gartner-reviews-dark 4.2/5 (49)

ISO 27001 Compliance Software

Certification Without Complexity: ISO 27001 Made Easy

SureCloud gives compliance managers and CISOs a structured, risk-led path to ISO 27001 — from initial gap analysis through to audit-ready evidence and ongoing surveillance.
Book a Demo
fw-hero-iso27001-asset

ISO 27001: The Global Standard for Information Security Management

ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally recognised standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS).
 ISO 27001 applies to organisations of all sizes and sectors. If you're approaching it for the first time, our Beginner's Guide to ISO 27001 is a good starting point before diving into implementation. 

Published jointly by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), it specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a structured approach to protecting sensitive information.

The standard does not prescribe a fixed list of technical controls. Instead, it requires organisations to identify their information security risks and select appropriate controls to manage them. Annex A of ISO/IEC 27001:2022 provides a reference set of 93 controls across four themes — organisational, people, physical, and technological — from which organisations select based on their own risk assessment and document in a Statement of Applicability (SoA).

ISO 27001 applies to organisations of all sizes and sectors. Certification is awarded by an accredited third-party certification body following a two-stage audit process, and must be maintained through annual surveillance audits and full recertification every three years.

Key Facts
Governing body ISO/IEC (International Organisation for Standardisation / International Electrotechnical Commission)
Applies to All organisations, regardless of size, sector, or geography
Certification required Yes — issued by accredited third-party certification bodies (e.g. BSI, LRQA, Bureau Veritas)
Audit frequency Annual surveillance audits; full recertification every 3 years
Latest version ISO/IEC 27001:2022 (published October 2022; transition deadline for 2013-certified organisations was October 2025)

ISO 27001 Certification Doesn't Just Reduce Risk. It Wins Business.

reduced-icon-tabbed-SKILLS-AGENTS-004

It opens procurement doors.

Enterprise buyers and public sector organisations routinely require ISO 27001 as a baseline supplier qualification. Certification removes a persistent blocker in sales cycles and eliminates the need to answer the same security questionnaire twenty different ways. 
reduced-icon-tabbed-architecture-002

It gives auditors and customers evidence, not promises.

Independently verified certification tells customers, investors, and procurement teams that your controls are real, tested, and maintained — not a slide deck claim. 
reduced-icon-tabbed-architecture-001

It reduces your breach exposure — systematically.

The standard's risk-led approach forces identification and treatment of vulnerabilities before they become incidents. Organisations operating a live ISMS are better positioned to avoid breaches and the regulatory penalties that follow. 
reduced-icon--tabbed-architecture-ICONS-001

It shortens due diligence cycles.

Third-party risk assessments take less time when you can point to a certified ISMS with supporting documentation. Deals close faster, onboarding is smoother, and audit fatigue for your team drops significantly. 

How SureCloud Supports ISO 27001 Compliance

One Platform. Every Requirement. No Spreadsheets.

reduced-tile-verts-critical-infractructure-02

SureCloud's Risk Management product maps directly to ISO 27001's risk assessment and treatment requirements. Build a structured risk register, assess threats and vulnerabilities against your assets, document your treatment decisions, and maintain a live Statement of Applicability — all within a single controlled environment. Risk owners are assigned, review cycles are tracked, and nothing falls through the gap between audits. 

The Core Requirements: What ISO 27001 Actually Asks of Your Organisation

ISO 27001 is a management system standard, not a fixed technical checklist. What you implement depends on your risks — but the structure below applies to every organisation seeking certification.

The two most commonly underestimated requirements — covered in detail here:

ISO 27001 Annex A.8: Technological Controls Guide

ISO 27001 Statement of Applicability: Build One That Stays True

Requirement Area
What It Means In Practise
✕

Organisational context (Clause 4)

✓

Define the scope of your ISMS, identify internal and external stakeholders, and document the business issues that affect information security.

✕

Leadership and commitment (Clause 5)

✓

Senior leadership must own the ISMS and sign off an information security policy. Accountability sits at the top, not just in the IT team.

✕

Risk assessment and treatment (Clause 6)

✓

Identify information security risks systematically. Evaluate their likelihood and impact. Define a risk treatment plan that selects and justifies applicable Annex A controls.

✕

Annex A controls and Statement of Applicability

✓

Select applicable controls from the 93 in Annex A. Document a Statement of Applicability (SoA) that records which controls apply, which are implemented, and the justification for any exclusions.

✕

Documentation and evidence (Clause 7)

✓

Maintain documented information including policies, procedures, risk registers, audit reports, and records of management reviews. Evidence of control operation is essential for audit.

✕

Internal audit programme (Clause 9)

✓

Run planned internal audits to verify the ISMS operates as intended. Non-conformities identified internally are far less costly than those found by an external auditor.

