Understanding ISO/IEC 27018: Protecting PII in a Public Cloud Environment

As businesses increasingly turn to the cloud for data storage and processing, protecting personal data has become a top priority. ISO/IEC 27018 is a standard designed to help cloud service providers protect personally identifiable information (PII) in a public cloud computing environment. If you’re a CTO looking to gain a deeper understanding of this standard and how it can benefit your company, read on.

About ISO 27018

ISO/IEC 27018 is a voluntary international standard that provides guidance to a business about protecting PII in public cloud services. This includes cloud data storage, processing, and transmission, as well as contract management with cloud service providers and their subcontractors. The standard is based on EU data protection laws and includes specific controls and measures designed to reduce the risk of data breaches and protect users’ personal information.

Benefits of ISO 27018

One of the key benefits of ISO/IEC 27018 is that it helps a firm assess the risks they face and implement appropriate safeguards. This includes requiring a company to perform a risk assessment and implement a security management system that is designed to protect PII. This includes implementing encryption, access controls, and other data security measures, as well as performing regular security reviews and audits. 

Another benefit of ISO/IEC 27018 is that it provides a set of standardised controls and measures that can help them comply with various data protection laws and regulations. For example, the standard includes guidelines for data retention policies, data breach notification, and data subject access rights, all of which can help providers meet their legal obligations and avoid costly fines and penalties. 

ISO/IEC 27018 can also help a company build trust with their customers. By implementing rigorous data protection measures and regularly auditing security systems, a business can show their customers that they take the protection of their personal information seriously. This can help attract and retain customers, even in markets where data protection regulations are less stringent.

Protecting personal information with ISO 27018

ISO/IEC 27018 is a valuable standard for firms looking to protect PII in a public cloud computing environment. By providing guidance on risk assessment, security management systems, and standardised controls and measures, the standard helps a company using cloud services reduce the risk of data breaches and comply with legal requirements. 

The standard also enables a business to build trust with customers and help to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

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