How to Maintain ISO 27001 Certification

Organizations need to cultivate a culture and Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) to allow compliance with the ISO standards. A properly ISO certified company will need to have a higher standard for their information security mechanisms than other businesses.

Understanding the basic maintenance requirements helps to ensure compliance. These include:

1. Following the compliance controls
2. Conducting the required yearly audit
3. Complete the awareness standards 

Aside from the regular commitments, businesses will also have to complete the renewal process. Simply put, organizations should understand how long the certification lasts and the basics of the renewal process.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at this popular certification and how businesses can properly prepare and maintain their ISO certification.

Before we dive in though, for those unfamiliar with this compliance standard, check out this overview ISO 27001.

How to Maintain ISO Certification?

After completing the long certification process, it’s vital businesses plan to maintain compliance over the long run. To do so, there’s a variety of practices companies implement to ensure they remain compliant.

1. Utilizing ISMS As a core component, its important businesses prioritize and utilize their information security management (ISMS). Practically speaking, a business must implement all procedures, protocols, and controls as required by ISO 27001 clauses.

2. Updated Documentation Another core component businesses should plan for; updating documentation to remain compliant. As business operations evolve and expand, companies should maintain their policies and procedures to reflect these changes.

Continued maintenance offers benefits when it comes time for renewal. In addition to this, businesses will benefit from having a more regular review of their policies and procedures to ensure they’re properly optimized.

3. Continued Testing and Risk Review With the digital world constantly changing, businesses must ensure they continually test and review their risks.

As new threats emerge, risk management strategies should be updated to reflect this change. The process of continuous testing helps ensure that these risks are properly identified and then mitigated, reconciled, or taken as an accepted risk.

4. Effective Internal Audits and Management Review Similar to the above point, businesses should continue their efforts to audit their systems regularly.

During these more regular testing efforts, team leaders should properly understand their system to ensure updates lead to a productive result. This will also allow leadership to be stay updated on any changes to the ISMS and actively drive changes when necessary.

5. Implement Proper Remediation Policies After discovering corrective actions, it’s important to process the necessary changes that led to a solution. Not only will this allow operations to be improved with regards to security, but it also helps with the compliance certification process. With these two important benefits known, it should be apparent to leaders the importance of ISO 27001 certification and a proper remediation policy.

How Long does ISO 27001 Certification Last?

After achieving certification, ISO 2700 is valid for 3 years. However, organizations need to manage and maintain the ISMS throughout the entire certificate's validity period. The certified body will perform annual surveillance visits and may strip an organization of its certification if it does not meet the requirements.

An ISO certification renewal is necessary after 3 years. For ISO 27001 certified companies to keep the certification, they must renew the certification or it will become invalid.

Certification Renewal Process

ISO 27001 certification renewal is necessary after three years. To keep the certification, organizations must renew it before it becomes invalid. Here’s how to prepare:

1. Proactive Preparation: Start preparing around three months before the certification expiration date.

2. Review Compliance Controls: Ensure all gaps leading to nonconformity are addressed.

3. Auditor Involvement: An auditor will review the ISMS, similar to the initial certification process.

4. Audit Outcome: Businesses will receive a pass or fail summary. If failed, corrective actions must be reconciled within 15 days.

How Much Does It Cost to Maintain ISO Certification?

The cost of maintaining ISO 27001 certification can vary widely depending on the size and complexity of your organization. Here are some typical costs to consider:

1. Annual Surveillance Audits: These can range from $5,000 to $20,000 per year, depending on the scope and complexity of the audit.

1. Internal Resources: Costs for internal staff to manage and maintain the ISMS, including training, documentation updates, and ongoing compliance activities. This can vary based on the size of the organization and the level of expertise required.

2. Consulting Fees: If you use external consultants to help maintain compliance, this can add additional costs. Consulting fees can range from $150 to $300 per hour, depending on the consultant's expertise and the scope of work.

3. Technology Investments: Ongoing investments in security technologies and tools to meet ISO 27001 requirements. This includes software for risk management, incident response, and continuous monitoring. Costs can vary widely based on the specific tools and technologies used.

4. Training and Awareness Programs: Regular training and awareness programs for employees to ensure they understand and comply with ISO 27001 requirements. This can include online courses, workshops, and seminars. Costs can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars annually, depending on the scope and frequency of the training

Risks of Failing to Maintain Your ISO Certification

Failing to maintain ISO 27001 certification exposes a company to significant risks, including increased vulnerability to cyberattacks and other security incidents. Cybercrime is a fundamental threat to decentralized organizations today, with the average cost of a data breach reaching $4.24 million. This issue is increasingly on the minds of corporate boards as a top priority. ISO 27001 compliance reassures leadership and customers alike that a company is staying on top of ongoing threats.

Even if a company does not fall victim to a breach, failing to maintain compliance can slow business growth when clients and partners opt to work with an ISO 27001-certified organization instead. Security enhances user trust, and customers are significantly more likely to buy, or buy more, from trusted companies. 49% of consumers believe that trust in a company's data practices is a key factor in their purchasing decisions. Demonstrating responsible data practices contributes to business growth and customer loyalty.

Using Cobalt’s Pentesting to Maintain ISO 27001 Compliance

To maintain ISO 27001 certification, organizations often need to do continued pentesting of their systems. With an agile DevOps process becoming closer to a DevSecOps process, corporate entities and larger enterprises should consider a flexible solution to their ongoing pentesting needs.

With a properly managed pentest program, businesses can prove their information systems maintain necessary security controls. Information security forms a critical component of any organization’s security, and it’s essential to keep all information systems secure.