Controls management and assessments are critical for properly managing a complete information security program. Similarly, evidence collection, management, and approval is vital for proper control based security governance programs in any organization.

What are the brakes on a car designed to do? I have asked this question many times when speaking to customers or organizations who were dipping their toes into the audit space. Invariably, their answer was, “To stop the car.” At this point, I would then ask, “Then how do you get where you want to go?”

ISO 27001 enables organizations of any size to manage the security of assets such as employee information, financial information, intellectual property, employee details, and third-party information. ISO 27001 is primarily known for providing requirements for an information security management system (ISMS) and is part of a much larger set of information security standards. An ISMS is a standards-based approach to managing sensitive information to make sure it stays secure.

In many cases, penetration testing – a type of ethical hacking engagement designed to identify and address security vulnerabilities in networks, systems and applications – is required. Sometimes this requirement is specified directly, while in other cases it is implied by a need to build audit or assessment processes to mitigate cyber risk. This blog identifies some of the most common pen testing standards and regulations and provides guidance about the type of testing required.

As many businesses have begun to work almost entirely remotely until an as-yet-to-be-determined date, they have had to plan for activities that took place largely in person in the past. For example, many compliance audits have gone virtual in these times of uncertainty. This shift has forced organizations to adjust how they prepare and plan. But even in these times of uncertainty, it is your organization’s responsibility to stay sharp and on track with security knowledge, planning, and response.

Each month, Reciprocity highlights companies that have earned compliance certifications for information security frameworks. Here’s our June 2020 roundup of compliance news from around the United States, and around the world.