ISO 27001 is a globally recognized security framework created by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission to assess how an organization protects its customers’ data.
This standard looks at how your information security management system (ISMS) is designed and maintained to prevent unauthorized access or damage to your data and that of your customers. Because it is an internationally recognized certification, it gives companies an edge when competing and building customer trust in markets worldwide.
To get an ISO 27001 certification, though, you’ll need to undergo a rigorous audit that confirms you’ve met the compliance requirements. This comprehensive guide will help your team prepare for all the key aspects of certification, including:
- What ISO 27001 is
- What it means to be ISO 27001 certified
- What its structure looks like
- What it takes to achieve this certification
What does ISO stand for?
ISO refers to the International Organization of Standardization—even though it’s not a direct acronym for that name. This is because this international organization, based in Switzerland, operates in multiple languages, which can lead to different abbreviations. The abbreviation ISO prioritizes uniformity in naming of standards for international use.
In some cases, you may see ISO 27001 also called ISO/IEC 27001:2022. This is because the development of the standard was a joint effort between the ISO and the IEC or the International Electrotechnical Commission, which is what ISO/IEC stands for.
ISO/IEC 27001 requirements were first introduced in 2005 and then republished with updates in 2013 and 2022. The current version of the standard was released in October 2022.
What is ISO 27001 and why is it important?
ISO 27001 is an international standard for securing your data and documenting your information security management system. It includes an extensive list of controls and standards to ensure that your ISMS can protect sensitive data and stays resilient against potential threats.
From a practical perspective, the ISO 27001 certification is awarded after a successful audit—the third-party assurance verifies your compliance with the standard and detects vulnerabilities and areas for improvement.
While an ISO 27001 certification isn’t legally mandatory, it’s an important asset for any organization as it demonstrates to prospects, customers, partners, and other stakeholders that the organization has a strong information security posture. Other key advantages of ISO 27001 certification for an organization include:
- Competitive advantage: For small businesses looking to scale, having an ISO 27001 allows them to compete with larger enterprises and ensures an edge over other non-certified competitors. Since the certification denotes that your ISMS complies with most legal and industry-specific data protection requirements, it can even help meet vendor requirements for certain deals.
- Up-to-date security posture: At its core, the importance and benefits of ISO 27001 certification extend to how it helps your organization maintain security controls to mitigate an evolving threat landscape. The ISO 27001 scope includes staff training beyond the security department, facilitating company-wide security optimization.
- Improved customer trust: A certification means you can prove to your customers that their data is in good hands. It also significantly reduces the risk of data breaches or disruptions in critical systems, enabling steady operations.
{{cta_withimage2="/cta-modules"}} | ISO 27001 compliance checklist
Structure of ISO 27001: Core principles and controls
ISO 27001 compliance and certification are structured around three core principles, commonly called the C-I-A triad—confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The purpose of the standard is to ensure that all information within an entity adheres to these pillars.
Besides these foundational principles, the ISO 27001 certification requirements are explained and organized via clauses, categories, and controls that your auditor will use to assess your security system.
ISO 27001 currently includes 11 clauses and a list of security controls (Annex A), with clauses are numbered 0 to 10:
- Introduction
- Scope
- Normative references
- Terms and definitions
- Context of the organization
- Leadership
- Planning
- Support
- Operation
- Performance evaluation
- Improvement
Earlier, Annex A consisted of 114 security controls divided into 14 categories (as part of the 2013 version). After the 2022 update, the latest ISO 27001 has 93 controls, categorized into four main themes or categories:
- Organizational: 37 controls
- People: 8 controls
- Physical: 14 controls
- Technological: 34 controls
These controls represent security measures an organization must consider based on its needs and risks.
If you’re looking to learn more about ISO 27001, check out these guides:
- How much does ISO 27001 certification cost?
- ISO 27001 vs. ISO 27002: Understanding key differences
- ISO 27001 vs. SOC 2: What is the difference?
ISO 27001 requirements explained
While 11 clauses and 93 controls may seem like a lot, only eight are compulsory for ISO 27001 certification, and you only need to implement the security controls relevant to your business.
