An introduction to ISO 27001 penetration testing

Penetration testing is considered essential part of the ISO 27001 norm. Not because it’s an official requirement, but because it’s simply the best way to test if your security controls are truly effective.

If you’re new to this topic, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn all about ISO 27001 penetration testing and how you can get started.

What is ISO 27001 penetration testing?

ISO 27001 penetration testing, or pen testing, is like a controlled, ethical hacking attempt. The goal is to figure out whether the security of your organization is up to par as far as the ISO norm controls go. There are various ways to go about penetration testing. The best way is often to find a professional ISO 27001 consultant that can perform the task.

Why is ISO 27001 penetration testing so important?

Like I said, earlier: penetration testing is not a hard requirement to compy with the ISO 27001 standard. However, it is still recommended by many ISO 27001 consultants to regularly perform one.

That’s because the standard does mention that you should notice technical vulnerabilities in a timely fasion and you should test your security functionality regularly. A regular penetration test covers this.

A pen test helps you to identify weaknesses. Even if you think your ISMS has been set up perfectly, there is a chance that a hacker can poke holes in it. You could consider a pen test a second opinion. It’ll help you find your blind spots.

The penetration testing process

Here’s what an ISO 27001 penetration test often looks like.

1. Planning and scoping

First, define the scope of the test. This involves:

• Determining objectives: What exactly are you trying to penetrate? Which security controls do you want to have tested? This is important to determine up front.
• Setting boundaries: Outline what is off-limits for the ethical hacker to avoid disrupting business operations.

2. Reconnaissance

Next, the ISO 27001 pen testers gather information about the target. This is called reconnaissance or information gathering. They might look for:

• Publicly available information: Data that can be found online about your organization or your employees. Social media is often used for this.
• Network and system details: Information about the target’s infrastructure.

3. Vulnerability scanning

After gathering information, testers use tools to scan for vulnerabilities. This step involves:

• Automated scanning: Using software to identify potential weaknesses.
• Manual analysis: Experts analyze the results to find hidden issues that automated tools might miss.

4. Exploitation

Now comes the action-packed part: exploiting the vulnerabilities. Testers attempt to:

• Gain access: Use identified weaknesses to break into systems.
• Elevate privileges: Once inside, try to gain higher-level access to see how deep they can go.

5. Post-exploitation

After successfully exploiting vulnerabilities, testers assess what they could do:

• Data access: Determine what sensitive data within your organization they could access.
• System control: See how much control they could gain over the systems. For instance, would it be possible to install ransomware and shut down your organization?

6. Reporting

Once the testing is complete, the testers compile a detailed report. This report includes:

• Findings: What vulnerabilities were discovered and how they were exploited.
• Impact: The potential damage that could result from each vulnerability. This may be hard to determine. That’s why you can simply start by considering whether a data leak caused by this damage would be harmful and if so, at what scale.
• Recommendations: Steps to fix the identified issues and improve security.

7. Remediation and follow-up

Finally, it’s time to fix the issues. This involves:

• Implementing Fixes: Addressing the vulnerabilities based on the testers’ recommendations.
• Re-Testing: Conducting follow-up tests to ensure the fixes were effective.

Tips for effective penetration testing

• Regular testing: Perform penetration tests regularly to stay ahead of new threats.
• Qualified testers: Use experienced professionals or reputable companies for thorough and accurate testing.
• Continuous improvement: Use the results to continuously improve your security measures.

Conclusion

Penetration testing is not a literal requirement to comply with the ISO 27001 norm. However, it’s a way to cover some important parts of the standard that require you to manage technical vulnerabilities in a timely fashion.

ISO 27001 penetration testing requires real expertise. Connect with an ISO 27001 consultant in your area to get started.