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Information security is no longer optional for businesses of any size. Every organization must develop an information security management system (ISMS) to guide implementation and track compliance for applicable security and privacy requirements.

If there is no specific regulatory or client-mandated framework, leaders should choose a standard that works for their organization. ISO 27001:2022 is a popular international standard because it is complete, widely respected, and well-documented. It may seem too complex for small businesses at first glance, but fortunately, that is not the case. ISO 27001 is flexible and customizable, so implementation can be customized to meet your needs.

ISO 27001 scales to both large and small organizations, allowing enterprises to apply security controls tailored to their size, business type, and IT setup. In this article, we discuss best practices for the creation of an ISMS for a small business, using the ISO 27001 standard as a basis for choosing and implementing controls.

This article references many additional ISO standards. You do not need to know these standards to read this article. Think of them as references to other resources you can explore when needed. Like ISO 27001, they provide guidance to simplify aspects of your compliance efforts. Look to these additional references for clarification when you are not certain how to measure or implement a control.

Summary of Key ISO 27001 for Startups Best Practices

Understand the ISO 27001 Standard and Its Requirements

Review the structure of ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 before starting implementation. Knowing the structure will help you break tasks into workable components and find references. Once you have a handle on the overall documentation, you can take time to read each section.

ISO 27001 contains two types of controls: required and optional. Section 4.4 outlines required ISMS processes, while Annex A presents security controls you can select based on your risk assessment. The standard requires you to conduct risk assessments before selecting controls. Section 6.1 explains how to assess risks and choose appropriate controls. Your risk assessment results determine which optional controls you need. Per ISO guidance, organizations must document reasons for including or excluding each Annex A control.

Fortunately, guidance is also available for both written and technical control implementation. ISO/IEC 27003 provides practical implementation guidance. It includes examples of required documentation and suggested project phases. Use this standard with ISO 27001 to plan your implementation.

Create a Security Program That Includes ISO 27001 Clauses 4-10

An ISMS framework based on ISO 27001 Clauses 4-10 is the basis of an effective security program. Here’s a summary of these clauses:

• Clause 4, Context of the Organization: Understand your organization's environment and security needs.

• Clause 5, Leadership: Management must support and provide resources for ISMS.

• Clause 6, Planning: Evaluate and manage security risks.

• Clause 7, Support: Provide necessary resources for ISMS.

• Clause 8, Operation: Manage and control daily security operations.

• Clause 9, Performance Evaluation: Regularly check and review ISMS performance.

• Clause 10, Improvement: Continuously improve ISMS based on reviews and audits.

Clause 4 examines your organization's environment. This includes identifying factors affecting your security needs, such as regulations, stakeholder needs, and industry risks. Organizations should define their ISMS scope based on business operations, information assets, and technology structure. The ISO 27001 standard emphasizes understanding internal and external contexts before implementation, as documented in sections 4.1 and 4.2 of the standards. The statement of applicability (SoA) must include all locations, functions, and technologies where information security applies.

Clause 5 addresses leadership's role in creating an effective ISMS. Management must support and provide resources for ISMS work and upkeep. Organizations need security policies that match their business direction, with clear communication to all parties. Specific security management duties must be given to establish clear authority. The standard details these requirements in sections 5.1 through 5.3, with explicit guidance on leadership commitment, policy establishment, and organizational roles. The information security policy must be documented and communicated throughout the organization according to section 5.2.

Clause 6 addresses risk evaluation, following the ISO 31000 framework for risk management. Organizations must check, study, and rate security risks linked to their environment and goals. They must set risk acceptance levels and choose treatment methods based on risk tolerance and resources. They must set concrete security goals and plans, considering risk findings and legal requirements. ISO 27005, the complementary standard for information security risk management, provides a detailed methodology for this process. The risk assessment methodology must be defined and documented according to section 6.1.2.

Clause 7 examines resource management through specific requirements outlined in the standard. Organizations must provide enough staff, money, and tools to run and maintain the ISMS. People handling security management must have the needed skills and training. Effective ways to share security rules, methods, and results with relevant groups must exist. The standard addresses competence requirements in section 7.2 and communication protocols in section 7.4. Documentation requirements are detailed in section 7.5, mandating the creation and control of documented information.

Clause 8 looks at daily management and operational control. Security controls must match the risks and organizational goals that are found. Changes to the ISMS need careful management, with checks on security effects and updates required. Methods must be created to find, handle, and fix security problems. Annex A of ISO 27001 provides 93 control objectives and controls in 4 domains, serving as a comprehensive reference for security measure implementation. The standard requires documented operational planning and control procedures, as specified in section 8.1.

