Strengthening Data Security and Compliance in a modern age of GDPR and ISO 27001

In today's digital age, data has become the lifeblood of business operations. As the importance of data grows, so do the concerns surrounding its security and privacy. Two significant frameworks that address these concerns are the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ISO 27001 standard.

GDPR focuses on protecting individuals' personal data and their privacy rights, while ISO 27001 provides a comprehensive framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving information security management systems (ISMS).

In this blog post, we'll explore the symbiotic relationship between GDPR and ISO 27001 and how organisations can benefit from integrating these two frameworks, to achieve optimal best-practice digital and information security.

Understanding GDPR and ISO 27001

What is GDPR

For the past 5 years, Ireland, along with all other EU member states, has been subject to the EU GDPR and as most of us will have read in the media, this stringent data protection regulation has not just impacted on Irish businesses, it has also had a serious knock on effect on global organisations whose HQs are based locally across the country. Social Media multi-national Meta being just one of several cases in point.

GDPR is a regulation that was implemented by the European Union (EU) in 2018 to safeguard the privacy and personal data of EU citizens. It applies to all organizations processing personal data of EU residents, regardless of their location. GDPR outlines stringent requirements for data controllers and processors, including principles related to data minimization, consent, transparency, and individuals' rights.

In terms of reputation, nothing tells customers and supply chain partners that your organisation is totally committed to data privacy more than attaining and maintaining compliance with GDPR.

This is how ISO 27001 can come into play.

What is ISO 27001?

ISO 27001 is a globally recognised standard for information security management. A benchmark for data and digital security, it demonstrates, to both internal and external stakeholders, that the organisation takes seriously its obligations to keep personal data secure and risk-managed against threats.

It provides a systematic approach to managing and protecting sensitive information through risk assessment and risk management processes. On a generic level, ISO standards provide a robust framework for effective risk management; add ISO 27001 into the mix and you have a best-practice operational structure for data management good governance. An industry-leading IS process-architecture, ISO 27001 can be pivotal to effective and vigorous cyber and data security change process management. It can also act as a highly reliable mechanism via which organisations can achieve full compliance with the rigours of GDPR.

Which Aspects of Data Privacy does ISO 27001 Cover?

ISO 27001 focusses on data privacy - or keeping personal information secure - meaning it is aligned with GDPR in both message and objective. Furthermore, it enforces data privacy, vulnerability-assesses data management policies and structures, offering organisations a second layer to their risk management methodology, and compels compliance with data-driven laws and regulations, industry/national and EU.

At a high level, ISO 27001 drills down into the following areas that fall under the Data Privacy umbrella.

• Asset Management
• HR & Resource Management
• Monitoring, Management & Continuous Improvement.

As well as the following aspects of Privacy:

• Incident Management including containment strategies and business continuity
• Operations incl. Change Management and Access Control
• Policies & Procedures, Codes of Conduct
• Risk Management
• Roles and Responsibilities
• System Design.

How can ISO 27001 Help my Organisation with Data Protection?

In response to this almost blanket coverage of so many aspects of day-to-day business by the EU directive, ISO 27001 streamlines, enhances and underpins best-practice processes and systems across all of these areas:

1.

Supporting employees in the performance of their duties by offering a more ‘simplex’ business process and clear and transparent guideline to mitigate error and confusion;

2.

Risk-based approach offers high levels of data security, identifying gaps/areas for improvement and ensuring staff work to industry best-practices when handling/processing personal data;

3.

Driving awareness and understanding of data & digital security, and giving employees the knowledge and skills they need to avoid the types of basic errors that can so easily result in a data breach;

4.

By having to document and continuously update policies, strategies and objectives, organisations build a large library or knowledge base upon which they can draw when seeking clarification or guidance, driving employee awareness or effecting change management;

5.

ISO 27001 mandates organisations to identify, define and assign clear roles and responsibilities within the organisation, resulting in clarity of purpose and a clear awareness across the organisation of who has responsibility for which aspects of data management, what the function of their role is, and most especially which employees they should turn to in the event of a potential risk, serious error or suspected/actual data breach;

How can ISO 27001 Help my Staff to Comply with GDPR?

ISO 27001 Information Security Management System Standard has many benefits, not least of which is the positive impact it can have on employee understanding of and buy-in into best-practice security protocols, policies and processes. In adhering to the requirements of ISO 27001, all employees must work to a streamlined risk-oriented management system. Risk-focussed training programs will drive awareness not just of their obligations under the clauses of the ISO standard, but of their responsibilities under those of the GDPR, including the availability and handling of customer and business partner data.

ISO 27001 prepares relevant employees to work to, oversee and look for opportunities to improve the ISMS. It also supports a culture of confidentiality, meticulousness, transparency and above all, honesty. This in turn serves to underpin the organisation’s standing in terms of data governance and GDPR compliance.

What Aspects of Information Security will ISO 27001 Support?

In the first instance, the priority dual-objectives of ISO 27001 are to mitigate Data Privacy Risks and optimise Data Security performance. By leveraging the ISO Information Security standard and associated management system, an organisation is implementing vigorous Data Protection mechanisms which by their very nature, will ensure data is locked down and risks, if not entirely mitigated, significantly minimised.

