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It is an international management system standard ensuring a standardised approach to manage information security proactively. Published by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), ISO/IEC 27001:2013 allows your UAE business to identify and manage your information security risk by achieving the ISO 27001 compliance.

How does it work?

An Information Security Management System (ISMS) is a set of policies, processes, and procedures which combine to enable you to proactively manage risk to your key information assets. These assets are also made up of a set of standardised policies, processes, and procedures which are designed to help you identify which information must be protected alongside the type of protection you require. It also pinpoints mitigating actions you can take to resolve any identified risks.

Why do I need ISO 27001 compliance?

It provides a framework to protect your information assets. What’s more, this framework is recognisable to interested third parties, clients, and vendors, reassuring them that you secure their information appropriately.

Legally

Failing to protect your information can have catastrophic consequences. In Europe, a failure to protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII, or any data from which an individual could be identified) could result in prosecution of your business under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You could be fined up to 4% of your global turnover or 20 million euros, whichever is the higher figure.

Although there is no direct legal requirement to implement ISO 27001, you should review any contractual obligations you have to protect your clients’ and other stakeholders’ information and data. The trend for customers to require third party suppliers to implement or certify to ISO 27001 is only growing, and in those instances where it is required, it is thus a legal requirement by way of contract.

Other considerations

It’s not just legal consequences that can affect your organisation’s financials. A failure to protect information can generate enormous negative publicity which damages your brand and your reputation, leading to potentially disastrous results on your ability to generate revenue in future.

By implementing an ISMS based upon 27001, your emirates business has the dual advantage of boosting confidence in your information security practices as well as helping to protect you from the worst impacts of what happens if you fail to do so. By identifying your greatest risks and their solutions, you minimise risk to your business.

ISO 27001 Compliance Certification

Becoming accredited for ISO 27001 compliance by independent certification provides reassurance to your customers and third parties. This is achieved by an assessment of your ISMS by an accredited certification body. Once attained, you can showcase your commitment to cybersecurity and contrast favourably with non-compliant competitors.

Implementing ISO 27001 will take different amounts of time for different businesses. Companies differ in terms of size, complexity, resources, and existing systems, which all impact the time frame to become accredited.

Typically, small non-complex businesses could expect to attain ISO 27001 compliance within six to nine months. For larger companies with more complex environments, this could take anywhere within the range for 9 – 18 months.

If you’re wanting to become ISO 27001 compliant but would like assistance to implement any security changes, Cloud Technologies based in Dubai is here to help. Please get in contact with us today.