Clauses 0–3 serve to provide context and guidance rather than actions to be implemented:
- Clause 0: Highlights introductory sections and a risk-based approach to security
- Clause 1: Defines the standard’s scope
- Clause 2: Provides normative references
- Clause 3: Adds standard-specific terms and definitions
Clauses 4–10, on the other hand, outline the specific ISO 27001 requirements that you must address to become certified or compliant. Here’s a broad overview:
Clause 4: Context of the organization
The context of the organization covers the internal and external issues that your company’s ISMS will need to be equipped for, the requirements (legal or other) of all interested parties, such as regulatory bodies and contractual obligations, and the scope and boundaries of your ISMS.
Clause 5: Leadership
The leadership clause refers to top management's commitment to the ISMS, ensuring alignment with business objectives and clear policies, roles, and responsibilities assigned to the organization’s information security processes.
{{cta_simple2="/cta-modules"}} | ISO 27001 product page
Clause 6: Planning
This clause explains planning for both risk and opportunities that can come up in the process of achieving your ISMS goals. The steps involved include risk assessments and proposed treatments, as well as a comprehensive account of how your objectives will be met.
Clause 7: Support
Clause 7 covers the support resources required to comply with the ISO 27001 requirements, including training staff for competence and awareness in information security and effective and ongoing communication and documentation around all ISMS policies.
Clause 8: Operation
The operation clause stipulates the actions for the risk treatment plans and ISMS objectives as outlined in the previous clauses, as well as the controls for planned and unplanned changes.
Clause 9: Performance evaluation
ISMS performance evaluation includes monitoring, measuring, and analyzing the ISMS at planned intervals. You must stipulate the methods and timelines you will use to do so and complement this with internal audits and strategic management reviews.
Clause 10: Improvement
Based on the outcomes from the evaluations of the previous clause, this final clause is designed to identify any nonconformities so that you can take corrective actions to not only fix your ISMS as issues arise but also continuously look for areas for improvement over time.
How to achieve ISO 27001 certification
There are three main phases that your security and compliance teams will need to complete to attain and maintain ISO 27001 compliance:
- Research and preparation
- ISO 27001 audit, which comprises:
- Readiness assessment
- Stage 1: Documentation audit
- Stage 2: Compliance audit
- Maintaining your ISO 27001 certification
Still, the exact process of achieving ISO 27001 certification will vary based on factors such as the organization's size, its industry, and the existing information security systems in place.
We have broken down the essential practical aspects of each phase below:
Phase 1: Research and preparation
Before you can begin the official ISO 27001 certification steps for certification, you’ll need to scope your ISMS and implement the controls needed to meet the ISO 27001 requirements.
A key document in scoping the 93 controls for your organization is the Statement of Applicability or SoA (Clause 6.1.3—Information security risk treatment), which lists all security controls in Annex A according to different eligibility criteria your security team must meet.
Your team should ideally conduct a gap analysis to see how many of the relevant controls you already have in place or need to update/add. Next, you’ll adjust your controls according to the standard, which can potentially be the most labor- and time-intensive part of the process.
Once your controls are in place, you’ll need to hire an auditor to investigate your ISMS.
{{cta_withimage2="/cta-modules"}} | ISO 27001 compliance checklist
Phase 2: ISO 27001 audit
Your ISO 27001 audit will typically take place in three stages:
1. Readiness assessment
A readiness assessment is a preliminary and typically informal screening your compliance team/consultant will do to see if you’ve met the ISO 27001 requirements and are ready for the next steps. The idea is to streamline the audit process and ensure that your organization is ready for the official audit that follows.
2. Stage 1 or documentation audit
The stage 1 or documentation audit is the official process that requires your auditor to review the documentation you’ve provided that maps out your ISMS and details the security controls and policies you have in place. Based on your SoA and other documentation presented, the auditor will provide you with corrective actions to take on areas like:
- Inadequate risk assessment framework
- Poorly defined ISMS scope
- Missing or incomplete internal audit records
One of the most notable initiatives during this stage is conducting a formal internal audit—as your stage 1 audit will be deemed incomplete without it. Clause 9.2 of the ISO 27001 makes these audits mandatory for certification.
