New ISO standards published

Revised ISO standards pertaining to information security management have been published. BS ISO/IEC 27001:2013 and BS ISO/IEC 27002:2013 help businesses manage information security.

The standards were first conceived by business standards company BSI in the shape of BS 7799. The 2013 revision of the international standard will enable businesses of all sizes and sectors to accommodate the rapid evolution and increased complexity of managing information and the continual challenge that cybersecurity poses.

How business is carried out today differs vastly from the first use of BS 7799 in 1995 and technological advances mean that information security needs have also changed. The revisions will help further change perceptions amongst businesses that information security is limited to IT and includes wider elements such as people. It also takes into account the interactions that can occur between other management system standards and issues such as Risk Management and Business Continuity Management.

ISO/IEC 27001 is one of the fastest growing management system standards used around the globe. The standard is used for third-party accredited certifications with at least 17,500 certificates having being issued in 100 countries with a continual trend of double digit growth year on year. Its use is supported by code of practice document ISO/IEC 27002. Both were developed through consensus of the international community with a membership of over 47 national standards bodies.

“Businesses need to avoid complacency with regard to information security and ensure that their practices are in line with today’s business environment,” said Nick Koukoulas, managing director, BSI incorporating NCSI.

“The rapid growth and pervasiveness of IT within the workplace ... means extra vigilance is needed and can now be better provided.”