InfoSec and Compliance – With 20 years of blogging experience, DISC InfoSec blog is dedicated to providing trusted insights and practical solutions for professionals and organizations navigating the evolving cybersecurity landscape. From cutting-edge threats to compliance strategies, this blog is your reliable resource for staying informed and secure. Dive into the content, connect with the community, and elevate your InfoSec expertise!
ISO 27001: The Security Foundation ISO/IEC 27001 is the global standard for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It focuses on protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information through risk-based security controls. For most organizations, this is the bedrock—governing infrastructure security, access control, incident response, vendor risk, and operational resilience. It answers the question: Are we managing information security risks in a systematic and auditable way?
ISO 27701: Extending Security into Privacy ISO/IEC 27701 builds directly on ISO 27001 by extending the ISMS into a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS). It introduces structured controls for handling personally identifiable information (PII), clarifying roles such as data controllers and processors, and aligning security practices with privacy obligations. Where ISO 27001 protects data broadly, ISO 27701 adds explicit guardrails around how personal data is collected, processed, retained, and shared—bridging security operations with privacy compliance.
ISO 42001: Governing AI Systems ISO/IEC 42001 is the emerging standard for AI management systems. Unlike traditional IT or privacy standards, it governs the entire AI lifecycle—from design and training to deployment, monitoring, and retirement. It addresses AI-specific risks such as bias, explainability, model drift, misuse, and unintended impact. Importantly, ISO 42001 is not a bolt-on framework; it assumes security and privacy controls already exist and focuses on how AI systems amplify risk if governance is weak.
Integrating the Three into a Unified Governance, Risk, and Compliance Model When combined, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and ISO 42001 form an integrated governance and risk management structure—the “ISO Trifecta.” ISO 27001 provides the secure operational foundation, ISO 27701 ensures privacy and data protection are embedded into processes, and ISO 42001 acts as the governance engine for AI-driven decision-making. Together, they create mutually reinforcing controls: security protects AI infrastructure, privacy constrains data use, and AI governance ensures accountability, transparency, and continuous risk oversight. Instead of managing three separate compliance efforts, organizations can align policies, risk assessments, controls, and audits under a single, coherent management system.
Perspective: Why Integrated Governance Matters Integrated governance is no longer optional—especially in an AI-driven world. Treating security, privacy, and AI risk as separate silos creates gaps precisely where regulators, customers, and attackers are looking. The real value of the ISO Trifecta is not certification; it’s coherence. When governance is integrated, risk decisions are consistent, controls scale across technologies, and AI systems are held to the same rigor as legacy systems. Organizations that adopt this mindset early won’t just be compliant—they’ll be trusted.
At DISC InfoSec, we help organizations navigate this landscape by aligning AI risk management, governance, security, and compliance into a single, practical roadmap. Whether you are experimenting with AI or deploying it at scale, we help you choose and operationalize the right frameworks to reduce risk and build trust. Learn more at DISC InfoSec.
The first step in integrating AI management systems is establishing clear boundaries within your existing information security framework. Organizations should conduct a comprehensive inventory of all AI systems currently deployed, including machine learning models, large language models, and recommendation engines. This involves identifying which departments and teams are actively using or developing AI capabilities, and mapping how these systems interact with assets already covered under your ISMS such as databases, applications, and infrastructure. For example, if your ISMS currently manages CRM and analytics platforms, you would extend coverage to include AI-powered chatbots or fraud detection systems that rely on that data.
Expanding Risk Assessment for AI-Specific Threats
Traditional information security risk registers must be augmented to capture AI-unique vulnerabilities that fall outside conventional cybersecurity concerns. Organizations should incorporate risks such as algorithmic bias and discrimination in AI outputs, model poisoning and adversarial attacks, shadow AI adoption through unauthorized LLM tools, and intellectual property leakage through training data or prompts. The ISO 42001 Annex A controls provide valuable guidance here, and organizations can leverage existing risk methodologies like ISO 27005 or NIST RMF while extending them with AI-specific threat vectors and impact scenarios.
Updating Governance Policies for AI Integration
Rather than creating entirely separate AI policies, organizations should strategically enhance existing ISMS documentation to address AI governance. This includes updating Acceptable Use Policies to restrict unauthorized use of public AI tools, revising Data Classification Policies to properly tag and protect training datasets, strengthening Third-Party Risk Policies to evaluate AI vendors and their model provenance, and enhancing Change Management Policies to enforce model version control and deployment approval workflows. The key is creating an AI Governance Policy that references and builds upon existing ISMS documents rather than duplicating effort.