The internal audit is a review of the ISMS from an independent party that had no responsibility in creating the ISMS. This can be someone internally at the organization with the expertise to conduct the audit or a third-party. The internal audit should document the steps taken to review the ISMS, the date the review took place, the people involved, and the subsequent findings.
The goal is to identify gaps, weaknesses, and non-conformities with the standard before an external auditor starts reviewing your ISMS as part of the the official compliance audit in the next stage.
The time interval between the stage 1 and 2 audits might vary depending on your internal audit remediation work or even the requirements of regional certification bodies. It could be anywhere between a few weeks and six months. Once you have received your stage 1 audit report, you can prepare for the stage 2 audit, which evaluates the action and implementation of ISO 27001.
3. Stage 2 or compliance audit
The second stage of the audit is when an external auditor thoroughly investigates and tests your ISMS to verify that you’re following each of the ISO 27001 requirements.
While your auditor will lead the auditing process, you should ideally be available to answer questions about your ISMS, provide additional documentation, and respond to any other requests they might have. Small and medium enterprises with a less complex ISMS may only require 3–5 days to complete this audit, while larger organizations with more complicated IT infrastructure could need 10+ days.
Upon completing the stage 2 audit, the auditor will present a summary of their findings outlining major and minor nonconformities and opportunities for improvement. If any nonconformities are holding you back from a recommendation for certification, you will get a chance to rectify them by a deadline.
Once all corrective actions are completed and approved by your auditor, you will officially receive your ISO 27001 certification.
Phase 3: Maintaining your ISO 27001 certification
Your initial ISO 27001 certification is valid for three years. However, in that timeframe, you’ll need to undergo additional annual audits to maintain your ISO 27001 certification.
Every year after your initial audit, an external ISO 27001 auditor will perform a surveillance audit. This brief, surface-level audit selects and evaluates a few of the key ISO 27001 requirements to ensure you’re still in compliance. The auditor will also review if:
- Your organization addressed the non-confirmities noted during stage 2 audit
- Any material changes were made to your SoA or other associated evidence
If you pass your surveillance audit, you’ll maintain your certification; otherwise, you must complete another full audit.
Since your certification expires three years after your initial audit, you must complete another full audit to receive a new ISO 27001 certification. In practice, this typically excludes the readiness and stage 1 assessments if you have an operating ISMS in place that your auditor is familiar with. You’ll have to undergo all three audits if your ISMS changes significantly or if you work with another auditor.
The simplest way to maintain ISO/IEC 27001 compliance between audits is to integrate monitoring and maintenance into everyday security workflows.
If you want to know how difficult maintaining and obtaining your ISO 27001 certification will be, consider two factors:
- Gap in controls: If your current security posture is far off from ISO 27001 requirements, you’ll have to invest time and resources in new policies, procedures, and technical controls.
- Compliance platform used: Capable compliance management software such as Vanta can significantly speed up your ISO certification workflows. Its features to automate tasks, track compliance progress, and streamline documentation and evidence can make certification easier to achieve and maintain and reduce your team's administrative workload.
How Vanta expedites your ISO 27001 certification
ISO 27001 certification cost and timeline vary across organizations with different size, scope complexity, and resource availability—but with Vanta, you can expect to invest as little as 20–40 hours to become audit-ready at any scale
Markindey Sineus, GRC SME | Vanta
Vanta is an all-in-one compliance and trust management platform that you can leverage to simplify and shorten your ISO 27001 certification process. The platform comes prebuilt with workflows and resources to support compliance with 35+ frameworks and standards, including ISO 27001.
Vanta’s ISO 27001 product focuses on helping you build a lightweight, compliant, and easy-to-manage ISMS where you can automate up to 80% of tasks. Here’s what an automated ISO 27001 certification workflow can look like with Vanta:
- Connect your infrastructure to the Vanta platform with our 370+ built-in integrations
- Assess your risk holistically from one unified view
- Identify areas of non-compliance with in-platform notifications
- Get a checklist of actions to help you make the needed changes
- Automate evidence collection and centralize all your documents in one place
- Find a Vanta-vetted auditor within the platform
- Complete your ISO 27001 certification in half the time
Keeping all certification processes transparent on the platform can save your business valuable time and money during your ISO 27001 audit process. You can seek assistance from Vanta’s in-house ISO 27001 experts anytime.
