Do I accomplish the requirements of the GDPR if I am ISO 27001 certified?

Certifications serve as proof of requirements that must be complied with. They are often a sign of quality because they are awarded by independent certification bodies such as TÜV. So to what extent does ISO 27001 certification play into the cards of being GDPR compliant?

The GDPR and ISO 27001 are two important compliance standards that have a lot in common. Both aim to improve data security and mitigate the risk of data breaches.

ISO 27001 is one of the most comprehensive standards and is based on best practices. Article 24 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) states that compliance with codes of conduct and recognized certification schemes such as ISO 27001 can be used as evidence of the controller's compliance with its obligations. So, the question par excellence is…

Do I accomplish the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation if I am certified for ISO 27001?

Article 42 of the GDPR explicitly addresses certifications. These can prove that data protection is being complied with. An information security management system (ISMS) in accordance with ISO 27001 is designed to do just that. So, anyone who is ISO 27001 certified is proving that they adhere to the gold standard of data protection.

However, the GDPR covers not only data protection, but also the rights of data subjects with regard to their data. These include informed and explicit consent to the collection of personal data or the right to rectification, migration or even deletion of personal data. These rights are not covered by ISO 27001 and must be implemented independently.

The GDPR applies to all companies inside and outside the EU that store or process personal data of EU citizens and strengthens the rights of citizens with regard to their personal data, standardizes new concepts and provides for heavy fines in case of violations.

What is ISO 27001?

As already known, ISO 27001 is an international standard for information security that describes the requirements for the establishment, implementation, operation and optimization of an information security management system (ISMS).

By complying with ISO 27001, organizations are able to manage security risks and protect sensitive data. They also define the scope and boundaries of their security programs. The standard applies to businesses, government agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations. Here you can find more information on when companies required ISO 27001.

Let's compare ISO 27001 with the GDPR: what are the similarities?

ISO 27001 and the GDPR overlap in many areas. Most of them concern information security.

The GDPR defines the principles governing the processing of personal data, such as "protection against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage."

Various measures in ISO 27001 are also intended to help companies ensure the confidentiality, availability and integrity of data. In ISO 27001, it is regulated that companies identify internal and external problems that could have an impact on their security programs.

Both ISO 27001 and the GDPR provide for a risk-based approach to data security. According to Article 35 of the GDPR, companies must identify and assess the risks to individuals' data by means of a data protection impact assessment. ISO 27001 also recommends that organizations conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify threats and vulnerabilities that could put their business assets at risk. According to the ISO 27001 standard, organizations must define which data processing operations are outsourced and ensure that they retain control over these operations.The GDPR contains comparable regulations. Data controllers must ensure that data processing by processors is carried out on the basis of a contract.

Companies are required by the GDPR to report a personal data breach to the authorities within 72 hours of becoming aware of it. While ISO 27001 describes the measures for handling information security incidents, it does not specify a precise timeframe for reporting data breaches. Companies must also report security incidents immediately so that countermeasures can be taken in good time.

Under the GDPR, companies must take technical and organizational measures at every stage of project planning to ensure that data protection is guaranteed from the outset. Companies must ensure through appropriate default settings that only data that is required for a respective specific purpose is processed. Similar requirements are set out in the ISO 27001 standard. According to this, companies must know the scope and context of the data they collect and process. Regular monitoring of this against security risks ensures the effectiveness of the security management program.

The GDPR requires companies to keep a register of their data processing activities, such as the category of personal data. This includes the purpose of the processing of this data and general documentation of the relevant technical and organizational security measures associated with this operation. ISO 27001 also specifies that organizations document their security processes and the results of their security risk assessment and treatment.

Compliance with the GDPR can be simplified with an ISO 27001 certification!

The GDPR is a global standard with a strategic vision of how organizations should ensure data protection. ISO 27001, on the other hand, consists of best practices that focus on information security and specifies how to protect information and defend against cyber threats.

More precisely: The GDPR focuses on data protection and in particular on the protection of personal information. Companies are required to obtain explicit consent when collecting data. Likewise, lawful data processing must be ensured. However, it does not regulate the technical details of how to ensure the necessary data security or how to reduce internal and external threats. This is where ISO 27001 comes in. The standard provides practical advice on developing well-defined, comprehensive policies to minimize security risks that could potentially lead to serious security incidents.