many growing companies it’s the most practical base for ISO 27001 for small business. It’s difficult to figure out what’s required in order to turn a simple project into a compliance program for large corporations.
Week One should be about Scope, Not Shopping
The first reaction could be to begin comparing compliance systems and consultants. It is preferable to identify the requirements that ISMS (Information Security Management System) needs to provide.
It is essential to take into consideration the scope, because the addition of locations, systems, or processes that aren’t required can lead to further documentation or requirements for evidence.
A small SaaS business, for instance, may have a relatively specific environment that is built around cloud infrastructure employees’ devices, customer data, and a couple of important vendors. Understanding the specific environment can assist you in determining the areas the certification process should cover.
Take a list of the security features you already have
Many companies who are looking into ISO 27001 to start ups assume they will need to establish a new security operation.
However, this may not be the case.
Modern startups may already have established cloud providers that require multi-factor authentication, a restricted set of access to employees, system logs to manage, documentation for onboarding and offboarding. The current practices must be assessed against ISO 27001 requirements, but by starting with what’s being used can stop unnecessary duplicates.
The remaining work is preparing policies, completing risk assessments as well as making decisions about Annex A controls applicable, making Statements of Applicability (SOA), and collecting evidence.
It is now possible to identify which invoices pay for what
The ISO 27001 cost becomes much easier to understand when expenses aren’t lumped into a single number.
If you think about the expense of an audit by an independent certifier, tools for compliance, and time spent by staff The first year of a small-sized business’s expenses could range from $10,000 to $30,000. A consulting fee can be added, but this isn’t a major expense.
It is important to differentiate between ISO 27001 certification costs charged by a certified certification agency and software fees. The compliance platform is a tool that allows for the organization of work however it cannot issue the certificate. The process of independent auditing is what certifies the certificate.
Following the proof follows the accusations
It’s not enough just to make the policy that states that employees can’t access the system when they leave. Auditors need evidence to prove that the procedure actually works.
The difference between proving and saying is central to ISO 27001.
CertAssist organizes this work without the need to directly connect to the live system. It includes all 93 ISO 27001 Annex A controls within one single board. It also has editable templates for policy and evidence as well as a Declaration of Applicability.
In a small team template can help eliminate the unorganized writing of every policy on an unfinished page.
Certification Day isn’t the End Line
A business that is launching from the ground up may have to invest between three to six months getting prepared for certification. It will be contingent on their current security practices as well as the resources they have available. The certification body then conducts Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits.
The ISMS will not be lost just because you pass the audits. The ISMS must be able to monitor controls and provide evidence. After certification, surveillance audits are conducted.
This is an important factor to think about when designing the program. Small-sized businesses don’t need an ISMS it can afford to build. It requires an ISMS its team will be able to work effectively after the initial project has concluded.
It is rare that the biggest company has the best ISO 27001 program. It’s one that complies with ISO 27001 standards and reflects true security practices, endures independent scrutiny and is manageable after everyone has returned to normal duties.