Request a custom demo to learn how to get your ISO 27001 certification faster.
{{cta_simple2="/cta-modules"}} | ISO 27001 product page
ISO 2001: Frequently asked questions
1. What does being ISO-certified mean?
The ISO is an independent international entity trusted for its comprehensive and rigorous certifications, which hold organizations to a high standard in various business areas. Having any part of your business ISO-certified can contribute greatly to how your organization is perceived within your industry, indicating excellence and reliability.
Furthermore, an ISO 27001 accreditation is a testimony of your commitment to protecting all forms of data that pass through your company—a crucial part of building a reputable brand.
2. Who needs ISO 27001 certification?
ISO 27001 certification is for companies that handle sensitive data or face significant regulatory or operational risks if their information systems are breached.
This certification is not mandatory for all companies, so organizations that identify with any of the following might want to skip ISO 27001:
- Companies that do not handle sensitive data or have minimal risk exposure as part of an industry with few or no regulations to comply with
- Businesses that are already compliant with equivalent or mandatory standards for their industry or region, such as SOC 2, HIPAA, or GDPR
It should be noted that ISO 27001 certification is not for individuals—only for business entities.
3. How much does an ISO 27001 certification cost?
The total cost of attaining an ISO 27001 certification can range from $10,000 to $60,000, depending on the size of your organization and how robust your existing ISMS is—or if you need to build a new one from scratch.
The cost components include:
- Preparation costs, including purchasing the official ISO 27001 standard and implementation guide
- Implementation costs, including staff training and enhancements of security software and tools
- Stage 1 and 2 audit fees
- Surveillance audit fees and, thereafter, recertification costs and audit fees
Your overall costs can also include fees to consultants and any compliance automation software you use, although the latter reduce time and costs in the long run.
4. What is the main purpose of the ISO 27001 certification?
According to the International Organization for Standardization, this is what ISO 27001 aims to achieve:
“ISO/IEC 27001 helps organizations become risk-aware and proactively identify and address weaknesses. ISO/IEC 27001 promotes a holistic approach to information security: vetting people, policies and technology. An information security management system implemented according to this standard is a tool for risk management, cyber-resilience and operational excellence.”
This can be understood as a non-mandatory but highly beneficial certification to enhance a company’s information security frameworks and operations at every level of the organization.
5. How long does the ISO 27001 certification process take?
The ISO 27001 certification process can take several weeks or months to complete, considering the numerous phases and audit types involved. As mentioned earlier, the exact duration depends on your organization's size, the complexity of your ISMS, and the number of controls you need to implement.
6. Does ISO 27001 certification help with HIPAA and HITECH compliance?
HIPAA and HITECH are federal laws within the U.S. healthcare sector, while ISO 27001 is a voluntary international standard that can serve organizations in any industry.
HIPAA was established to protect sensitive health information from disclosure without patient consent. HITECH was introduced to promote the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), strengthen the privacy and security protections of health information, and enable a stronger enforcement of HIPAA requirements.
While both regulations have certain overlaps with ISO 27001 requirements, being ISO 2700-certified does not guarantee compliance with either. You’ll have to follow the respective compliance steps under HIPAA and HITECH to ensure compliance.
Introduction to ISO 27001
What is ISO 27001 certification?
Introduction to ISO 27001
What is ISO 27001 certification?
Download the checklist
Looking to automate up to 90% of the work for ISO 27001 compliance?
ISO 27001 is a globally recognized security framework created by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission to assess how an organization protects its customers’ data.
This standard looks at how your information security management system (ISMS) is designed and maintained to prevent unauthorized access or damage to your data and that of your customers. Because it is an internationally recognized certification, it gives companies an edge when competing and building customer trust in markets worldwide.
To get an ISO 27001 certification, though, you’ll need to undergo a rigorous audit that confirms you’ve met the compliance requirements. This comprehensive guide will help your team prepare for all the key aspects of certification, including:
- What ISO 27001 is
- What it means to be ISO 27001 certified
- What its structure looks like
- What it takes to achieve this certification
What does ISO stand for?
