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Compliance Framework

ISO 27001

ISO/IEC 27001

ISO/IEC 27001 is the international standard for information security management systems (ISMS). Achieving and maintaining certification requires organizations to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve a systematic approach to managing information security risks. ServiceNow GRC/IRM provides the operational platform to run a certifiable ISMS.

What is ISO 27001?

The framework explained

ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally recognized standard for information security management systems (ISMS), published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The current version is ISO/IEC 27001:2022. The standard requires organizations to establish an ISMS — a systematic framework for managing information security risks — and to continually improve it. Organizations can pursue formal certification through accredited third-party auditors. ISO 27001 is structured around a risk management approach: organizations identify information security risks, select controls to treat them, implement and test those controls, and demonstrate through auditable evidence that the ISMS is operating effectively. Annex A of the standard provides 93 reference controls across four themes: Organizational, People, Physical, and Technological. ISO 27001 certification is recognized globally and is increasingly required by enterprise customers, particularly in technology, financial services, and healthcare.
ServiceNow Approach

How ServiceNow addresses ISO 27001

ServiceNow GRC/IRM provides the operational infrastructure for a certifiable ISO 27001 ISMS. Risk assessments can be structured and scored within ServiceNow, with risks linked to ISO 27001 Annex A controls and treatment options documented as workflow tasks. Control testing can be automated — assigning tests to control owners, collecting evidence, calculating effectiveness, and generating issues when gaps are identified. The Statement of Applicability (SoA) — a core ISO 27001 deliverable — can be maintained as a living document within ServiceNow, updated automatically as control status changes. Vendor risk management supports ISO 27001's supplier relationship controls, and incident management workflows support the standard's requirements for security event and incident response. Dashboards provide the ISMS management team and certification auditors with real-time visibility into control health, open risks, and remediation progress.
XAAS Implementation

How we implement ISO 27001

XAAS Solutions implements ServiceNow GRC/IRM as the operational platform for ISO 27001 certification and ongoing compliance. We structure your risk assessment methodology within ServiceNow, aligned to ISO 27001:2022 requirements. We map your control set to Annex A, configure control testing workflows, and implement vendor risk management for supplier relationship controls. We build the Statement of Applicability as a living ServiceNow dashboard, configure KRIs that surface control degradation before surveillance audits, and help your team establish the internal audit and management review processes required for ongoing certification. The result is an ISMS that operates as a genuine management system — not a paper exercise maintained in spreadsheets.
Frequently Asked Questions

About ISO 27001 on ServiceNow

What is ISO 27001?

ISO 27001 is the international standard for information security management systems (ISMS). It specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a systematic approach to managing information security risks, and organizations can pursue formal third-party certification.

What is the difference between ISO 27001 and ISO 27002?

ISO 27001 specifies the requirements for an ISMS — what an organization must do to be certifiable. ISO 27002 provides guidance on implementing the controls listed in ISO 27001 Annex A — it is a supporting reference, not a certifiable standard.

What is the Statement of Applicability in ISO 27001?

The Statement of Applicability (SoA) is a required ISO 27001 document that lists all Annex A controls, indicates which are applicable to the organization, explains the justification for including or excluding each control, and documents the implementation status of applicable controls.

How does ServiceNow support ISO 27001 compliance?

ServiceNow GRC/IRM structures ISO 27001 risk assessments, links risks to Annex A controls, automates control testing, maintains the Statement of Applicability as a living document, and provides dashboards giving the ISMS management team real-time visibility into control health and audit readiness.

How long does ISO 27001 certification take?

ISO 27001 certification typically takes 6 to 18 months depending on the organization's size, existing security maturity, and the scope of the ISMS. The process involves a Stage 1 documentation review and a Stage 2 on-site audit by an accredited certification body.

Who needs ISO 27001 certification?

ISO 27001 certification is voluntary but is increasingly required by enterprise customers, particularly in technology, financial services, and healthcare. It is especially common for SaaS vendors, managed service providers, and organizations handling sensitive customer data.

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