Building AI Oversight into Security Governance Structures
Effective AI governance requires expanding your existing information security committee or steering council to include stakeholders with AI-specific expertise. Organizations should incorporate data scientists, AI/ML engineers, legal and privacy professionals, and dedicated risk and compliance leads into governance structures. New roles should be formally defined, including AI Product Owners who manage AI system lifecycles, Model Risk Managers who assess AI-specific threats, and Ethics Reviewers who evaluate fairness and bias concerns. Creating an AI Risk Subcommittee that reports to the existing ISMS steering committee ensures integration without fragmenting governance.
Managing AI Models as Information Assets
AI models and their associated components must be incorporated into existing asset inventory and change management processes. Each model should be registered with comprehensive metadata including training data lineage and provenance, intended purpose with performance metrics and known limitations, complete version history and deployment records, and clear ownership assignments. Organizations should leverage their existing ISMS Change Management processes to govern AI model updates, retraining cycles, and deprecation decisions, treating models with the same rigor as other critical information assets.
Aligning ISO 42001 and ISO 27001 Control Frameworks
To avoid duplication and reduce audit burden, organizations should create detailed mapping matrices between ISO 42001 and ISO 27001 Annex A controls. Many controls have significant overlap—for instance, ISO 42001’s AI Risk Management controls (A.5.2) extend existing ISO 27001 risk assessment and treatment controls (A.6 & A.8), while AI System Development requirements (A.6.1) build upon ISO 27001’s secure development lifecycle controls (A.14). By identifying these overlaps, organizations can implement unified controls that satisfy both standards simultaneously, documenting the integration for auditor review.
Incorporating AI into Security Awareness Training
Security awareness programs must evolve to address AI-specific risks that employees encounter daily. Training modules should cover responsible AI use policies and guidelines, prompt safety practices to prevent data leakage through AI interactions, recognition of bias and fairness concerns in AI outputs, and practical decision-making scenarios such as “Is it acceptable to input confidential client data into ChatGPT?” Organizations can extend existing learning management systems and awareness campaigns rather than building separate AI training programs, ensuring consistent messaging and compliance tracking.
Auditing AI Governance Implementation
Internal audit programs should be expanded to include AI-specific checkpoints alongside traditional ISMS audit activities. Auditors should verify AI model approval and deployment processes, review documentation demonstrating bias testing and fairness assessments, investigate shadow AI discovery and remediation efforts, and examine dataset security and access controls throughout the AI lifecycle. Rather than creating separate audit streams, organizations should integrate AI-specific controls into existing ISMS audit checklists for each process area, ensuring comprehensive coverage during regular audit cycles.
My Perspective
This integration approach represents exactly the right strategy for organizations navigating AI governance. Having worked extensively with both ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 implementations, I’ve seen firsthand how creating parallel governance structures leads to confusion, duplicated effort, and audit fatigue. The Rivedix framework correctly emphasizes building upon existing ISMS foundations rather than starting from scratch.
What particularly resonates is the focus on shadow AI risks and the practical awareness training recommendations. In my experience at DISC InfoSec and through ShareVault’s certification journey, the biggest AI governance gaps aren’t technical controls—they’re human behavior patterns where well-meaning employees inadvertently expose sensitive data through ChatGPT, Claude, or other LLMs because they lack clear guidance. The “47 controls you’re missing” concept between ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 provides excellent positioning for explaining why AI-specific governance matters to executives who already think their ISMS “covers everything.”
The mapping matrix approach (point 6) is essential but often overlooked. Without clear documentation showing how ISO 42001 requirements are satisfied through existing ISO 27001 controls plus AI-specific extensions, organizations end up with duplicate controls, conflicting procedures, and confused audit findings. ShareVault’s approach of treating AI systems as first-class assets in our existing change management processes has proven far more sustainable than maintaining separate AI and IT change processes.
If I were to add one element this guide doesn’t emphasize enough, it would be the importance of continuous monitoring and metrics. Organizations should establish AI-specific KPIs—model drift detection, bias metric trends, shadow AI discovery rates, training data lineage coverage—that feed into existing ISMS dashboards and management review processes. This ensures AI governance remains visible and accountable rather than becoming a compliance checkbox exercise.