✕

Continual improvement (Clause 10)

✓

Address non-conformities with corrective actions and track them to closure. Demonstrate ongoing improvement in your security posture between surveillance and recertification audits.

See How SureCloud Covers Each Requirement

Frequently Asked ISO:27001 Questions

What is ISO 27001?

ISO 27001 is the internationally recognised standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). Published by ISO and IEC, it defines the requirements for identifying information security risks and implementing controls to manage them. Certification is awarded by an accredited third-party body after a two-stage audit and must be maintained through annual surveillance and three-yearly recertification.

What is the difference between ISO 27001 and ISO 27002?

ISO 27001 is the certifiable management system standard — it defines what your organisation must do to establish and maintain an effective ISMS. ISO 27002 provides detailed implementation guidance for the 93 controls listed in ISO 27001's Annex A. Organisations get certified against ISO 27001; ISO 27002 is the supporting reference used when designing and implementing those controls. 

How long does ISO 27001 certification take?

Most organisations take between three and twelve months to achieve ISO 27001 certification for the first time. The timeline depends on your starting security maturity, available internal resource, and the complexity of your ISMS scope. Organisations with existing risk management processes and structured compliance tooling in place typically reach certification faster than those starting from scratch. Read more about how long a ISO27001 certificate takes here.

What is a Statement of Applicability?

A Statement of Applicability (SoA) is a mandatory ISO 27001 document that lists all 93 Annex A controls and records whether each applies to your organisation, whether it has been implemented, and the justification for any inclusions or exclusions. The SoA is a key document reviewed by your external auditor during both Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the certification audit.

What happens during an ISO 27001 audit?

ISO 27001 certification involves a two-stage audit by an accredited certification body. Stage 1 reviews your ISMS documentation and design to confirm readiness. Stage 2 assesses whether your controls are operating effectively in practice, tested against real evidence from your day-to-day operations. After certification, annual surveillance audits check ongoing compliance, and a full recertification audit is required every three years.

How does software help with ISO 27001 compliance?

ISO 27001 compliance involves managing a large, interconnected set of risks, controls, policies, owners, and evidence. Without dedicated software, organisations rely on spreadsheets and shared drives that create version control issues, evidence gaps, and audit panic. Compliance software centralises the entire programme, automates evidence collection, assigns accountability, and maintains audit-ready documentation year-round — making ISO 27001 sustainable, not just achievable.

Related ISO 27001 Resources

DORA vs NIS-2 vs ISO 27001_ Where They Overlap & How to Combine Them (1)
ISO 27001
DORA vs NIS-2 vs ISO 27001: Where They Overlap
How to Become ISO 27001 Certified: A Step-by-Step UK Guide
ISO 27001
How to Become ISO 27001 Certified: A Step-by-Step UK Guide
Using SureClouds automated evidence collection for iso27001 compliance
ISO 27001
Using SureClouds Automated Evidence Collection for ISO 27001 Compliance

ISO 27001 ISMS Platforms_ 10 Tools Compared for 2026
ISO 27001
ISO 27001 ISMS Platforms: 10 Tools Compared for 2026
ISO 27001 Certification Cost in the UK
ISO 27001
ISO 27001 Certification Cost in the UK
ISO 27001 Statement of Applicability_ Build One That Stays True
ISO 27001
ISO 27001 Statement of Applicability: Build One That Stays True
Explore ISO 27001 Resources
g2-orange
Reviews

Read Our G2 Reviews

Review us on G2

4.5 out of 5

"Excellent support team"We've been happy with the product and the support and communication has been excellent throughout the migration and onboarding process.

Posted on
G2 - SureCloud

5 out of 5

"Great customer support"

 The SureCloud team can't do enough to ensure that the software meets our organisation's requirements. 

Posted on
G2 - SureCloud

4.5 out of 5

 "Solid core product with friendly support team"

 We use SureCloud for Risk Management and Control Compliance. The core product is strong, especially in validating data as it is... 

Posted on
G2 - SureCloud

5 out of 5

 "Excellent GRC tooling and professional service"

We've been happy with the product and the support and communication has been excellent throughout the migration and onboarding process.

Posted on
G2 - SureCloud

4.5 out of 5

"Straightforward Implementation, Intuitive Use, and Brilliant Support"

SureCloud has been straightforward to implement and tailor to our framework. It’s intuitive to use, so our teams have adopted it quickly...

Posted on
G2 - SureCloud

5 out of 5

"Easy to Use, Beautiful Graphs, and a Helpful, Responsive Team"
Very easy to use and really nice graphs are created. The team are also very helpful and quick to respond

Posted on
G2 - SureCloud

Your GRC team, amplified. See Gracie in action.
Book a Demo