ISO 27001 Certification: Is It Necessary in 2021?
Most businesses that rely on information technology systems view ISO 27001 certification standards as dated. They don’t see the need to invest money into establishing a standard that can compete globally. Unfortunately, this could lead to their downfall. With businesses moving to a more distributed working environment, data security and information systems security management become more of a concern. Statista mentions that the average cost of a data breach in 2020 came up to a whopping US$3.86 million. Businesses need to secure their internal information, but is that even something a company can securely do in the age of remote working? It’s clear that having a robust information security management system is of crucial importance in 2021, but how does a business ensure it can protect itself from global threats? ISO 27001 certification was developed for just this reason.
How Does ISO 27001 Certification Help?
We’ve delved into the benefits of ISO 27001 certification on this blog many times before. Even so, there are distinct benefits that the certification offers to businesses. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) mentions that the ISO 27001 standard sets up a framework to secure a wide range of data, ranging from financial information to personal and employee data. Business data, in particular, is as valuable as gold in the modern age. Malicious users would stop at nothing to gain access to a company’s databases. It might not even be the company’s finances that they’re after, but concrete data that they can sell to competitors. The framework established and maintained by ISO 27001 certification keeps that data safe.
The framework itself isn’t a plug. Implementing it won’t magically fix the problem of data breaches or scams that intend to extract the company’s information. However, it helps to create a culture of security. With employees having a focus on keeping their data secure, it’s second nature to do the same for the business’s data. Remote working means that home computers are the “weak link” when it comes to security. A business culture centered on keeping data secure will ensure that it’s much more difficult for a malicious user to leverage an employee’s machine to get access to company data. ISO 27001 helps to create that culture of security.
Added Value Through Certification
Certification gives businesses that want to enter global markets a leg-up in dealing with local regulations. Because the global marketplace is now connected seamlessly through the internet, a business’s care for client data is as vital as securing their own information. An established ISO 27001 standard ensures that a company has a framework in place to shut down data breaches and prevent information extraction from malicious users. From a business perspective, a client will see this as an absolute plus. Ideally, if all businesses within a supply chain demonstrate ISO 27001 certification, all data within the supply chain will remain protected at all times. In areas of the world such as the EU, this is a prelude to data security as mentioned under the General Data Protection Requirements (GDPR).
Staying Ahead of the Arms Race
Data security relies heavily on staying ahead of threats. With each passing day, the threats to a business’s data increase. Having a robust framework in place as established by the ISO 27001 certification ensures that the enterprise is ready to face threats. From security exploits to scams coming through email, a company cannot be too prepared to deal with these issues. Unfortunately, not every business has trained personnel to offer feedback on their ISO 27001 certification attempts. Hiring an external consultant can be a helpful addition. Sync Resource has been helping companies to achieve their ISO 27001 certification goals for years. Contact us today, and let’s help guide you towards certification and shore up your information security management systems.
