Building a startup isn’t easy; in fact, it is always a learning process for everyone, whether the startup is being built by a new entrepreneur or by a person who has already built numerous businesses in the past. However, every business has its own challenges, so any two startups can’t have the same experience with –

• Funding,
• Product Development,
• Client Acquisition, or
• Other Aspects of Launching a Company.

However, in a similar manner, startups’ compliance needs can also vary considerably. Because there are numerous regulations and standards for businesses in technology, businesses in healthcare, and so on.

In some cases, a business may need to document its compliance with several standards. But if you’re in a business that uses secure data in any way, then obtaining ISO 27001 will be among them.

The Basics of ISO 27001 

In simple words, ISO 27001 is an information security standard that was developed by the “International Organization for Standardization.” However, the key focus of this security standard is your “Information Security Management System.” Putting it in other words, this information security standard has been designed to determine whether you have security controls in place for properly securing the data you use.

For What Kinds of Businesses Is ISO 27001 Certification Needed?

ISO 27001 is not a law, which means it isn’t legally required. But it is also true that most organizations, whether they are potential customers of your business or potential business partners, won’t be interested in doing business with your organization if you do not have ISO 27001 certification.

That means businesses that meet the following criteria should work towards getting ISO 27001 compliance and certification –

• If your business collects, stores, transmits, or processes any form of data in any way,
• And if you want to do business outside your country.

How Can You Get ISO 27001 Certified?

The process for acquiring ISO 27001 certification is a multi-step process. However, depending on multiple factors, the process can take longer; for example, how prepared you are and how thorough your ISMS already is, etc. But in general cases, organizations are required to follow the steps below to get certified.

Assess Your ISMS

Before you hire an auditor, you’re required to be confident enough about your ISMS, i.e., whether your ISMS will pass the ISO certification assessment or if it requires some modifications. The best way to begin the assessment process is with your own assessment of your ISMS against the ISO 27001 controls so that you can see how you stack up.

You can call it a “gap analysis.” However, at Socly.io, we can automate this for you by evaluating your ISMS while giving you a clear checklist of which controls you meet as per the ISO certification and which you don’t meet.

Fix Your ISMS

Once your gap analysis is done, you will have a clear idea of what you need to do to bring your ISMS in line with ISO 27001 standards. You can then use this checklist to prioritize and update your ISMS so that you can be confident it will pass a formal ISO 27001 audit.

Choose an ISO 27001 Certification Provider

It’s important to know that ISO has developed ISO 27001, but the organization does not provide certification. This means you can only obtain ISO 27001 certification from third parties such as Socly.io.

However, the ISO organization has a list of standards that all third parties, their auditors, and certifying organizations must adhere to. Therefore, you need to ensure that you choose an ISO 27001 certification provider that complies with all ISO requirements.

Complete the Auditing Process

Your ISO 27001 certification provider then starts a two-step auditing process where –

• The first step is an informal readiness assessment, which takes a cursory look at your ISMS to check whether it meets ISO 27001 standards. If your system passes the readiness assessment, you move on to step two, which is the formal audit.
• A formal audit can take a few weeks because the auditor thoroughly investigates your Information Security Management System. At the end of the audit, you will either pass or fail based on the auditor’s findings.

If you fail, you will need to bear the additional expense of paying for a new audit after fixing the identified issues. If you pass, your auditor will provide your full report along with your ISO 27001 certificate. Your customers or partners may ask for both documents, so you should keep them secure.

Maintain Future Compliance

ISO 27001 compliance is not a “do and forget” thing; it isn’t something you complete once and then forget. You are required to undergo assessments each year to keep your compliance active. For the next two years, your auditor will assess only a few aspects of your ISMS randomly to verify continued compliance.

If these assessments are passed, you can maintain your certification. If not, you may need to undergo another full audit to determine whether your certification remains valid. After three years, a full recertification audit is required regardless.

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