ISO 27001: 2022 Annex A Explained (Pt.4): Technological Controls

Trying to figure out ISO 27001 can feel a bit like a struggle. It's full of big, complex terms and a seemingly endless list of things to do. But when you break it down, it's actually a straightforward guide to keeping your business safe.

At the heart of the standard is a set of rules called Annex A controls. These controls are grouped into four main categories: Organizational, People, Physical and Technological Controls, which secure your digital world.

Technological controls are all about using technology to protect technology. They are your digital security guards, your firewalls, and your encryption keys, all working together to defend your systems, applications, and networks from both external and internal threats, like hackers or accidental data leaks.

What Are Technological Controls?

In today's world, almost every business relies on technology to operate. From laptops and smartphones to cloud servers and customer databases, your information is constantly in motion. Without proper technological controls, all that data is a sitting duck for cyber threats.

The goal of these controls is to protect the three pillars of information security:

• Confidentiality: Keeping sensitive information private and accessible only to authorized people.
• Integrity: Ensuring that information is accurate and hasn't been tampered with.
• Availability: Making sure your information is there when you need it.

These controls are numbered 8.1 through 8.34 in the ISO 27001:2022 standard, and they cover everything from how users log in to how you handle data when it's no longer needed. They are the backbone of your digital defense strategy.

A Look at Technological Controls

Let's unpack some ISO 27001 technological controls with simple, relatable examples.

1. User Endpoint Devices (8.1)

This control requires securing devices your team uses every day, like laptops, phones, and tablets. It's the digital equivalent of making sure every employee's briefcase is locked and secure.

You need to have rules and technology in place to protect these devices. This includes things like enforcing strong passwords, using disk encryption in case a device is stolen, and setting up automatic screen locks. Laptops and phones are easily lost or stolen, so if a device with access to your company's network falls into the wrong hands, it could be a major security risk.

2. Secure Authentication (8.5)

This is about verifying that a person is who they say they are before they can access your systems. This goes beyond just a simple password. It involves enforcing strong password policies (definitely NOT "password123"), and, more importantly, using multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires a user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access, for example a password plus a code sent to their phone. Strong authentication is your first line of defense against unauthorized access.

3. Protection Against Malware (8.7)

You've probably heard of this one before! This control focuses on detecting and blocking malicious software before it can spread and cause damage.

You need to have robust, up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware software on all your devices. This software should be configured to run regular scans and automatically update its threat definitions. Malware can steal data, corrupt files, and disrupt your business operations, so defending against it is non-negotiable for a secure business.

4. Data Masking (8.11)

Data masking involves creating a fake, yet realistic, version of your sensitive data. This is a clever way to protect sensitive information when you don't need the real data. For example, if you have a database of customer credit card numbers, you can "mask" them with random numbers for testing or development purposes. The masked data looks real but contains no actual sensitive information.

It allows your development and testing teams to do their jobs without ever being exposed to real, sensitive customer data, greatly reducing the risk of a data breach in non-production environments.

5. Information Backup (8.13)

This control is about making sure you can recover from a data loss event, meaning you need to have a clear policy for backing up your information regularly. These backups should be stored securely, and you should regularly test that you can actually restore the data from them.

Whether it's a cyberattack, a natural disaster, or a simple human error, things can go wrong. Having a reliable backup is your safety net, ensuring business continuity and avoiding permanent data loss.

6. Network Controls (8.20)

Think of this control as a way to protect your information as it travels, making sure only authorized people can get onto your network.

You need to put security measures in place to safeguard communications and prevent unauthorized network access. This involves setting up firewalls to block bad traffic and using tools like VPNs to encrypt data, keeping it safe from prying eyes.

Your network is the nervous system of your business. If it's unprotected, a hacker could easily get in, steal your data, or even shut down your entire operation. These controls ensure your communications are private and your internal systems are safe and sound.

7. Secure Development Cycle (8.25)

This is all about building security right into the foundation of your software and not just adding it on at the end. For any software your company develops, you need to embed security into every single step, from the initial design to the final deployment. This includes training developers, regularly reviewing code for vulnerabilities, and performing security tests to find and fix bugs before the software is ever released.

It's much, much easier and cheaper to fix a security flaw when the software is still being built than after it's been launched to thousands of customers. By making security a priority from day one, you build a stronger, more reliable product and protect your company's reputation.

The Statement of Applicability (SoA)

Now, here's a crucial point: not every control will apply to every company. This is the most misunderstood part of ISO 27001. That's where your Statement of Applicability (SoA) comes in.

Your SoA is a key document that lists all of the Annex A controls and explains which ones you've chosen to implement and, just as importantly, why you have chosen not to implement others. For example, if your company doesn't develop its own software, you can legitimately exclude controls related to secure development.

The SoA is proof that you've thought through your risks and built a security system that works for your business. It's the heart of your ISO 27001 journey and what an auditor will review to see how you've tailored the standard to fit your needs.

Best Practices for Implementing Technological Controls

• Take a Risk-Based Approach: Don't try to implement every single control at once - start by identifying your biggest security risks and prioritize the controls that will have the greatest impact on protecting your business.
• Layer Your Defenses: Think of your security like layers of an onion. A firewall is one layer, secure authentication is another, and malware protection is a third. The more layers you have, the harder it is for a threat to get through.
• Automate Where Possible: Use security tools that automate things like software updates, security scans, and backups to ensure they happen consistently.
• Educate Your Team: While technological controls are about the tech, people are a key part of the security chain. Make sure your team understands why these controls are in place and how to use them properly. This connects directly to the People Controls of ISO 27001.

The Benefits of Technological Controls Beyond Compliance

• Ensure Constant Operation: By protecting your digital assets from cyberattacks, system failures, and data breaches, you drastically reduce the risk of downtime, ensuring that your operations can continue without interruption.
• Build Customer Trust: In an era of increasing data privacy concerns, customers and partners want to know that you are serious about security. A strong, visible commitment to cybersecurity, through things like secure authentication and data encryption, builds confidence and strengthens your brand reputation.
• Audit Readiness: A well-documented and consistently executed set of technological controls makes the ISO 27001 audit process much more efficient.

Conclusion

Getting an ISO 27001 certification isn't about checking off every single box on a long list. It's about building a robust, effective system that protects your business from the risks that matter most. Technological controls are a massive part of that system, acting as the digital foundation that keeps everything safe and sound.

A platform like Smartly is designed to simplify the entire process, walking you through each ISO 27001 control step-by-step. With easy-to-use tools for evidence collection, tracking, and audits, your team can focus on what they do best: growing your business!

Ready to take control of your cybersecurity?