What is an ISO 27001 data retention policy?

The ISO 27001 norm is all about securing important data for your organization. A key part of the norm is setting up an ISO 27001 data retention policy. This policy will help you to control how your data is handled, stored, and disposed of — with the main goal of keeping it protected throughout its lifecycle.

This article will provide an introduction to what a data retention policy is and what you should know about it if you’re looking to comply with ISO 27001.

What is an ISO 27001 data retention policy (and why is it important)?

An ISO 27001 data retention policy is a set of guidelines that determines how long you can store customer data and when it should be deleted. With this policy in place, you can be sure this happens legally and safely. When a data breach occurs, the damage will be less high when not all your old data can be accessed. It also helps you manage and save storage costs that come with saving a lot of data.

You should think about how long you store emails, when financial records should be archived, and at what point customer data needs to be anonymized or deleted.

A data retention policy should at least cover the following five elements:

1. Types of data: Specifies different categories of data (e.g., personal data, financial records, emails).
2. Retention periods: Defines how long each type of data should be kept.
3. Deletion procedures: Outlines how data should be securely deleted once it’s no longer needed.
4. Roles and responsibilities: Identifies who is responsible for managing and enforcing the policy.
5. Compliance requirements: Ensures the policy meets legal and regulatory obligations.

Implementing a Data Retention Policy Under ISO 27001

Here’s a simple guide to creating an ISO 27001-compliant data retention policy:

1. Identify data types
   • List all types of data your organization handles.
   • Classify the data based on sensitivity and regulatory requirements.
2. Define retention periods
   • Determine how long each type of data needs to be retained.
   • Consider legal requirements, business needs, and industry best practices.
3. Establish deletion procedures
   • Specify methods for securely deleting data (e.g., shredding physical documents, wiping electronic data).
   • Ensure procedures are in place for regular data disposal.
4. Assign roles and responsibilities
   • Designate individuals or teams responsible for implementing and enforcing the policy.
   • Provide training to ensure everyone understands their role.
5. Monitor and review
   • Regularly review and update the policy to ensure it remains effective and compliant with any new regulations.
   • Conduct audits to check compliance with the policy.

Conclusion

And there you have it. An ISO 27001 data retention policy helps your organization to manage your data responsibly. It should clearly define how you store specific data and when you should dispose of it.

An ISO 27001 consultant can help you set up your own data retention policy.