What’s the Difference Between ISO 27001 and ISO 27002? A Deep Dive into the ISO Landscape
In the complicated world of information security, ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 are two standards that stand out. Both are important parts of the ISO/IEC 27000 family, but they are used for different things and have their own features. This piece goes into great detail about these standards, explaining their main differences and how they work together in the bigger picture of information security management.
How ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 Have Changed Over Time
To really understand how these standards are different, it’s important to look at their history:
ISO 27001:
Based on BS 7799-2, which was released by the BSI Group in 2005 and had big updates in 2013 and 2022
intended to provide a model for setting up, running, watching, reviewing, managing, and improving an ISMS
ISO 27002:
From BS 7799-1, which was also put out by BSI Group
It was first released in 2000 as ISO/IEC 17799 and was changed to ISO/IEC 27002 in 2007.
The last big change was made in 2022.
Created to give advice on the best ways to handle information security rules
ISO 27001’s main goals and areas of focus are:
The main goal is to list the needs for an information security management system (ISMS).
Setting and leadership in an organization
Planning for an ISMS Support and allocating resources
How ISMS works
Evaluation of performance Constant improvement
ISO 27002:
The main goal is to give thorough instructions on how to set up information security rules.
Areas of Focus:
Controls for the organization
Controlled by people
Controls on the body
Using technology to
Differences in Structure ISO 27001:
Building:
Area
References to norms
Words and their meanings
Setting of the group
Leadership Planning Help Operation Evaluation of Performance Improvement
Annex A: Control goals and measures
ISO 27002:
Building:
Area
References to norms
Words and their meanings
Controls for the organization
Controlled by people
Controls on the body
Using technology to
What each control’s attributes are:
Type of control
Properties of information security
Ideas about cybersecurity
Capabilities for operations
Areas of security
How to Use and Implement ISO 27001:
Method of Implementation:
Define the reach of the ISMS
Make a policy for computer protection.
Do an evaluation of risks.
Make a care plan for risk
Choose the right settings and put them in place.
Train staff and make people more aware
Keep an eye on and study the ISMS
Keep making the ISMS better.
For use:
Used as a guide for setting up and managing an ISMS
Used as a base for approval and checks by third parties
ISO 27002:
Method of Implementation:
Look over the organization’s security needs.
Check out the latest safety measures
Choose the right controls from the normal set and change them to fit the needs of your company.
Put certain controls in place
Check and see how well the controls are working
For use:
Referred to when choosing and putting in place security controls
Uses as a tool for creating security standards and procedures that are unique to each company
Different Views on Risk Management ISO 27001:
Approach to Risk:
requires an organized process for assessing risk and treating it
requires businesses to explain how they will do risk assessments
Brings up the need for a risky treatment plan
Risk Record Keeping:
Needs a Statement of Applicability (SoA)
The risk estimate and treatment plan must be written down.
ISO 27002:
Approach to Risk:
Doesn’t require a certain way of assessing risk
Gives advice on limits that can be used to deal with different risks
Risk Record Keeping:
No written standards for risk paperwork
suggests writing down the reasons for choosing and implementing controls
How to Choose and Use Controls ISO 27001:
Choice of Controls:
All controls in Annex A must be considered by organizations. There must be a good reason for leaving out any controls in Annex A.
Advice on how to implement:
Not enough information on how to put controls in place
Pays attention to what needs to be done instead of how to do it
ISO 27002:
Choice of Controls:
Gives an extensive list of controls
Companies can choose which tools to use based on their own needs.
Advice on how to implement:
Provides full instructions on how to set up each control
It has samples, tips on how to apply it, and other information.
Following the rules and getting certified ISO 27001:
Follow-up:
ISO 27001 can be used to certify that an organization is in compliance.
For certification, all of the conditions in sections 4–10 must be met, and Annex A rules must be put into place correctly.
The Audit Process:
Includes an official check of the certification by a recognized certification body
needs to be recertified and undergo regular security audits
ISO 27002:
Follow-up:
Not a measure that can be verified
ISO 27002 cannot be used to certify an organization.
The Audit Process:
It can be used as a standard in both internal and external audits.
No official process for auditing certification
Being able to change and adapt ISO 27001:
Being flexible:
It gives some freedom in how standards are met.
Any exceptions to Annex A rules must be explained by the organizations involved.
Ability to adapt:
Can be changed to fit different kinds and sizes of organizations
needs to be changed so that the ISMS fits the needs of the business
ISO 27002:
Being flexible:
Very adaptable, letting businesses pick the tools they need.
No controls or ways of execution that must be used
Ability to adapt:
Can be quickly changed to fit the needs of different businesses and industries
Allows for change of how controls are implemented
Participation of Stakeholders ISO 27001:
Important People:
Top managers had to be involved.
Manager or team of ISMS
Inside inspectors
All staff (knowledge and follow-through)
What Stakeholders Need to Do:
Set jobs and duties for implementing and maintaining the ISMS
ISO 27002:
Important People:
Professionals in information security
Staff in IT
Operational staff putting rules in place
What Stakeholders Need to Do:
focused on putting security rules into action in the real world
Not as much focus on management jobs
Always Getting Better ISO 27001:
How to Make Things Better:
Uses the PDCA pattern of Plan, Do, Check, and Act
needs internal checks and frequent reviews by management
Scales and measurements:
requires using data to judge how well an ISMS is working
ISO 27002:
How to Make Things Better:
suggests that rules be reviewed and updated on a regular basis
There is no official need for ongoing improvement.
Scales and measurements:
Helps with choosing possible measures for individual controls
There is no overall requirement for judging the overall success of security.
This is the conclusion: ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 work well together.
ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 are different in some ways and are used for different things, but they are meant to work together. The main idea behind ISO 27001 is to focus on the “what” and “why” of information security management when setting up and keeping an ISMS. While ISO 27002 focuses on the “how,” it gives detailed instructions on how to set up certain security controls.
If an organization wants to handle information security in a complete way, they might want to use both standards. The ISO 27001 standard can help you create an organized ISMS and get certified, and the ISO 27002 standard can give you the real advice you need to set up good security controls.
Understanding the differences between these two standards can help businesses create a strong, risk-based information security plan that meets licensing requirements and is also in line with best practices in the industry. The digital danger situation is always changing, but ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 together are still very useful for protecting important data and making information security practices that can handle changes.