Clause 9 checks results through structured evaluation processes. Regular checks and reviews must track how well the ISMS and controls work. Success in meeting security goals needs assessment, using measurements and feedback to find ways to do better. Records must show the ISMS meets ISO 27001 rules and handles security risks well. The standard mandates internal audits (section 9.2) and management reviews (section 9.3) at planned intervals. Internal audits must occur at scheduled intervals and follow the requirements of ISO 19011 for management system auditing.

Clause 10 focuses on ongoing updates through documented improvement procedures. Regular ISMS reviews must find ways to improve, using audit results, problem reports, and business needs or risk changes. Fix current problems and prevent future ones. Keep improving the ISMS to meet changing security needs. Section 10.2 explicitly addresses continual improvement methodologies, where the organization continues to monitor for and document further deviations and any corrective actions in response.

Scope Your Compliance Efforts

The ISO 27001 standard outlines specific requirements for ISMS scope definition in section 4.3. Small businesses must define their ISMS scope to optimize resource use. According to ISO 27001 implementation documentation, imprecise scoping leads to resource overextension or security gaps. Fortunately, you can access other complementary security standards that scope your efforts and provide perspective on what should be included.

The ISO 27001 standard connects with other ISO security standards, including ISO 27002 (security controls), ISO 27003 (implementation guidance), ISO 27004 (measurements), and ISO 27005 (risk management). These additional standards address other aspects of an organized ISMS, which helps document and implement the full range of organizational security. ISO 27701 extends ISO 27001 to include privacy management, addressing requirements for protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII). For example: 

• ISO/IEC 27003 provides guidance for documenting business processes and information assets. The standard requires organizations to list operational functions and data management practices. Section 4.3(c) specifies that organizations must document information processing methods, storage locations, and data classification protocols.

• Per ISO 27001 section 4.1, organizations must examine their technical systems. Documentation should list hardware, software, networks, and connections. The ISO 27003 guidance emphasizes the inclusion of cloud services and remote systems in technical documentation.

• ISO 27001 section 5.3 addresses personnel documentation requirements. Organizations must record job duties, access permissions, and security tasks for employees and contractors. Section 7.2 outlines competence documentation protocols for staff who handle protected data.

• ISO/IEC 27036 provides standards for supplier relationships in information security. Organizations must document external service providers, data exchanges, and security agreements. The standard mandates recording both direct and indirect external dependencies.

• ISO 27003 section 5.4.2 indicates that scope statements need regular updates as business needs change. Per ISO 27001 requirements, documentation must include items, exclusions, and supporting evidence.

Obtain Organizational Support

ISO 27001 sections 5 and 5.1 establish requirements for management involvement in ISMS operations. Executives must demonstrate active support for the security program through resource allocation—providing appropriate levels of staff and funding for security operations. Section 7.3 extends these requirements to staff training, specifying that all employees must receive security awareness training, including ISMS procedures and consequences of security violations. Section 7.4 requires that organizations document how they distribute security-related information, including recipient lists, update schedules, and communication channels.

Organizations must maintain records that define assigned security responsibilities and duties for each role, with ISO/IEC 27003 providing additional guidance on documenting these assignments. Section 7.3 also requires that persons with security responsibilities receive security education as applicable to their duties.

Design Tailored ISMS Controls

ISO 27002:2022 provides detailed specifications for security control implementation. Section 8.1 of ISO 27001 requires organizations to plan and execute controls according to their risk assessment results.

• Per ISO standards, implementation starts with documenting current security practices. Organizations must examine existing controls and identify gaps against ISO 27002 requirements. This assessment helps determine which controls need updates and which must be created from scratch.

• ISO 27001 section 8.1 outlines specific documentation requirements for security controls. Organizations must document each control's operation, management responsibilities, and implementation steps. The documentation specifies how staff should execute the control procedures and measure their applicability and effectiveness. Every control also requires a documented responsible party.

• Section 7.2 states that staff need training on new controls. Organizations must keep records showing that employees understand and can use the controls properly.

• ISO 27001 section 9.1 requires organizations to check if controls work as intended. Section 8.1 mandates updates to controls when checks show problems or when business needs change.

The standard emphasizes making controls fit your organization while meeting security requirements. ISO 27003 provides examples of how to adapt controls without reducing their security value.

Complete a Surveillance Audit

ISO 27001 section 9.2 requires internal audits at scheduled times before certification. The standard specifies that organizations must assess whether their ISMS meets ISO requirements and their documented security objectives.

Per ISO 19011, internal audits need structured documentation. Section 9.2 states that organizations must record:

•  Audit scope and methods.

•  Results and findings.

•  Evidence reviewed.

