ISO 27001:2022 - Key Changes and What They Mean for Your Organization

The 2022 update to ISO 27001 introduces significant changes to information security management. This revision reflects evolving cybersecurity threats and incorporates lessons learned from real-world implementations. Understanding these changes is crucial for organizations seeking or maintaining ISO 27001 certification.

Major Structural Changes

ISO 27001:2022 maintains the same high-level structure (HSLS) as previous versions, ensuring continuity for certified organizations. However, the standard now includes 93 controls (down from 114 in ISO 27001:2013), organized into four categories instead of 14 domains. This consolidation simplifies implementation while maintaining comprehensive coverage.

New Control Categories

The controls are now organized into four main categories:

• Organizational controls (37 controls) - Policies, roles, and responsibilities
• People controls (8 controls) - Human resource security and awareness
• Physical controls (14 controls) - Physical security and environmental controls
• Technological controls (34 controls) - Technical security controls and cryptography

New Controls to Address Modern Threats

ISO 27001:2022 introduces 11 new controls to address contemporary security challenges:

• 5.7 Threat intelligence - Systematic collection and analysis of threat information
• 5.23 Information security for use of cloud services - Specific guidance for cloud security
• 5.30 ICT readiness for business continuity - IT continuity planning
• 7.4 Physical security monitoring - Enhanced physical security measures
• 8.9 Configuration management - Systematic configuration control
• 8.10 Information deletion - Secure data deletion procedures
• 8.11 Data masking - Data protection through masking techniques
• 8.12 Data leakage prevention - DLP solutions and processes
• 8.16 Monitoring activities - Enhanced monitoring capabilities
• 8.23 Web filtering - Web content filtering controls
• 8.28 Secure coding - Secure development practices

Key Updates to Existing Controls

Several existing controls have been updated to reflect current best practices. For example, control 5.10 (Acceptable use of information and other associated assets) now includes explicit requirements for acceptable use of cloud services and personal devices. The incident management controls (5.26-5.28) have been enhanced with clearer requirements for incident response, learning, and evidence collection.

What This Means for Your Organization

Organizations currently certified to ISO 27001:2013 have until October 2025 to transition to the 2022 version. The transition process involves:

1. Gap analysis - Identifying which new controls apply to your organization
2. Control mapping - Mapping existing controls to the new structure
3. Implementation - Implementing new controls and updating existing ones
4. Documentation updates - Updating your Statement of Applicability and other documentation
5. Training - Ensuring staff understand the changes
6. Audit preparation - Preparing for your transition audit

Best Practices for Transition

Start planning your transition early. Many organizations find that the new structure actually simplifies their ISMS by reducing redundancy and improving clarity. Focus on the new controls that address cloud security, threat intelligence, and secure coding, as these often require the most significant changes to existing processes.

Consider using a compliance management platform to track your transition progress, manage documentation, and ensure all new controls are properly implemented and monitored.

Conclusion

The ISO 27001:2022 update reflects the evolving cybersecurity landscape and provides organizations with a more streamlined, modern framework for information security management. While the transition requires effort, the benefits include better alignment with current threats, reduced complexity, and improved effectiveness of your information security management system.