COSO

Overview of ISO/IEC 27018

ISO/IEC 27018:2019 is an international standard specifically focused on protecting personal data in the cloud. It provides guidelines for the implementation of controls to ensure the privacy and security of personal data in cloud computing environments. This standard is part of the ISO/IEC 27000 family of standards, which are designed for information security management.


Key Principles of ISO/IEC 27018

1. Consent and Control

  • User Consent: CSPs must obtain explicit consent from users before processing their personal data.
  • Control Over Data: Users should have control over their data, including access, correction, and deletion rights.

2. Purpose Limitation

  • Data Usage: Personal data should only be used for the purposes for which it was collected and as agreed upon by the user.

3. Data Minimization

  • Collect Only What is Necessary: CSPs should collect only the personal data necessary to provide the cloud services and not retain data longer than required.

4. Transparency

  • Privacy Notices: CSPs must provide clear information about their data processing practices, including how personal data is handled and any third parties with whom it may be shared.

5. Data Security

  • Protection Measures: Implement security controls to protect personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction, including encryption and regular security assessments.

6. Data Breach Notification

  • Incident Reporting: CSPs must have procedures in place to detect, respond to, and notify relevant parties about data breaches affecting personal data.

7. Data Access and Portability

  • Access Rights: Users should be able to access their personal data and request its transfer or deletion if required.

8. Third-Party Management

  • Subprocessors: CSPs must manage relationships with third-party subprocessors to ensure compliance with the same data protection standards.
Service 1
Service 2

Steps to Implement ISO/IEC 27018

  1. Understand Requirements: Familiarize yourself with ISO/IEC 27018 requirements to understand its application to your organization's cloud services.
  2. Assess Current Practices: Conduct a gap analysis to compare existing data protection practices with ISO/IEC 27018 requirements.
  3. Develop Policies and Procedures: Update or develop privacy policies and procedures to align with ISO/IEC 27018 principles.
  4. Implement Controls: Deploy security controls such as encryption, access management, and monitoring to protect personal data.
  5. Training and Awareness: Train employees on data protection practices and ISO/IEC 27018 requirements, fostering a culture of data protection.
  6. Monitor and Audit: Conduct regular audits and reviews to ensure ongoing compliance with ISO/IEC 27018.
  7. Engage with Stakeholders: Communicate with clients about compliance with ISO/IEC 27018 and ensure third-party subprocessors comply with its requirements.
  8. Certification (Optional): Consider obtaining ISO/IEC 27018 certification from an accredited body to enhance credibility with clients and stakeholders.

Conclusion

Implementing ISO/IEC 27018 helps cloud service providers ensure that they handle personal data responsibly and in accordance with international privacy standards, thereby building trust with their customers and protecting their data.