A startup can go years without thinking about ISO 27001. A prospective enterprise client is contacted via email “Please give us ISO 27001 as part of our review of our vendor.”
Now, certification isn’t a thing to be considered the next time. The company would like to close the specific contract.
For many growing companies, that’s the practical starting point for ISO 27001 for small business. The problem is to figure out what needs to be done without changing a simple security program into an enterprise-sized compliance plan.
Week One is supposed to be about Scope, not shopping
The initial reaction is to begin comparing compliance platforms and consultants. The ideal place to begin is by defining the requirements that an ISMS or Information Security Management System needs to be able to contain.
The scope of the project is essential, as adding unnecessary systems, locations or processes to the documentation may lead to additional evidence and documentation requirements.
A small SaaS company, like might have a targeted environment based on cloud infrastructure including employee devices, customer details, and even a handful of important vendors. Understanding the environment can help determine the specific issues that the certification process will need to focus on.
Take a look at the security you Already Have
Companies looking into ISO 27001 for startups sometimes think they will need to create an entirely new security process.
It could be that it is not the instance.
A modern startup might already require multi-factor authentication. It could also restrict employees’ rights, manage the system logs, handle backups in the document onboarding process and offboarding, and use existing cloud services. It’s important to review current practices in relation to ISO 27001, but if you start with what works currently, it could save unnecessary duplicates.
The remaining task is to document policies, performing a risk assessment, determining applicable Annex A controls, completing the Statement of Applicability and obtaining evidence.
Be aware of which invoices pay for What
The ISO 27001 cost becomes much simpler to comprehend when costs aren’t bundled into one number.
A small-sized business could range from $10,000 to $30,000 once the independent certification audit, compliance software and internal staff time are taken into account. The cost of consulting can be added, however it is not an essential expense.
The ISO 27001 certification cost charged by an accredited certification agency is important to distinguish from the software costs. A compliance platform can assist organize the work, but it is not able to award the certification. The independent auditing process is what validates the certificate.
Then Comes the Evidence
The mere fact of a policy that says access to employees is restricted after leaving isn’t enough. The auditor needs to examine evidence to prove that the system is implemented.
ISO 27001 is based on the distinction between saying and showing.
CertAssist was created to assist in coordinating this process, but without connecting to the live systems of a company. It shows all 93 ISO 27001-2022 Annex A control templates on one board. A customizable policy and an evidence templates are also included.
If you have a small group, templates can help remove the tedious task of writing each policy from the beginning of a blank document.
The Finish Line isn’t Certification Day
Based on the existing security procedures and capabilities depending on their security policies and resources, it can take a new company between three and six month to prepare for certification. The body that certifies will perform the Stage 1 and Stage 2 auditories.
The ISMS isn’t forgotten because you have passed the audits. Controls and evidence have to be maintained and surveillance audits must be conducted following the certification.
This is an important aspect to take into consideration when developing the program. Small companies don’t just need to have an ISMS they can afford. It requires an ISMS that ensures its team can work effectively following the initial project ended.
It’s rare to find the ISO 27001 programme for smaller businesses the most efficient. It’s one that complies with ISO 27001 standards, shows the best practices in security, is subject to independent scrutiny and can be managed once everyone has returned to normal duties.