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ISO Implications of Cyber Security

By Mark Nolan

It is important to understand how cybersecurity trends now and in the coming year might impact ISO standards (and, by extension, your business).

The ISO guidelines for cybersecurity are set out in ISO 27001. These consider unique activities and their relation to other security domains, with an emphasis on IT and network security. This is the standard to which exemplary businesses will hold their IT provisions, in order to keep their data secure and their interests protected. Moreover, a certification in this standard demonstrates your commitment to cybersecurity, encouraging clients to trust your reputation— ISO 27001 is a clear statement of reliability.

2021 saw record numbers of businesses transitioning to a work from a home model, which in turn increased reliance on cloud storage and personal devices. However, working from home can be risky to your data, especially when employees are working with their own home networks to access information on your central systems. Referring to ISO 27001 for guidance, we expect more workplaces to consult cybersecurity experts and provide internet safety training to their employees, to minimise the chance of an accidental data breach. It is also likely that, in light of the reduced overhead and commutes permitted by a work from home system, some workforces will choose not to return to an office hub in 2022. This necessitates specific and clear cybersecurity features, ensuring that your employees are equipped to maintain good online habits whilst working from other locations.

ISO 27001 demonstrates the relationship between cybersecurity and other types of security, which is also a mutual necessity that we expect to continue into 2022. Being proactive and investing in data protection early can hugely minimise the potential for expensive and disastrous breaches or data loss in the future, meaning that your business can continue to function smoothly even in uncertain times.

Mark Nolan | UK Business Advisors (ukba.co.uk)

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