ISO/IEC 27001 Certifications

The time it takes to obtain ISO 27001 certification can vary depending on the size and complexity of the organization, its current level of information security maturity, and the resources allocated to the certification process. Generally, organizations can expect the certification process to take anywhere from several months to over a year.

Certification to ISO/IEC 27001 is a multi-step process, which includes two stages of the audit process. Learn more about what to expect during your ISO/IEC 27001 audit.

The initial ISO/IEC 27001 certification issued is valid for three years from the issuance date. At least annually, surveillance audits are conducted to help ensure your organization complies with ISO/IEC 27001.

As an internationally recognized standard for information security management systems, ISO/IEC 27001 offers numerous benefits to organizations. Obtaining certification for ISO/IEC 27001 gives organizations a systematic approach to managing sensitive company information, ensuring its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Undergoing an ISO/IEC 27001 audit demonstrates an organization’s commitment to cybersecurity best practices, enhancing trust among stakeholders and customers.

ISO/IEC 27001 can be used to provide a security framework in a wide range of organizations — from small, medium, or large enterprises, and for most commercial and industrial market sectors.

It is commonly used in finance and insurance, telecommunications, healthcare, utilities, retail and manufacturing sectors, various service industries, transportation sectors, government, and many others.

No, it is not legally required in the United States, however, ISO/IEC 27001:2013 is the established standard for certification of an organization’s information security management system (ISMS). Recognized globally, this framework establishes processes for organizations to implement, monitor, operate, and maintain the ISMS.

When conforming to the newly updated ISO 27001:2022 standard, there’s a three-year transition period for all organizations. ISO 27001:2013 certificates will expire or be withdrawn no later than October 31, 2025. For organizations working toward a certification, companies are eligible to certify against the 2013 version up until October 31, 2023.

ISO/IEC 27001 outlines the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an organization’s information security management system (ISMS). It is an internationally accepted cybersecurity compliance standard and is a valuable way to differentiate your organization as it demonstrates compliance with industry standards and your commitment to information security.

Businesses may choose to swap certification bodies for a variety of reasons, including being dissatisfied with the auditor’s performance or pricing. Even if your team enjoys working with your current certification body, it might be a smart business decision to change auditors during an active certification cycle. Check out this blog post to learn the four steps we recommend to switch your certification body.

While certifying toward ISO 27001 takes a certain amount of initial planning, its flexibility means most requirements will map over seamlessly with SOC 2 controls. BARR’s team of experts can leverage our resources to map SOC 2 control requirements during your ISO 27001 meetings, allowing your organization to bypass additional walkthroughs to obtain a SOC 2 Type 2 report simultaneously. This will save you countless hours and resources, streamlining your journey to achieving two of the highest levels of information security. 

In addition, HITRUST CSF can serve as a risk assessment for the ISO 27001 audit. If your organization has HITRUST in place, your external assessor can help by providing expert guidance on your risk management strategies and offer feedback on how to close any identified gaps ahead of time. This can help avoid potential nonconformities during your ISO 27001 audit, since ISO 27001 auditors cannot provide guidance on fixing issues or mitigating gaps.

A pre-assessment is not required, but a formal readiness assessment against the ISO 27001 standard can help organizations prepare for initial certification by examining your risk management process and governance strategies to identify deficiencies in your ISMS. 

ISO 27001 auditors cannot provide guidance on fixing issues or mitigating gaps, so performing a readiness assessment helps ensure your organization is set up for success. Contact us today to get started.

In 2021, BARR earned the prestigious ISO 17021 accreditation for certification to ISO 27001:2013 from the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). In May 2023, we announced our accreditation to certify cloud-based organizations against the newly released ISO 27001:2022 standard. Accreditation by the ANAB—North America’s largest multidisciplinary accreditation body—validates BARR’s competence and independence in assessing the people, processes, and technology within a service organization’s ISMS.

Together, BARR Certifications and BARR Advisory are one of only a handful of firms in the nation that meet the ANAB, AICPA, and HITRUST requirements to issue ISO certifications, assess security controls for SOC 2 audit reports, and perform HITRUST testing for validation. BARR is also a PCI Qualified Security Assessor firm, allowing us to perform PCI DSS audits.