As ISO 27001 mandates ongoing monitoring and management, as well as continuous improvement of data security, so does the EU GDPR, a clause of which outlines the need to “regular testing, assessing and evaluating” those data management measures in place. Essentially, what this is means is that compliance with one automatically results in compliance with the other. Double benefits for one single, albeit extensive, organisation-wide change process roll-out.

On a more granular level, ISO 27001 crosses over multiple aspects and elements of day-to-day business operations including:

Asset Management

Asset Management mandates the meticulous management of assets such as devices, including where they are used, eg. using lockable security cable to secure laptops, end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, access control, tightly managed authorisation process to control the movement and/or removal of assets from office/home office locations etc.; clean desk policies will not just ensure that employees safely store their devices in secure lockers or bins, they also make sure that printed data isn’t left lying around for anyone to see or remove;

Business Continuity

Business Continuity in streamlining processes, optimising systems, and driving awareness and preparedness as well as mandating risk/remediation planning to mitigate outages and minimise downtime, ISO 27001 is the bedrock of operational continuity in the event of a data breach or leak;

Information Security

Information Security by having to document all processes, procedures, protocols, objectives and guidelines, develop stringent security policies, inform and up-skill employees, perform gap analyses and vulnerability assessment, and ring-fence system security measures, organisations will have robust structures in place to underpin best-practice data processing and security methodologies;

Resource Management

Resource Management is a pre-requisite of ISO 27001 is effective leadership, another is employee awareness and training; these clauses defines the rules by which senior management must both engage with and lead their workforce. This in turn, results in employee buy-in to security best practices and an awareness across the organisation of the potential vulnerabilities and risks posed by things including phishing and scam emails, insecure links to unknown or strange websites (resulting in malware attacks or viruses), 3rd party (non-work related) applications being installed on work devices etc.. By undergoing training programs staff gain greater awareness of both risks and security best-practices, meaning they will be more alert and better informed in the day-to-day fulfilment of their duties;

Risk Management

Risk Management is a priority of the ISO standard, clearly defined and effectively deployed risk management will result in quick and seamless identification of weaknesses and vulnerabilities, ongoing monitoring and scrutiny of systems and processes especially IT infrastructure and applications, and governance-led management of all areas and aspects of the business with the potential to fall victim to human error, weakness, malpractice and external threats.

These are just some of many examples of how ISO 27001 can achieve optimal data privacy and digital security while at the same time, protecting organisations from data breaches and non-compliance with GDPR.

Together, these standards present a well-rounded and nuanced approach to end-to-end data protection and privacy management.

Are ISO 27001 and GDPR Closely Aligned?

In short, the requirements detailed in ISO 27001 are indeed closely aligned with the obligations placed on organisations by the GDPR. An internationally recognised and widely adopted framework for best practice Information Security, ISO 27001 is the perfect counterweight to the onerous GDPR, providing a comprehensive structure that meets the multiple tests posted by the EU directive.

For example, the GDPR mandates that specific risk-focussed measures are taken in the processing of data; ISO 27001 requires and defines those very measures. By imposing the need to perform gap analyses and risk assessments , and develop a document library to define and clarify the processes and objectives of the management system, the ISO standard steers organisations towards pro-active self-protection in respect of systems, data and employees - against the impact of a severe threat.

How can an ISO Consultant help with ISO 27001 and GDPR compliance?

Through understanding the various clauses and requirements of ISO 27001, ISO Consultants like CG Business Consulting can advise and guide organisations in the adoption and implementation of the tenets and processes developed by ISO that will help them achieve both a robust data management system and full compliance with the GDPR.

By reviewing and identifying the volume, type, location and usage of data held, and mapping the outputs to the processes and systems already in place, the ISO consultant will be able to design a best-fit solution that will deliver an uncomplicated data security management system, tailored to meet the organisation’s needs.

CG Business Consulting partners with organisations to maximise the benefits of ISO 27001, guiding them through the certifications process, implementing a custom ISMS and working closely with them to ensure a smooth transition that will not just deliver optimal efficiencies and data security, but offer them the chance to simultaneously meet their obligations under national and international law, including the EU GDPR.

In an era where data breaches and privacy concerns are rampant, organisations must prioritise both information security and data protection.

Integrating GDPR and ISO 27001 creates a synergistic relationship that empowers organisations to establish a robust information security management system while ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. By aligning these two frameworks, organisations can build a strong foundation for data security, privacy, and overall business success.

To summarise GDPR focuses on data privacy and the protection of personal information; it requires organisations to obtain explicit consent for data collection and ensuring that all data is processed lawfully. However, it lacks technical controls regarding an appropriate level of data security or mitigate internal and external threats. ISO 27001 provides controls and comprehensive policies to minimise security risks that might lead to security incidents.

If you are a business or start-up seeking a workable yet robust data security management system, contact CG Business Consulting on 01 620 4121 or hello@cgbc.ie today.

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