ISO 27001 Audit

An ISO 27001 audit is a systematic, independent, objective and documented process for gathering facts. As part of the ISO 27001 certification process, a number of audits must be performed in order to help you identify areas for improvement, ensure you have best practice processes in place and keep your corporate information and data protected.

The key objectives of an ISO 27001 audit are:

• To ensure that your Information Security Management System (ISMS) is compliant with the ISO 27001 standard
• To address any issues with the ISMS
• To identify any potential improvements to the ISMS
• To outline and take corrective action to non-conformances to the ISO 27001 Standard.

Driving continual improvement is a key part of Annex SL-based Standards and it is recommended that you carry out regular internal and external audits as part of this.

With the release of the update to the ISO 27001:2022 Standard, now has never been a better time to review your systems.

Contact us for your ISO 27001 audit.

The ISO 27001 internal audit looks to test the information security management system within your company. An internal audit will highlight areas needing attention allowing you to improve the processes within your company.

By looking at how things are done and comparing them with how they should be done, you can identify areas for improvement. You should record these observations and review the audit results at regular management review meetings, which should occur between one and four times a year.

What’s involved in an ISO 27001 internal audit?

• An internal audit of the ISO 27001 Standard should include the following:
• A documentation review – Reviewing organisational processes and procedures.
• Audit to checklist – Audit to the checklist that samples evidence of you following guidelines.
• Analysis of the data found
• Internal audit report and actions to take.
• Review the internal audit report with management.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT INTERNAL AUDITS

Here at Citation ISO Certification, we have a team of over 30 consultants nationwide who have helped to implement and certify over 20,000 management systems. Their wealth of knowledge and experience means that our consultants are able to offer bespoke feedback on your company’s needs, and how implementing ISO 27001 can complement your business strategy.

How often should an ISO 27001 audit take place?

The yearly external audit is a way of ensuring the documented processes are being followed and that compliance with the ISO 27001 Standard is being maintained.

External audits can also be performed on your suppliers which can form a vital part of your due diligence procedures before awarding contracts. We can help with these type of audits also. Our consultants are experienced in a wide range of sectors, making their auditing skills extremely useful, whether you need a standard ISO 27001 audit, or an audit that is specific to your requirements. Please visit our third party auditing page for more information.

What’s the difference between an internal ISO 27001 audit and external audit?

Internal audits are performed by the business on their own systems as part of the maintenance of its management system. They look at individual systems and processes, looking to confirm that they are still fit for purpose.

For smaller businesses, or those struggling to prepare for an External Audit, it is possible for a third party to visit and carry out the Internal Audits on their behalf.

An external ISO 27001 audit ensures impartiality, these are performed by a nominated external third party at various intervals throughout the year, before and in addition to the external ISO certification audit that’s performed by your ISO certification provider.

What are the benefits of an ISO 27001 Audit?  

There are many reasons why you should conduct an external or internal audit of ISO 27001 which include:

Minimising security risks:

By auditing to the ISO 27001:2022 Standard you’ll have an up-to-date understanding of pitfalls in your organisation’s cyber security through a gap analysis and using an internal audit checklist. This level of risk management will be appreciated by all teams knowing that their data is safe.

Compliance:

Many countries have data protection laws in place and it is crucial that you abide by them, such as the GDPR in the EU, ISO 27001 provides a framework to implement robust security measures and controls to protect personal data, helping organisations comply with these data protection laws.

Continual improvement:

ISO 27001 audits can benefit your company as they foster an organisational culture of continuous improvement. Organisations can discover opportunities for improvement in cyber security teams and processes. Audits provide significant insights into the efficacy of existing systems, allowing organisations to make data-driven decisions and take proactive actions to continuously improve safety performance.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EXTERNAL AUDITS