ISO refers to the International Organization of Standardization—even though it’s not a direct acronym for that name. This is because this international organization, based in Switzerland, operates in multiple languages, which can lead to different abbreviations. The abbreviation ISO prioritizes uniformity in naming of standards for international use.
In some cases, you may see ISO 27001 also called ISO/IEC 27001:2022. This is because the development of the standard was a joint effort between the ISO and the IEC or the International Electrotechnical Commission, which is what ISO/IEC stands for.
ISO/IEC 27001 requirements were first introduced in 2005 and then republished with updates in 2013 and 2022. The current version of the standard was released in October 2022.
What is ISO 27001 and why is it important?
ISO 27001 is an international standard for securing your data and documenting your information security management system. It includes an extensive list of controls and standards to ensure that your ISMS can protect sensitive data and stays resilient against potential threats.
From a practical perspective, the ISO 27001 certification is awarded after a successful audit—the third-party assurance verifies your compliance with the standard and detects vulnerabilities and areas for improvement.
While an ISO 27001 certification isn’t legally mandatory, it’s an important asset for any organization as it demonstrates to prospects, customers, partners, and other stakeholders that the organization has a strong information security posture. Other key advantages of ISO 27001 certification for an organization include:
- Competitive advantage: For small businesses looking to scale, having an ISO 27001 allows them to compete with larger enterprises and ensures an edge over other non-certified competitors. Since the certification denotes that your ISMS complies with most legal and industry-specific data protection requirements, it can even help meet vendor requirements for certain deals.
- Up-to-date security posture: At its core, the importance and benefits of ISO 27001 certification extend to how it helps your organization maintain security controls to mitigate an evolving threat landscape. The ISO 27001 scope includes staff training beyond the security department, facilitating company-wide security optimization.
- Improved customer trust: A certification means you can prove to your customers that their data is in good hands. It also significantly reduces the risk of data breaches or disruptions in critical systems, enabling steady operations.
{{cta_withimage2="/cta-modules"}} | ISO 27001 compliance checklist
Structure of ISO 27001: Core principles and controls
ISO 27001 compliance and certification are structured around three core principles, commonly called the C-I-A triad—confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The purpose of the standard is to ensure that all information within an entity adheres to these pillars.
Besides these foundational principles, the ISO 27001 certification requirements are explained and organized via clauses, categories, and controls that your auditor will use to assess your security system.
ISO 27001 currently includes 11 clauses and a list of security controls (Annex A), with clauses are numbered 0 to 10:
- Introduction
- Scope
- Normative references
- Terms and definitions
- Context of the organization
- Leadership
- Planning
- Support
- Operation
- Performance evaluation
- Improvement
Earlier, Annex A consisted of 114 security controls divided into 14 categories (as part of the 2013 version). After the 2022 update, the latest ISO 27001 has 93 controls, categorized into four main themes or categories:
- Organizational: 37 controls
- People: 8 controls
- Physical: 14 controls
- Technological: 34 controls
These controls represent security measures an organization must consider based on its needs and risks.
If you’re looking to learn more about ISO 27001, check out these guides:
- How much does ISO 27001 certification cost?
- ISO 27001 vs. ISO 27002: Understanding key differences
- ISO 27001 vs. SOC 2: What is the difference?
ISO 27001 requirements explained
While 11 clauses and 93 controls may seem like a lot, only eight are compulsory for ISO 27001 certification, and you only need to implement the security controls relevant to your business.
Clauses 0–3 serve to provide context and guidance rather than actions to be implemented:
- Clause 0: Highlights introductory sections and a risk-based approach to security
- Clause 1: Defines the standard’s scope
- Clause 2: Provides normative references
- Clause 3: Adds standard-specific terms and definitions
Clauses 4–10, on the other hand, outline the specific ISO 27001 requirements that you must address to become certified or compliant. Here’s a broad overview:
Clause 4: Context of the organization
The context of the organization covers the internal and external issues that your company’s ISMS will need to be equipped for, the requirements (legal or other) of all interested parties, such as regulatory bodies and contractual obligations, and the scope and boundaries of your ISMS.
Clause 5: Leadership
The leadership clause refers to top management's commitment to the ISMS, ensuring alignment with business objectives and clear policies, roles, and responsibilities assigned to the organization’s information security processes.
