ISO 27001 is not something that startups need to think about for many years. Then an email arrives from a prospective enterprise customer: “Please provide your ISO 27001 certificate as a part of our vendor security assessment.”
Then, it’s not something to think about the next time. It’s related to an agreement that the company is trying to close.
For a majority of companies growing this is the ideal base for ISO 27001 for small business. The challenge is figuring out what exactly needs to happen without making a small security project into a large-scale compliance program.
The first week of the week should be focused on Scope, not Shopping
The initial reaction is to compare compliance platforms and consultants. The best place to start is to define what ISMS or Information Security Management System needs to be able to contain.
The scope of the project is crucial because adding inefficient systems, locations or processes to the documentation can cause additional evidence or documentation requirements.
A small SaaS firm might have an environment that is heavily focused on cloud infrastructure, employee devices and customer information. The environment could also be dominated by a handful of key suppliers. Understanding the current environment can assist in determining which certification is needed.
Make a list of security you Already Have
Many companies that are researching ISO 27001 to start ups believe they’ll need to start a new security program.
It may not be the case.
A modern business may require multi-factor authentication, limit employee permissions, maintain system logs, manage backups documents onboarding and offboarding procedures, and make use of well-established cloud providers. Existing practices still need to be evaluated against ISO 27001 requirements, but starting with what is already being used can stop unnecessary duplicates.
The remaining work includes documenting policies, conducting the risk assessment, determining the applicable Annex A controls, completing the Statement of Applicability and obtaining evidence.
Find out which invoice pays for What?
If expenses aren’t bundled in one figure and are not bundled into one number, it’s easier to see the ISO 27001 cost.
When you look at the cost of an audit by an independent certifier, tools for compliance, and time spent by staff, a small company’s first-year expense could range from $10,000 and $30,000. Consulting is a different expense, but it is optional instead of an automatic requirement.
The ISO 27001 certification cost charged by an accredited certification body is especially important to distinguish from software fees. A compliance platform can help organize the work, but it’s not able to issue the certificate. The independent auditing process is the process that validates the certificate.
Then, the evidence
It’s not enough just to make the policy that states that employees can’t access the system when they leave. Auditors need proof that the process is actually functioning.
ISO 27001 is based on the distinction between showing and saying.
CertAssist is designed to manage this work without connecting directly to the live systems of a business. It displays all 93 ISO 27001-2022 Annex A control templates on one single board. A customizable policy and an templates for evidence are also available.
For small teams, templates could also help to be a great way to avoid the inefficient task of writing every policy on an unfinished document.
The End Line isn’t Certification Day
A company that is starting from scratch might have to invest between three and six month getting ready for certification. This is contingent upon their existing security practices, as well as the resources they have available. The certification body conducts Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits.
After passing the audits, you can’t just ignore your ISMS. The ISMS must be able to maintain controls and evidence. After certification, surveillance audits must be carried out.
It is important to keep this in mind when creating the program. Small businesses don’t just require an ISMS it can afford to create. It needs an ISMS that the team can use after the project has been completed.
The most intelligent ISO 27001 program for a smaller business isn’t necessarily the most powerful. It’s one that meets the ISO 27001 requirements, is based on true security practices, endures independent scrutiny and is able to be maintained once everyone has returned to their normal jobs.