If you have heard about GDPR or ISO 27001 certifications, you may be wondering how your business may benefit from getting these certifications. To become ISO 27001 or GDPR compliant, you need to seek certification from an accredited institution that will conduct an audit to ensure the organization’s compliance.
Gruntify is investing in acquiring ISO 27001 and GDPR certifications. This article covers why we are investing in these certifications as well as how our customers will benefit from them.
What is ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 is the international standard for information security management. It was published by The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2005 and revised in 2013 and 2017. It outlines three essential pillars of effective information security management to help organizations set up and manage sensitive data:
- People
- Processes
- Technology
Outlining the requirements of an Information Security Management System (ISMS) helps companies defend themselves from internal threats like human error and highly organized ones. ISO also clearly defines the steps an organization needs to take to secure itself.
What is GDPR?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires all organizations conducting business within the EU or collecting data of EU citizens to comply with rules to protect that data. It requires best practices in data security from both companies that collect data as well as those that process data on behalf of others.
How is GDPR Different from ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 is a voluntary certification requiring organizations to take a risk-based approach in managing sensitive data. On the other hand, GDPR compliance is mandatory to protect the personal data of EU citizens.
GDPR Data Privacy Requirements
The GDPR requires data processors and controllers to comply with data protection as well as data privacy rules. Data protection means keeping data safe from breaches, and data privacy means empowering users to decide who can process their data and for what purpose.
Some of the critical requirements of the GDPR:
- Mandatory breach notification. Data processors must report all personal data breaches to data controllers, who in turn must report these breaches to the Data Protection Commission (DPC) in Ireland within 72 hours. Data subjects must also be notified.
- Valid consent must be freely given, informed, specific, and unambiguous. There should be a provision to withdraw consent at any time. Further, inactivity and pre-ticked boxes do not qualify as consent.
- Data should also be processed within the confines of legal and contractual obligations and for the organization’s legitimate interests.
ISO 27001 Requirements
Because every company or business has its unique requirements when implementing an ISMS, none of the information security controls is mandatory for compliance. However, two activities are crucial when implementing ISO 27001:
- Document the scope of your ISMS. Here, you need to define the information that needs protection.
- Conduct a risk assessment. This is to identify the threats to your information as well as define a risk treatment methodology, which includes the Statement of Applicability (SoA).
Organizations are also required to complete the following mandatory clauses:
- Information security policy and objectives (clauses 5.2 and 6.2)
- Information risk treatment process (clause 6.1.3)
- Risk treatment plan (clauses 6.1.3 e and 6.2)
- Risk assessment report (clause 8.2)
- Records of training, skills, experience, and qualifications (clause 7.2)
- Monitoring and measurement results (clause 9.1)
- Internal audit program (clause 9.2)
- The results of internal audits (clause 9.2)
- Results of the management review (clause 9.3)
- Results of corrective actions (clause 10.1)
How Businesses Benefit from an ISO 27001 Certification
An ISO 27001 compliant ISMS enables businesses to identify and treat cybersecurity risks. The most apparent reason to certify to ISO 27001 is to protect your organization from external security breaches and internal threats like accidental breaches.
Other reasons to get ISO 27001 certified also include:
- It will steer the success of the business. An ISO 27001 certification demonstrates the business’s good security practices and shows stakeholders how seriously it takes information security. This will help the business win new clients, protect its reputation, retain existing clients, as well as give it a leg up over the competition.
- The company will avoid regulatory fines and losses due to data breaches. ISO 27001 also helps companies avoid financial penalties associated with non-compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. It also helps companies avoid the hefty cost of data breaches, which is at a record high of $4.24 million as estimated by IBM.
- It reduces the need for frequent audits. ISO 27001 certification is a global indication of security effectiveness, reducing the need for repeated customer audits.
- It will improve the company’s structure. As companies grow, it does not take long before people lose focus over who is responsible for which information assets. ISO 27001 impeccably sets out information risk responsibility, ensuring everyone remains focused on their information security tasks.
Final Thoughts on Data Protection and Data Privacy
GDPR outlines the proper collection of personal data. Its main objective is to protect the privacy rights of customers. On the other hand, ISO 27001 outlines how the collected data can be secured. Its main aim is to protect this data, both personal data and that of the organization.
The data privacy principles of GDPR and the information security requirements of ISO 27001 are pretty straightforward. The law asks companies to give people control over who has access to their data and how it can be used. Additionally, the law requires the companies to protect this data to ensure it is secure and protected from attacks and threats. Getting a GDPR or ISO 27001 certification can do the following for Gruntify and our customers:
- Our business’ reputation for quality will strengthen.
- Our customers will benefit from data privacy. Customers will dictate who can process their data and for what purpose. Giving control to the customer will also ensure trust and client retention.
- These certifications will help us adhere to standards and laws throughout the world as a company with a global vision.
How Your Business Can Leverage the Use of Technology
Technology is transforming the way people work around the world. By removing old, manual processes and introducing cloud and native mobile apps, information can flow quickly between the office to the field and back to the office.
Additionally, GPS and location intelligence (maps) automate business processes based on real-time location data. For example, you can assign work to the nearest available worker. Geofencing is also used for logging when workers approach an asset or leave it.
At Gruntify, we value the customer perspective. We want you to know how the data you share with us is used and, most importantly, that the data is secure. Get in touch to learn more!