{{cta_simple2="/cta-modules"}} | ISO 27001 product page
Clause 6: Planning
This clause explains planning for both risk and opportunities that can come up in the process of achieving your ISMS goals. The steps involved include risk assessments and proposed treatments, as well as a comprehensive account of how your objectives will be met.
Clause 7: Support
Clause 7 covers the support resources required to comply with the ISO 27001 requirements, including training staff for competence and awareness in information security and effective and ongoing communication and documentation around all ISMS policies.
Clause 8: Operation
The operation clause stipulates the actions for the risk treatment plans and ISMS objectives as outlined in the previous clauses, as well as the controls for planned and unplanned changes.
Clause 9: Performance evaluation
ISMS performance evaluation includes monitoring, measuring, and analyzing the ISMS at planned intervals. You must stipulate the methods and timelines you will use to do so and complement this with internal audits and strategic management reviews.
Clause 10: Improvement
Based on the outcomes from the evaluations of the previous clause, this final clause is designed to identify any nonconformities so that you can take corrective actions to not only fix your ISMS as issues arise but also continuously look for areas for improvement over time.
How to achieve ISO 27001 certification
There are three main phases that your security and compliance teams will need to complete to attain and maintain ISO 27001 compliance:
- Research and preparation
- ISO 27001 audit, which comprises:
- Readiness assessment
- Stage 1: Documentation audit
- Stage 2: Compliance audit
- Maintaining your ISO 27001 certification
Still, the exact process of achieving ISO 27001 certification will vary based on factors such as the organization's size, its industry, and the existing information security systems in place.
We have broken down the essential practical aspects of each phase below:
Phase 1: Research and preparation
Before you can begin the official ISO 27001 certification steps for certification, you’ll need to scope your ISMS and implement the controls needed to meet the ISO 27001 requirements.
A key document in scoping the 93 controls for your organization is the Statement of Applicability or SoA (Clause 6.1.3—Information security risk treatment), which lists all security controls in Annex A according to different eligibility criteria your security team must meet.
Your team should ideally conduct a gap analysis to see how many of the relevant controls you already have in place or need to update/add. Next, you’ll adjust your controls according to the standard, which can potentially be the most labor- and time-intensive part of the process.
Once your controls are in place, you’ll need to hire an auditor to investigate your ISMS.
{{cta_withimage2="/cta-modules"}} | ISO 27001 compliance checklist
Phase 2: ISO 27001 audit
Your ISO 27001 audit will typically take place in three stages:
1. Readiness assessment
A readiness assessment is a preliminary and typically informal screening your compliance team/consultant will do to see if you’ve met the ISO 27001 requirements and are ready for the next steps. The idea is to streamline the audit process and ensure that your organization is ready for the official audit that follows.
2. Stage 1 or documentation audit
The stage 1 or documentation audit is the official process that requires your auditor to review the documentation you’ve provided that maps out your ISMS and details the security controls and policies you have in place. Based on your SoA and other documentation presented, the auditor will provide you with corrective actions to take on areas like:
- Inadequate risk assessment framework
- Poorly defined ISMS scope
- Missing or incomplete internal audit records
One of the most notable initiatives during this stage is conducting a formal internal audit—as your stage 1 audit will be deemed incomplete without it. Clause 9.2 of the ISO 27001 makes these audits mandatory for certification.
The internal audit is a review of the ISMS from an independent party that had no responsibility in creating the ISMS. This can be someone internally at the organization with the expertise to conduct the audit or a third-party. The internal audit should document the steps taken to review the ISMS, the date the review took place, the people involved, and the subsequent findings.
The goal is to identify gaps, weaknesses, and non-conformities with the standard before an external auditor starts reviewing your ISMS as part of the the official compliance audit in the next stage.
The time interval between the stage 1 and 2 audits might vary depending on your internal audit remediation work or even the requirements of regional certification bodies. It could be anywhere between a few weeks and six months. Once you have received your stage 1 audit report, you can prepare for the stage 2 audit, which evaluates the action and implementation of ISO 27001.
3. Stage 2 or compliance audit
The second stage of the audit is when an external auditor thoroughly investigates and tests your ISMS to verify that you’re following each of the ISO 27001 requirements.
