Optimizing ISO/IEC 27001 Using O-ISM3

By Jim Hietala, The Open Group and Vicente Aceituno, Sistemas Informáticos Abiertos

The Open Group has just published a guide titled “Optimizing ISO/IEC 27001 using O-ISM3” that will be of interest to organizations using ISO27001/27002 as their Information Security Management System (ISMS).

By way of background, The Open Group published our Open Information Security Management Maturity Model last year, O-ISM3. O-ISM3 brings continuous improvement to information security management, and it provides a framework for security decision-making that is top down in nature, where security controls, security objectives and spending decisions are driven by (and aligned with) business objectives.

We have for some time now heard from information security managers that they would like a resource aimed at showing how the O-ISM3 standard could be used to manage information security alongside ISO27001/27002. This new guide provides specific guidance on this topic.

We view this as an important resource, for the following reasons:

• O-ISM3 complements ISO27001/2 by adding the “how” dimension to information security management
• O-ISM3 uses a process-oriented approach, defining inputs and outputs, and allowing for evaluation by process-specific metrics
• O-ISM3 provides a framework for continuous improvement of information security processes

This resource:

• Maps O-ISM3 and ISO27001 security objectives
• Maps ISO27001/27002 controls and documents to O-ISM3 security processes, documents, and outputs
• Provides a critical linkage between the controls-based approach found in ISO27001 to the process-based approach found in O-ISM3

If you have interest in information security management, we encourage you to have a look at Optimizing ISO/IEC 27001 using O-ISM3. The guide may be downloaded (at no cost, minimal registration required) here.

Jim Hietala, CISSP, GSEC, is the Vice President, Security for The Open Group, where he manages all IT security and risk management programs and standards activities. He participates in the SANS Analyst/Expert program and has also published numerous articles on information security, risk management, and compliance topics in publications including The ISSA Journal, Bank Accounting & Finance, Risk Factor, SC Magazine, and others.

Vicente Aceituno, CISA, has 20 years experience in the field of IT and Information Security. During his career in Spain and the UK, he has worked for companies like Coopers & Lybrand, BBC News, Everis, and SIA Group. He is the main author of the Information Security Management Method ISM3, author of the information security book “Seguridad de la Información,” Director of the ISM3 Consortium (www.ism3.com) and President of the Spanish chapter of the ISSA.