Scoping

Scoping involves defining the boundaries and extent of the ISMS implementation. The goal is to identify the assets, systems, processes, and locations that will be included in the scope of ISO 27001. The scoping process typically involves the following steps:

• Define the organizational context: Understand the organization's structure, business processes, stakeholders, and legal/regulatory requirements relevant to information security.
  
  
• Identify the scope: Determine the boundaries of the ISMS implementation. This includes identifying the physical locations, business units, departments, systems, networks, and processes that will be included.
  
  
• Define the applicability of controls: Determine which controls from Annex A of the ISO 27001 standard are applicable to the identified scope. This involves considering the organization's objectives, risk assessment findings, and legal/regulatory requirements.
  
  
• Document the scope: Prepare a document that clearly defines the scope of the ISMS implementation, including the boundaries and applicability of controls. This document serves as a reference for the entire ISO 27001 project.

Gap Assessment

A gap assessment is conducted to identify the organization's current state of compliance with the ISO 27001 standard and to identify areas that need improvement to meet the standard's requirements. The process typically involves the following steps:

• Familiarize with ISO 27001: Understand the requirements of ISO 27001 by studying the standard and associated guidance documents.
  
  
• Perform a gap analysis: Compare the organization's existing security controls, policies, and procedures against the requirements of ISO 27001. Identify gaps and areas of non-compliance.
  
  
• Identify areas for improvement: Analyze the gaps and prioritize areas that require improvement based on the level of risk, criticality, and impact on the organization's security posture.
  
  
• Develop an action plan: Create a detailed action plan to address the identified gaps and non-compliance areas. The plan should outline the necessary steps, responsibilities, timelines, and resources required for remediation.
  
  
• Implement corrective measures: Execute the action plan to address the identified gaps. This may involve developing and implementing new policies, procedures, controls, or improving existing ones. It may also include training staff, enhancing technical controls, and updating documentation.
  
  
• Reassess and validate: After implementing the corrective measures, reassess the organization's security controls to validate their effectiveness and ensure compliance with ISO 27001 requirements.

The scoping and gap assessment processes help organizations understand the current state of their information security management practices and identify areas that need improvement to meet the ISO 27001 standard. They lay the foundation for the development and implementation of an effective ISMS that aligns with international best practices for information security.

Begin your ISO/IEC 27001 journey today with our industry leading ISMS 27001 Scoping & Gap Assessment Workbook.  Our comprehensive, in-depth ISMS 27001 Scoping & Gap Assessment Workbook will help organizations clearly define the scope of their Information Security Management System (ISMS) as required by ISO/IEC 27001.