Mastering ISO 27001 Compliance: Technical recommendations for 114 security controls

The ISO 27001 standard includes 14 control categories and a total of 114 controls. Here is a list of the control categories, along with some technical recommendations for each one:

1. Security policy: Develop and implement a comprehensive information security policy that defines the scope, objectives, and controls of your information security management system (ISMS).

• Technical recommendation: Use security management software to establish and enforce security policies across your organization. This can include tools for identity and access management, vulnerability management, and security information and event management (SIEM).

2. Organization of information security: Define the roles and responsibilities for information security management, including the appointment of a dedicated information security officer.

• Technical recommendation: Implement a security awareness program that educates employees on their roles and responsibilities in protecting sensitive data. This can include online training, phishing simulations, and regular security assessments.

3. Asset management: Identify and manage the information assets that are critical to your business operations, including hardware, software, and data.

• Technical recommendation: Use inventory management software to track the location and status of hardware and software assets. This can include tools for software license management, patch management, and vulnerability scanning.

4. Human resources security: Implement controls to ensure that employees and contractors are trustworthy and have the necessary skills and training to perform their job functions.

• Technical recommendation: Use identity and access management tools to manage user accounts and credentials. This can include tools for password management, role-based access control, and multifactor authentication.

5. Physical and environmental security: Implement controls to protect your physical assets, such as servers, data centers, and backup media.

• Technical recommendation: Use video surveillance, intrusion detection systems, and access control systems to monitor and secure your physical assets. This can include tools for environmental monitoring, such as temperature and humidity sensors.

6. Communications and operations management: Implement controls to ensure the secure and reliable operation of your IT systems and networks.

• Technical recommendation: Use network monitoring tools to monitor network traffic and detect potential security threats. This can include tools for network intrusion detection and prevention, firewalls, and encryption technologies.

7. Access control: Implement controls to ensure that only authorized users have access to your IT systems and data.

• Technical recommendation: Use identity and access management tools to manage user accounts and control access to sensitive data. This can include tools for privilege management, segregation of duties, and user activity monitoring.

8. Information systems acquisition, development, and maintenance: Implement controls to ensure the security of your information systems throughout their lifecycle, including development, testing, and deployment.

• Technical recommendation: Use secure software development practices to minimize the risk of security vulnerabilities in your applications. This can include tools for code review, vulnerability testing, and automated testing.

9. Information security incident management: Develop and implement a formal incident response plan to detect, respond to, and recover from security incidents.

• Technical recommendation: Use incident management software to automate incident response processes and track the progress of incident resolution. This can include tools for ticketing, collaboration, and communication.

10. Business continuity management: Develop and implement a business continuity plan to ensure the availability of critical business operations in the event of a disruption.

• Technical recommendation: Use backup and disaster recovery software to protect your IT systems and data. This can include tools for data backup, replication, and recovery.

11. Compliance: Implement controls to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements related to information security.

• Technical recommendation: Use compliance management software to track and manage compliance requirements and certifications. This can include tools for policy management, risk assessment, and audit management.

12. Information security aspects of supplier relationships: Implement controls to ensure the security of your supply chain, including suppliers, vendors, and business partners.

• Technical recommendation: Use vendor risk management software to assess and manage the security risks posed by third-party suppliers. This can include tools for supplier onboarding, risk assessment, and ongoing monitoring. Additionally, implement security requirements in supplier contracts and agreements to ensure they meet your security standards.