ISO/IEC 27001 defines a general information security management system, while ISO/IEC 27017 and ISO/IEC 27018 provide cloud-specific guidance. They address shared responsibility, cloud control implementation, and personal data protection in cloud environments.
ISO/IEC 27001 establishes a generic framework for managing information security, whereas ISO/IEC 27017 and ISO/IEC 27018 extend that framework with cloud-specific controls and guidance. They clarify responsibilities between cloud customers and providers and address risks unique to cloud services, including personal data processing.
As cloud adoption accelerated, it became clear that traditional ISMS controls were insufficiently precise for cloud environments. Regulators and auditors now expect organizations to demonstrate how general security requirements are adapted to outsourced and shared infrastructures. ISO/IEC 27017 and 27018 respond directly to this expectation.
ISO/IEC 27017 introduces guidance on topics such as virtual machine protection, cloud service agreements, and administrative operations. ISO/IEC 27018 focuses on privacy, including consent, data minimization, and breach notification in public cloud services. Both standards rely on ISO/IEC 27001 as the management backbone.
Organizations typically maintain an ISO/IEC 27001 ISMS and apply ISO/IEC 27017 and 27018 to cloud services within scope. Professionals use these standards to define provider obligations, internal controls, and audit criteria.
Professionals managing cloud security benefit from understanding how these standards interact rather than treating them as standalone frameworks.
We frequently see organizations claim cloud compliance without mapping ISO/IEC 27001 controls to cloud reality. The missing link is responsibility allocation. Strong implementations explicitly document who does what, how evidence is obtained, and how controls are tested. ISO/IEC 27017 and 27018 give structure to those conversations with providers.
““ISO 27001 tells you what must be controlled. ISO 27017 and 27018 explain how that control actually works once the infrastructure is no longer yours.””
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The PECB Certified Lead Cloud Security Manager certification validates the ability to design, implement, manage, and improve a cloud security program based on ISO/IEC 27017 and ISO/IEC 27018. It confirms competence in cloud risk management, shared responsibility models, cloud-specific controls, and incident handling.
The ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer certification qualifies professionals to design, implement, operate, and improve an Information Security Management System (ISMS) based on ISO/IEC 27001:2022. It validates practical capability to lead ISMS projects and prepare organizations for certification audits.
EBIOS RM supports ISO 27001 by providing a structured method to identify, analyze, and treat information security risks in line with clause 6.1.2. It ensures risk assessments are documented, repeatable, and defensible during audits.
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