•  Any gaps found between practices and requirements.

•  Corrective steps planned.

ISO 27001 section 9.1 mandates performance evaluation of the ISMS. Organizations must measure their security controls against set targets using documented metrics. Section 9.3 requires management to review these results and approve needed changes.

Section 10.1 directs organizations to fix any problems found during audits. The standard requires documenting each issue, its root cause, and steps taken to address it. According to the ISO guidance, these corrections must occur before requesting certification.

Live and Breathe the ISMS

ISO 27001 section 9.1 requires organizations to incorporate security practices into standard work procedures and document how security controls relate to business operations. Under section 7.5, organizations must maintain records that satisfy two purposes:

• Support day-to-day security operations

• Demonstrate compliance during audits

ISO 27004 guides security measurements. Section 9.1 requires organizations to track specific metrics about their ISMS performance. These measurements must show whether security controls protect information as intended. Section 10.1 states that organizations must document their methods for handling:

•  Security events.

•  Control failures.

•  Process problems.

ISO 27001 section 9.3 requires periodic management reviews of the ISMS. Organizations must assess whether their security practices match current business needs and risks. Section 8.1 mandates updates to procedures when conditions change. Section 7.5.3 specifies requirements for controlling and updating ISMS documentation. Organizations must ensure their records stay current and accessible to the appropriate staff.

Perform Your Certification Audit

Organizations seeking certification must work with certification bodies that hold accreditation from their national authority and demonstrate specific expertise in information security management systems assessment. The certification audit process consists of two stages: Stage 1 reviews documentation and readiness, while Stage 2 assesses implementation and effectiveness.

Certification involves a structured process defined by ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 27006, which establish the foundation for ISMS certification requirements, while ISO 27001 section 9.2.1 mandates internal audits as a prerequisite to certification. Section 7.5 of ISO 27001 outlines the documentation package required for certification review. This package must contain the organization's ISMS scope statement, security policies, procedures, risk assessment results, and records of control implementation. Organizations must also include performance measurements, internal audit reports, and management review documentation to demonstrate system effectiveness and oversight. 

The implementation timeline depends on organizational factors such as size, complexity, and existing security controls. According to ISO's certification guidelines, organizations must undergo annual surveillance audits and complete recertification every three years to maintain their certified status. 

Respond to Audit Results

The certification assessment follows a two-stage process under ISO/IEC 17021-1 guidelines. The first stage examines the organization's ISMS documentation to verify completeness and adherence to standards. The second stage evaluates the actual implementation of security controls within the organization. Section 9.3 of ISO 27001 requires organizations to address deficiencies identified during these assessments. 

Audit findings—especially accurate and serious issues—are frustrating when you are doing good work without significant resources. However, they can also be the key to executive support for security improvements. Business leaders respond to audit results with urgency, and this allows you leverage to address vulnerabilities and noncompliance with proper leverage. Do not view audit findings as an indication that security is not doing enough. You will likely find the open items validate your own concerns and demonstrate due diligence from the auditors.

Continue to Improve with the Right People, Processes, and Tools

ISO 27001 section 6.1 establishes the foundation for risk assessment updates, requiring organizations to review and modify their risk evaluations when business operations, technology, threats, legal requirements, or stakeholder needs change. Section 8.1 builds on this by mandating security control adjustments based on these updated risk assessments and insights from security events, performance data, and emerging security requirements.

Section 9.1 addresses performance measurement. Organizations are required to document metrics to validate control effectiveness. Section 9.3 also includes scheduled management reviews of security system performance. During these reviews, management must determine whether the ISMS effectively protects information, supports business objectives, adheres to security standards, and requires modifications. There is a small market of tools that measure compliance with information security frameworks. Some, such as Drata, allow you to customize your controls as well as measure against multiple frameworks simultaneously. 

Section 10.1 focuses on incident documentation. Organizations are required to maintain records of security events, their resolutions, and preventive measures implemented. Section 10.2 completes the improvement cycle by mandating continuous ISMS updates and system-wide reviews. These requirements promote maintenance and improvement to help your organization maintain an updated, effective ISMS.

ISO 27001 can seem complex for a small business at first, but the benefits of adopting a proven ISMS will outweigh the related challenges. A well-designed ISMS provides a structured approach to protecting information assets, meeting regulatory requirements, and demonstrating security commitment to stakeholders. By following this guide and adapting the standard to your specific needs, you build a security program that grows with your business.

Remember that ISO 27001 implementation is ongoing, not a point-in-time solution. It is okay to fluctuate around your organization's acceptable steady state and augment it with occasional improvements. With dedication and the right strategy, even small businesses can achieve and maintain ISO 27001 certification.