While your auditor will lead the auditing process, you should ideally be available to answer questions about your ISMS, provide additional documentation, and respond to any other requests they might have. Small and medium enterprises with a less complex ISMS may only require 3–5 days to complete this audit, while larger organizations with more complicated IT infrastructure could need 10+ days.
Upon completing the stage 2 audit, the auditor will present a summary of their findings outlining major and minor nonconformities and opportunities for improvement. If any nonconformities are holding you back from a recommendation for certification, you will get a chance to rectify them by a deadline.
Once all corrective actions are completed and approved by your auditor, you will officially receive your ISO 27001 certification.
Phase 3: Maintaining your ISO 27001 certification
Your initial ISO 27001 certification is valid for three years. However, in that timeframe, you’ll need to undergo additional annual audits to maintain your ISO 27001 certification.
Every year after your initial audit, an external ISO 27001 auditor will perform a surveillance audit. This brief, surface-level audit selects and evaluates a few of the key ISO 27001 requirements to ensure you’re still in compliance. The auditor will also review if:
- Your organization addressed the non-confirmities noted during stage 2 audit
- Any material changes were made to your SoA or other associated evidence
If you pass your surveillance audit, you’ll maintain your certification; otherwise, you must complete another full audit.
Since your certification expires three years after your initial audit, you must complete another full audit to receive a new ISO 27001 certification. In practice, this typically excludes the readiness and stage 1 assessments if you have an operating ISMS in place that your auditor is familiar with. You’ll have to undergo all three audits if your ISMS changes significantly or if you work with another auditor.
The simplest way to maintain ISO/IEC 27001 compliance between audits is to integrate monitoring and maintenance into everyday security workflows.
If you want to know how difficult maintaining and obtaining your ISO 27001 certification will be, consider two factors:
- Gap in controls: If your current security posture is far off from ISO 27001 requirements, you’ll have to invest time and resources in new policies, procedures, and technical controls.
- Compliance platform used: Capable compliance management software such as Vanta can significantly speed up your ISO certification workflows. Its features to automate tasks, track compliance progress, and streamline documentation and evidence can make certification easier to achieve and maintain and reduce your team's administrative workload.
How Vanta expedites your ISO 27001 certification
ISO 27001 certification cost and timeline vary across organizations with different size, scope complexity, and resource availability—but with Vanta, you can expect to invest as little as 20–40 hours to become audit-ready at any scale
Markindey Sineus, GRC SME | Vanta
Vanta is an all-in-one compliance and trust management platform that you can leverage to simplify and shorten your ISO 27001 certification process. The platform comes prebuilt with workflows and resources to support compliance with 35+ frameworks and standards, including ISO 27001.
Vanta’s ISO 27001 product focuses on helping you build a lightweight, compliant, and easy-to-manage ISMS where you can automate up to 80% of tasks. Here’s what an automated ISO 27001 certification workflow can look like with Vanta:
- Connect your infrastructure to the Vanta platform with our 370+ built-in integrations
- Assess your risk holistically from one unified view
- Identify areas of non-compliance with in-platform notifications
- Get a checklist of actions to help you make the needed changes
- Automate evidence collection and centralize all your documents in one place
- Find a Vanta-vetted auditor within the platform
- Complete your ISO 27001 certification in half the time
Keeping all certification processes transparent on the platform can save your business valuable time and money during your ISO 27001 audit process. You can seek assistance from Vanta’s in-house ISO 27001 experts anytime.
Request a custom demo to learn how to get your ISO 27001 certification faster.
{{cta_simple2="/cta-modules"}} | ISO 27001 product page
ISO 2001: Frequently asked questions
1. What does being ISO-certified mean?
The ISO is an independent international entity trusted for its comprehensive and rigorous certifications, which hold organizations to a high standard in various business areas. Having any part of your business ISO-certified can contribute greatly to how your organization is perceived within your industry, indicating excellence and reliability.
Furthermore, an ISO 27001 accreditation is a testimony of your commitment to protecting all forms of data that pass through your company—a crucial part of building a reputable brand.
2. Who needs ISO 27001 certification?
ISO 27001 certification is for companies that handle sensitive data or face significant regulatory or operational risks if their information systems are breached.