At DISC InfoSec, we help organizations navigate this landscape by aligning AI risk management, governance, security, and compliance into a single, practical roadmap. Whether you are experimenting with AI or deploying it at scale, we help you choose and operationalize the right frameworks to reduce risk and build trust. Learn more at DISC InfoSec.
Cybersecurity is no longer confined to the IT department — it has become a fundamental issue of business survival. The past year has shown that security failures don’t just disrupt operations; they directly impact reputation, financial stability, and customer trust. Organizations that continue to treat it as a back-office function risk being left exposed.
Over the last twelve months, we’ve seen high-profile companies fined millions of dollars for data breaches. These penalties demonstrate that regulators and customers alike are holding businesses accountable for their ability to protect sensitive information. The cost of non-compliance now goes far beyond the technical cleanup — it threatens long-term credibility.
Another worrying trend has been the exploitation of supply chain partners. Attackers increasingly target smaller vendors with weaker defenses to gain access to larger organizations. This highlights that cybersecurity is no longer contained within one company’s walls; it is interconnected, making vendor oversight and third-party risk management critical.
Adding to the challenge is the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. While AI brings efficiency and innovation, it also introduces untested and often misunderstood risks. From data poisoning to model manipulation, organizations are entering unfamiliar territory, and traditional controls don’t always apply.
Despite these evolving threats, many businesses continue to frame the wrong question: “Do we need certification?” While certification has its value, it misses the bigger picture. The right question is: “How do we protect our data, our clients, and our reputation — and demonstrate that commitment clearly?” This shift in perspective is essential to building a sustainable security culture.
This is where frameworks such as ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and ISO 42001 play a vital role. They are not merely compliance checklists; they provide structured, internationally recognized approaches for managing security, privacy, and AI governance. Implemented correctly, these frameworks become powerful tools to build customer trust and show measurable accountability.
Every organization faces its own barriers in advancing security and compliance. For some, it’s budget constraints; for others, it’s lack of leadership buy-in or a shortage of skilled professionals. Recognizing and addressing these obstacles early is key to moving forward. Without tackling them, even the best frameworks will sit unused, failing to provide real protection.
My advice: Stop viewing cybersecurity as a cost center or certification exercise. Instead, approach it as a business enabler — one that safeguards reputation, strengthens client relationships, and opens doors to new opportunities. Begin by identifying your organization’s greatest barrier, then create a roadmap that aligns frameworks with business goals. When leadership sees cybersecurity as an investment in trust, adoption becomes much easier and far more impactful.
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Continual improvement doesn’t necessarily entail significant expenses. Many enhancements can be achieved through regular internal audits, management reviews, and staff engagement. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, organizations can maintain an ISMS that effectively addresses current and emerging information security risks, ensuring resilience and compliance with ISO 27001 standards.
At DISC InfoSec, we streamline the entire process—guiding you confidently through complex frameworks such as ISO 27001, and SOC 2.
Here’s how we help:
Conduct gap assessments to identify compliance challenges and control maturity
Deliver straightforward, practical steps for remediation with assigned responsibility
Ensure ongoing guidance to support continued compliance with standard
Confirm your security posture through risk assessments and penetration testing
Let’s set up a quick call to explore how we can make your cybersecurity compliance process easier.
ISO 27001 certification validates that your ISMS meets recognized security standards and builds trust with customers by demonstrating a strong commitment to protecting information.
Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about the ISO 27001, ISO 42001, ISO 27701 Internal audit or certification process.
Successfully completing your ISO 27001 audit confirms that your Information Security Management System (ISMS) meets the required standards and assures your customers of your commitment to security.
Get in touch with us to begin your ISO 27001 audit today.
Your data is an asset. Safeguarding it will help you comply with data protection laws and allow your business to thrive
A global leader in privacy guidance, audits, tools, training and software
IT Governance is a market leader in data privacy and cyber security solutions. Their broad suite of offerings is one of the most comprehensive in the world.
ITG affordable solutions have assisted numerous individuals and organizations in understanding the tangible aspects of data privacy. With substantial legal and technical proficiency, coupled with a 15-year history in cybersecurity risk management, ITG customers have complete confidence in entrusting us with their needs.
Speed up your compliance initiatives for GDPR, CPRA, and other regulations ISO 27701 by utilizing ITG collection of top-performing Tools, Templates and eBooks.
