[Research] Security Certification System(ISO/IEC) (en)
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△△ Corporation accelerates European expansion with ISO 27001 certification
OO Cloud obtains APEC Privacy Certification ‘CBPR’
Korean startup secures GDPR compliance with ISO 27701 certification
Have you come across headlines like these?
If your company is expanding globally or working with foreign partners, you’ve probably heard of international security certifications.
As regulations like the GDPR (EU), CCPA (US), and personal data transfer laws in countries like Japan and Singapore continue to diversify, the importance of having a structured certification system to comply with these requirements is growing rapidly.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at two major international security certification systems:
ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27701.
Want to learn about Korea’s domestic certification system instead?
Check out these blog posts:
➡️ https://hackyboiz.github.io/2024/07/07/romi0x/certification_security/
➡️ https://hackyboiz.github.io/2024/07/21/romi0x/certification_privacy/
What is ISO/IEC?
Let’s begin with a quick intro to ISO.
ISO certifications are issued based on standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
They verify that a company’s management system is built and operated in accordance with global best practices.
ISO has standards for many industries, and for information security, some of the most relevant ones include:
- ISO/IEC 27001 – Information Security Management System (ISMS)
- ISO/IEC 27002 – Security controls implementation guidelines
- ISO/IEC 27017 – Guidelines for cloud security
- ISO/IEC 27018 – Privacy protection for cloud-based personal data
- ISO/IEC 27701 – Privacy Information Management System (PIMS)
- ISO/IEC 27005 – Information security risk management
- ISO/IEC 22301 – Business Continuity Management System (BCMS)
Typically, companies begin with ISO/IEC 27001 (information security) as a foundation, and then extend to 27701 (privacy), 27017/27018 (cloud-specific) as needed.
ISO/IEC 27001
ISO/IEC 27001 is an international standard jointly established by ISO and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
It defines the requirements for an Information Security Management System (ISMS) that helps organizations protect their information assets and maintain confidentiality, integrity, and availability against evolving security threats.
This certification is globally recognized and applicable to all types of organizations—corporates, public entities, cloud providers, etc.—and helps them identify, assess, and manage security risks.
ISO 27001 is structured around the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act), requiring organizations to continuously plan, implement, review, and improve their security posture.
https://cdn.standards.iteh.ai/samples/79612/fc6152007e5648b2b175c1e9c2b4a553/ISO-28000-2022.pdf
It covers several areas of information security, including:
Audits are conducted by accredited international certification bodies.
Once certified, an organization undergoes annual surveillance audits and a recertification audit every three years. These ensure that the system is maintained and improved continuously.
ISO/IEC 27701
ISO/IEC 27701 is an extension of ISO 27001 that adds comprehensive requirements for privacy protection. It provides a framework for managing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) throughout its entire lifecycle—from collection to deletion. In short, ISO 27701 = ISO 27001 + privacy expansion.
The main goal of ISO/IEC 27701 is to help organizations meet global privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA, APPI (Japan), PDPA (Singapore), and to ensure the rights of data subjects are protected.
Key points:
- Cannot be certified alone — must be built on ISO/IEC 27001
- Differentiates control sets for PII Controllers and PII Processors
- Includes guidelines for consent, third-party sharing, cross-border transfer, data subject rights, and more
By obtaining ISO/IEC 27701, your organization demonstrates accountability in privacy management, not just basic security controls.
What about Korea? ISMS and ISMS-P
South Korea also operates a national certification system for information security:
- ISMS (Information Security Management System) focuses on information security only
- ISMS-P integrates privacy and information security, similar to ISO 27701 + 27001
ISMS is mandatory for certain types of companies (e.g. cloud providers, major platforms), while ISMS-P is required for those handling large volumes of personal data or sensitive information.
Both certifications are administered by the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and other regulatory bodies, and evaluate compliance with local laws like the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and the Network Act.
🔍 ISO vs ISMS(P): What’s the difference?
While all these certifications help prove that your organization has a structured security system in place,
they differ in purpose, region, and legal applicability.
So, which one should you choose?
If you’re expanding internationally or working with foreign partners,
→ Go with ISO/IEC 27001 + 27701
If your focus is serving the Korean market,
→ Start with ISMS, and expand to ISMS-P if handling lots of personal data
Some organizations pursue both, but it’s best to decide based on your audience, legal obligations, and business goals.
🔗 Want to learn more about Korean security certifications?
➡️ https://hackyboiz.github.io/2024/07/07/romi0x/certification_security/
➡️ https://hackyboiz.github.io/2024/07/21/romi0x/certification_privacy/
