Be proactive against cyberattacks – get ISO 27001 certified

In April 2022, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) published an urgent warning after the threat level for web-based attacks increased. The cause? A perfect storm of Russian-linked online malfeasance, scams targeting the southern tax season, and the tail end of two years of Covid-themed cyber scams.

The ACSC warned that bad actors were exploiting internet-facing applications and urged Australian businesses to detect, respond to and mitigate cyber security incidents.

Following the February invasion of Ukraine, the ACSC said there is “a heightened cyber threat environment globally,” and “the risk of cyberattacks on Australian networks, either directly or inadvertently, has increased.”

It is critical that Australian organisations “take steps to adopt an enhanced cyber security posture and increase monitoring for threats,” the ACSC added.

Four key actions were recommended. Businesses were urged to:

1. Patch applications and devices, particularly internet-facing services.
2. Disable Microsoft Office macros by default, limit user privileges, and ensure staff report all suspicious phishing emails received, links clicked, or documents opened.
3. Ensure that logging and detection systems are fully updated, functioning, and stored properly.
4. Review incident response and business continuity plans.

The ACSC also reminded businesses to adopt the baseline of cyber security known as ‘Essential Eight,’ which refers to a model of escalating security protocols to keep intruders out.

The message was clear: Internationally-recognised cybersecurity standards would now become required for most businesses undertaking government work contracts – and businesses’ cyber defences could come under close scrutiny.

“Essential Eight implementations may need to be assessed by an independent party if required by a government directive or policy, by a regulatory authority, or as part of contractual arrangements,” the ACSC said.

Your business isn’t the only one at risk. Use an internationally-recognised standard to stay secure.  

The purpose of the ACSC warning was to remind companies that the cyber risk is not just about your own company. Others at risk if your business lets its guard down are government clients you do business with; business partners; staff; and especially the consumers who entrust you with their valuable data.

Remember, a cyberattack can expose:

• Customer records and personal information;
• The design of your products;
• Patent applications;
• Email records;
• Financial records;
• Business plans and ideas;
• Marketing plans;
• Intellectual property; and
• Employees’ personal identifiable information records.

Gaining certification to the international standard ISO 27001 is one of the best ways to challenge your business to shore up its defences.

As cybersecurity expert Dr Edward Humphreys recently told ISO.org, asking whether a business has an International Standard is “indispensable” for global protection against cyber-attacks.

Humphreys – who is Convenor of the working group responsible for the management, development and maintenance of ISO/IEC 27000 – says the ISO/IEC 27000 family of standards is “the de facto choice for any organisation wishing to build robust solutions against cybercrime.”

Becoming ISO 27001 certified: what it means, and what it takes

ISO/IEC 27001 certification can help your business:

• Stand out from competitors during tendering and procurement.
• Build market differentiation and competitive advantage.
• Prove your claim to operational quality.
• Reduce your exposure to liability.
• Provide safety system compatibility.
• Boost improvement and cost efficiency.
• Improve organisational morale.

Furthermore, undertaking the QMS Certification Services audit process to gain ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management Certification will help your business to rise towards top quality standards in this way:

• Setting up an ISMS (information security management system) means setting up a systematic approach to managing sensitive company information so that it remains secure. This means you now have a safe system to manage people, processes and IT.
• QMS Certification Services’ experienced team will direct your business through the certification process by simplifying the application and auditing process and providing audit outcomes that add value to your organisation and its processes by auditing you to an internationally-recognised standard. Your business learns and improves by being audited for and achieving certification.
• Using the ISO 27000 family of standards will help your organisation manage the security of financial information, intellectual property, employee details, and other information assets entrusted to you by third parties. This cements and quantifies trust in your business.

The process is:

1. Getting ready for certification begins with a systematic examination of your business’s information security risks, taking into account possible threats, vulnerabilities, and impacts.
2. The implementation of a comprehensive suite of information security controls that addresses the risks deemed unacceptable.
3. Next is the adoption of an information security management system and process to meet the business’s security needs on an ongoing basis, after which QMS Certification Services’ experienced auditors will be able to assess you against the standard’s requirements, and provide fully accredited certification and/or conduct regular assessments to ensure you maintain the highest level of information security and continually improve business outcomes.

Be proactive against cyberattacks – get ISO 27001 certified

QMS Certification Services is here to make the ISO 27001 certification process simpler. QMS Certification Services can connect your staff to introductory training courses and consultants. Our experienced auditors can provide a compliance audit of your ISMS quickly, and provide a report that will help you add value to your investment in Information Security, and certification.

Contact QMS Certification Services today to discuss your certification needs.