This certification is not mandatory for all companies, so organizations that identify with any of the following might want to skip ISO 27001:
- Companies that do not handle sensitive data or have minimal risk exposure as part of an industry with few or no regulations to comply with
- Businesses that are already compliant with equivalent or mandatory standards for their industry or region, such as SOC 2, HIPAA, or GDPR
It should be noted that ISO 27001 certification is not for individuals—only for business entities.
3. How much does an ISO 27001 certification cost?
The total cost of attaining an ISO 27001 certification can range from $10,000 to $60,000, depending on the size of your organization and how robust your existing ISMS is—or if you need to build a new one from scratch.
The cost components include:
- Preparation costs, including purchasing the official ISO 27001 standard and implementation guide
- Implementation costs, including staff training and enhancements of security software and tools
- Stage 1 and 2 audit fees
- Surveillance audit fees and, thereafter, recertification costs and audit fees
Your overall costs can also include fees to consultants and any compliance automation software you use, although the latter reduce time and costs in the long run.
4. What is the main purpose of the ISO 27001 certification?
According to the International Organization for Standardization, this is what ISO 27001 aims to achieve:
“ISO/IEC 27001 helps organizations become risk-aware and proactively identify and address weaknesses. ISO/IEC 27001 promotes a holistic approach to information security: vetting people, policies and technology. An information security management system implemented according to this standard is a tool for risk management, cyber-resilience and operational excellence.”
This can be understood as a non-mandatory but highly beneficial certification to enhance a company’s information security frameworks and operations at every level of the organization.
5. How long does the ISO 27001 certification process take?
The ISO 27001 certification process can take several weeks or months to complete, considering the numerous phases and audit types involved. As mentioned earlier, the exact duration depends on your organization's size, the complexity of your ISMS, and the number of controls you need to implement.
6. Does ISO 27001 certification help with HIPAA and HITECH compliance?
HIPAA and HITECH are federal laws within the U.S. healthcare sector, while ISO 27001 is a voluntary international standard that can serve organizations in any industry.
HIPAA was established to protect sensitive health information from disclosure without patient consent. HITECH was introduced to promote the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), strengthen the privacy and security protections of health information, and enable a stronger enforcement of HIPAA requirements.
While both regulations have certain overlaps with ISO 27001 requirements, being ISO 2700-certified does not guarantee compliance with either. You’ll have to follow the respective compliance steps under HIPAA and HITECH to ensure compliance.
Your checklist to ISO 27001 certification
Need to get ISO certified but not sure where to start? This guide walks you through the steps to get ISO 27001 compliant.
See how our ISO 27001 automation works
Request a demo to learn how Vanta can automate up to 80% of the work it takes to get ISO 27001 certified
Your checklist to ISO 27001 certification
Need to get ISO certified but not sure where to start? This guide walks you through the steps to get ISO 27001 compliant.
See how our ISO 27001 automation works
Request a demo to learn how Vanta can automate up to 80% of the work it takes to get ISO 27001 certified
Your checklist to ISO 27001 certification
Need to get ISO certified but not sure where to start? This guide walks you through the steps to get ISO 27001 compliant.
See how our ISO 27001 automation works
Request a demo to learn how Vanta can automate up to 80% of the work it takes to get ISO 27001 certified
Explore more ISO 27001 articles
Introduction to ISO 27001
ISO 27001 requirements
Preparing for an ISO 27001 audit
Streamlining ISO 27001 compliance
Understanding ISO differences
Get started with ISO 27001
Start your ISO 27001 journey with these related resources.
The ISO 27001 Compliance Checklist
ISO 27001 is the global gold standard for ensuring the security of information and its supporting assets. Obtaining ISO 27001 certification can help an organization prove its security practices to potential customers anywhere in the world.
ISO 27001 Compliance for SaaS
On 10 October at 2 PM BST, join the Ask Me (Almost) Anything with Herman Errico and Kim Elias, compliance experts at Vanta. They’ll answer (almost) all your questions about ISO 27001 compliance.
ISO 27001 vs. SOC 2: Which standard is right for my business?
Complying with security standards such as ISO 27001 or SOC 2 can help boost your business, but for technology startups, security compliance is often lower on the list of company priorities.
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