ISO 27701 is an international standard that provides guidelines for implementing a privacy information management system (PIMS) based on the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other relevant privacy regulations. It was published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in August 2019.
ISO 27701 is an extension of ISO 27001, which is a widely recognized international standard for information security management. It introduces additional controls and requirements specific to the management of privacy information within an organization.
The standard outlines the framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a privacy information management system. It helps organizations to identify and manage privacy risks, implement privacy controls, and demonstrate compliance with applicable privacy laws and regulations.
ISO 27701 focuses on protecting individuals’ privacy rights and ensuring responsible handling of personal information. It provides guidance on various aspects of privacy management, including privacy policy development, privacy risk assessment, privacy impact assessments, consent management, data subject rights, data breach management, and vendor management.
By implementing ISO 27701, organizations can enhance their privacy practices, build trust with customers and partners, and demonstrate their commitment to protecting personal information. It is especially relevant for organizations that process large amounts of personal data or handle sensitive information, as it helps them establish a systematic approach to privacy management.
It’s important to note that ISO 27701 is not a certification itself but an extension to ISO 27001. Organizations can seek certification against ISO 27001 and include ISO 27701 requirements as part of their certification process to demonstrate compliance with privacy regulations.
in what situation ISO 27701 certification may be appropriate?
ISO 27701 certification may be appropriate for organizations that handle personal data and are subject to privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union or other similar privacy laws worldwide. Here are some situations where ISO 27701 certification may be relevant:
Data Controllers and Processors: Organizations that act as data controllers or processors and handle personal data on a significant scale can benefit from ISO 27701 certification. This includes organizations in sectors such as healthcare, finance, e-commerce, technology, and marketing that process large volumes of personal information.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance: ISO 27701 certification helps organizations demonstrate compliance with privacy regulations. If an organization operates in jurisdictions with strict privacy laws or serves customers from regions with robust privacy requirements, certification can provide assurance to stakeholders that the organization has implemented appropriate privacy controls.
Third-Party Assurance: Organizations that act as vendors or service providers for other companies may pursue ISO 27701 certification to demonstrate their commitment to privacy management. This can be particularly relevant for organizations providing cloud services, data processing, or other services involving personal data, as it helps build trust and confidence with customers.
Competitive Advantage: ISO 27701 certification can serve as a competitive differentiator for organizations. It showcases their dedication to privacy protection and can attract customers who prioritize strong privacy practices and compliance when selecting vendors or partners.
Data Breach Prevention and Response: ISO 27701 provides guidelines for managing data breaches and responding to privacy incidents effectively. Organizations that want to establish robust incident response procedures and enhance their ability to prevent and manage data breaches can benefit from implementing ISO 27701.
Privacy-Driven Culture: ISO 27701 certification promotes a privacy-centric culture within an organization. It helps organizations establish clear policies, procedures, and training programs to educate employees about privacy responsibilities and foster a privacy-aware mindset throughout the organization.
Ultimately, the decision to pursue ISO 27701 certification depends on the specific needs, risk profile, and regulatory environment of the organization. Conducting a thorough assessment of privacy risks, legal requirements, and business objectives can help determine whether certification is appropriate and beneficial for the organization.
Achieve full compliance with ISO 27701:2019
The ISO 27701 Gap Analysis Tool has been created to help organizations identify whether they are meeting the requirements of the Standard and where they are falling short. Note that this tool assumes that you have a complete and functioning ISO 27001:2013 ISMS (information security management system).
It helps organizations prioritise work areas in order to expand an existing ISMS to take account of privacy. It also gives organizations direction, helping project managers identify where to start.
This standard is ideal for organizations wishing to implement a PIMS that supports their ISMS objectives and helps meet their data privacy compliance requirements, such as those stipulated by the EU’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and the UK’s DPA (Data Protection Act) 2018.
We’d love to hear from you! If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team is here to help and we’re always looking for ways to improve our services. You can reach us by email (info@deurainfosec.com), or through our website’s contact form.
ISO 27701 specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a PIMS (privacy information management system).
Compliance with ISO 27701 shows customers and stakeholders that your organization takes privacy legislation seriously. ISO 27701 serves as an extension to ISO 27001. Organizations that have implemented ISO 27001 will be able to incorporate the controls and requirements of ISO 27701 to extend their existing data security practices to achieve complete coverage of data security and privacy management.
