ISO 27001: Security as Part of Your Business Strategy
How ISO 27001 certification can help your business beyond security
With the myriad types of cyberthreats and ways for hackers to breach organizations, security has never been more essential to your business.
According to Hiscox’s 2018 Cyber Readiness Report, an alarming 73% of businesses are novices when it comes to cybersecurity and aren’t ready to respond to a cyberattack. This highlights that, for many businesses, an attack could have a devastating effect. Companies large and small are affected by breaches every day and it’s impossible to know if you’ll be a hacker’s next victim.
To stay ahead of potential threats, you must prioritize security within your business. Even if you do have some form of security in place, if it isn’t properly implemented, then it’ll be of little use when a cyberattack occurs. You need to have a comprehensive security scheme in place, such as ISO 27001.
This certification is seen as the gold standard when it comes to security management systems. ISO 27001 acts as a framework, providing you with the policies and procedures necessary to ensure your data is protected. It’s a model of implementing and maintaining a security system that will give you peace of mind.
To find out more about how a comprehensive framework can benefit your organization, read on.
Stay on Top of Emerging Risks
The way businesses approach security is always changing because the threats they face are always changing. Malware grows more advanced every year and the strategies hackers employ to gain access to your data are getting smarter and more complicated as technology advances. Without a proper security framework in place, it’s only a matter of time before someone gets the best of your business.
This is why gaining ISO 27001 certification is so essential. By following its regulations and requirements, you’ll be able to put into place a comprehensive strategy that secures all aspects of your company. This means you’ll be ready to face new threats when they surface. Without it, it’s likely your company will stumble when facing even a basic cyberthreat, and you’ll have little chance of overcoming more complicated obstacles.
Create a Framework
Constructing a security framework is a difficult task. It can be difficult to know where to start and, even if you’re an expert on the subject, to ensure your strategy is fully comprehensive. Even a small gap can render the whole framework useless.
ISO 27001 allows you to bypass this whole process. As the certification is globally renowned, you can rest assured that following it will set your company on the path to being comprehensively protected.
Improves Consistency
For security protocols to function properly in your business, they need to be implemented consistently. For example, if two teams have different attitudes to handling personal data, then it’s likely to cause issues. If employees don’t have consistent security guidelines to adhere to, it can lead to problems.
The ISO 27001 certification provides you with a consistent, reliable set of rules that you must put into place across the whole of your organization. This makes it easy to locate weak links in your security system and ensures that everyone in your organization has been sufficiently trained to the same standard.
Helps You Adhere to GDPRÂ
When the European Union introduced GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in 2018, it had a huge effect on the way businesses use consumers’ data. Companies are now required to take additional precautions when protecting peoples’ personal information, with infringements having huge consequences such as fines.
ISO 27001 can help provide your business with the proper framework to protect your customers’ personal data. This provides peace of mind not only for you, but also for everyone else who interacts with your business. It also can prove to potential customers that your brand is responsible, so they feel comfortable trusting you with their personal information.
Security as a Product Feature
A final benefit of securing your business is it can easily be promoted as a benefit for customers.
Having ISO 27001 certification can be a deciding factor for a potential customer when choosing whether to use your services or those of a competitor.
You need to highlight the long-term benefits of developing a comprehensive security strategy. While it may not generate revenue directly, it will help you to avoid the costs associated with a data breach. According to research from Accenture, the average cost of a cyberattack for an organization is $13 million, which can be difficult to bounce back from. There’s a reason why security has become an essential part of so many business models!
Concluding Thoughts
Implementing an effective security system in your business can lead to huge benefits. Not only does it secure your company from threats such as hackers and malware, but it also can help instill trust in your customers and boost your reputation as a reliable service provider.
If you’re interested in prioritizing security within your business, consider pursuing the ISO 27001 certification.
— Simon Hall