If you are already an ISO 27701 expert, have you considered developing your career as an auditor? ITG  Certified ISO 27701 PIMS Lead Auditor Training Course teaches you how to extend an ISO 27001 audit program and conduct a PIMS audit against ISO 27701.  
Certified ISO 27001 ISMS Lead Auditor Training Course
ISO 27001 Lead Auditor is the qualification of choice for ISO 27001 professionals, recognized by employers worldwide.
Implementing and maintaining compliance with the Standard requires comprehensive knowledge of ISO 27001.
ITG Certified ISO 27001 ISMS Lead Auditor Training Course gives participants a solid understanding of the requirements of an ISO 27001 audit and the knowledge to ensure conformity to the Standard.
If you are already a qualified ISO 27001 auditor, enhance your career by taking ITG Certified ISO 27701 PIMS Lead Auditor Training Course, which will teach you how to conduct audits against ISO 27701, in line with international data protection regimes.
ISO/IEC 27701:2019Â provides guidance on data protection, including how organizations should manage personal information, and helps demonstrate compliance with privacy regulations around the world, such as the GDPR.
The Standard integrates with the international information security management standard ISO/IEC 27001 to extend an ISMS (information security management system), enabling an organization to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve a PIMS (privacy information management system).
Improve your privacy information management regime
Co-written by Alan Shipman, an acknowledged expert in the field of privacy and personal information and the project editor of ISO/IEC 27701, this pocket guide will help you understand the basics of privacy management, including:
What privacy information management means
How to manage privacy information successfully using a PIMS aligned to ISO/IEC 27701
Key areas of investment for a business-focused PIMS and
How your organization can demonstrate the degree of assurance it offers with regard to privacy information management.
Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of privacy information management systems according to ISO/IEC 27701 in combination with ISO/IEC 27001 (DRAFT)Â
Within a year or so, organisations will be able to have their Privacy Information Management Systems certified compliant with ISO/IEC 27701, thanks to a new accreditation standard ISO/IEC TS 27006 part 2, currently in draft.
“Potentially, a PIMS certificate may become the generally-accepted means of demonstrating an organisation’s due care over privacy and personal data protection – a way to assure data subjects, business partners, the authorities and courts that they have, in fact, adopted good privacy practices.”
ISO/IEC 27006 | Wikipedia audio article
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bd_VXgmZ_o
ISO/IEC 27701 is the international standard that serves as an extension to an ISO 27001/ ISO 27002 #ISMS (information security management system). It provides guidelines for implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a #PIMS (privacy information management system).
Develop a privacy information management system as an extension to your ISO 27001-conformant ISMS with ISO/IEC 27701. Supports GDPR compliance.
SECURITY TECHNIQUES — EXTENSION TO ISO/IEC 27001 AND ISO/IEC 27002 FOR PRIVACY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM #PIMS
Key features:
* The Standard includes mapping to the GDPR, ISO/IEC 29100, ISO/IEC 27018, and ISO/IEC 29151
* Integrates with other management system standards, including the information security standard, ISO/IEC 27001
* Provides PIMS-specific guidance for ISO/IEC 27002
* Specifies requirements and provides guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a PIMS
* Supports compliance with the GDPR and DPA 2018
* Provides guidance for data controllers and processors responsible for processing personal data
ISO 27701 Gap Analysis Tool
Achieve full compliance with ISO 27701:2019
The ISO 27701 Gap Analysis Tool has been created to help organizations identify whether they are meeting the requirements of the Standard and where they are falling short. Note that this tool assumes that you have a complete and functioning ISO 27001:2013 ISMS (information security management system).
It helps organizations prioritise work areas in order to expand an existing ISMS to take account of privacy. It also gives organizations direction, helping project managers identify where to start.
What does the tool do?
Contains a set of sample audit questions
Lists all ISO 27701:2019 requirements, identifying where documentation is mandatory for compliance
Provides a clear, colour-coded report on the state of compliance
The executive summary displays the results of compliance in a clear table so that you can report on your results and measure the closure of gaps.
The tool is designed to work in any Microsoft environment. It does not need to be installed like software, and it does not depend on complex databases; it relies on human involvement.
ISO 27701 The New Privacy Extension for ISO 27001
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NUfTDXlv30
Quick Guide to ISO/IEC 27701 – The Newest Privacy Information Standard
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilw4UmMSlU4
