As your company continues to shift operations to the cloud, safeguarding personal data becomes more than just a technical responsibility; it becomes a trust factor. Cloud storage offers convenience, scalability, and speed, but it also opens up concerns around data misuse, unauthorized access, and regulatory non-compliance.
If your business manages personally identifiable information (PII) on the cloud, understanding how ISO 27018 helps shape privacy standards is essential. This standard serves as a global benchmark that strengthens your GRC services (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) and builds confidence among customers and regulators alike.
Understanding Why Cloud Privacy Matters
When you store personal data in the cloud, you don’t just hand it to a single server; you distribute it across multiple systems, often spanning different regions and legal frameworks. This complexity introduces challenges that traditional data security models can’t fully cover:
- Shared infrastructure: Multiple tenants use the same hardware, increasing exposure risks if isolation fails.
- Dynamic environments: Data moves quickly between virtual machines and storage zones, complicating tracking and deletion.
- Cross-border data flow: Varying global regulations can make compliance harder.
- Third-party dependencies: Sub-processors and vendors add layers of privacy risk.
Your business must balance these realities while maintaining customer confidence. That’s where ISO 27018 steps in; it provides structured, internationally recognized practices to protect personal data in cloud environments.
What Is ISO 27018?
ISO/IEC 27018 is a code of practice that focuses on protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in public cloud environments. It complements ISO 27001, which establishes an overall information security management system (ISMS).
While ISO 27001 sets the foundation, ISO 27018 adds privacy-specific controls, defining how cloud service providers (acting as data processors) must handle personal data on behalf of their customers (data controllers).
This means that if your company uses cloud providers for storing or processing personal data, ISO 27018 enables you to ensure your partners follow consistent, compliant, and transparent data handling practices.
How ISO 27018 Strengthens Your GRC Services
When you integrate ISO 27018 into your organization’s GRC services, you’re not just checking boxes; you’re embedding privacy into your governance and risk framework.
1. Governance: Defining Responsibilities
ISO 27018 clarifies accountability. It outlines who is responsible for collecting consent, handling deletion requests, and ensuring transparency. This reduces confusion during audits and gives leadership clear oversight over cloud data handling.
2. Risk Management: Identifying Cloud-Specific Threats
Traditional risk assessments often overlook cloud-specific vulnerabilities, like shared environments, dynamic scaling, and global data transfers. ISO 27018 helps you recognize and mitigate these by suggesting relevant control measures such as encryption, pseudonymization, and contractual safeguards.
3. Compliance: Demonstrating Transparency
Achieving ISO 27018 certification online provides tangible proof that your company follows global privacy best practices. It assures regulators, partners, and clients that your cloud operations are ethical, compliant, and auditable.
Core Principles of ISO 27018
To comply with ISO 27018, your organization must implement privacy controls built around key principles that ensure responsible handling of personal data.
1. Consent and Purpose Limitation
Personal data can only be used for its original purpose and with explicit consent. Any deviation, like using data for marketing, requires additional approval from the individual.
2. Transparency
Your business must clearly communicate how personal data is stored, processed, shared, and deleted. Customers should never be left guessing about where their data resides.
3. Accountability for Deletion
You must ensure data is securely deleted once it’s no longer required. ISO 27018 emphasizes verifiable deletion processes, so you can demonstrate compliance if audited.
4. Access Control and Monitoring
Only authorized personnel should access personal data, and every interaction must be logged. Access rights should be regularly reviewed and automatically revoked when no longer needed.
5. Security of Data
Encryption, both in transit and at rest, is a key safeguard. The standard encourages strong cryptographic techniques and recommends pseudonymization to limit exposure in case of a breach.
6. Breach Notification
If a data breach occurs, your company must have predefined procedures for assessment, notification, and remediation. Rapid, transparent communication is crucial to maintaining trust.
7. Third-Party Management
You remain responsible even when data is processed by a vendor or subcontractor. ISO 27018 demands transparency and compliance from all partners in your data supply chain.
Steps for Adopting ISO 27018 in Your Organization
Adopting ISO 27018 can seem daunting, but a structured approach simplifies the process. Here’s how you can begin:
- Conduct a gap assessment: Compare your current cloud policies with ISO 27018’s requirements to identify compliance gaps.
- Integrate with existing ISMS: If you already follow ISO 27001, extend it with ISO 27018 controls.
- Prioritize critical controls: Focus first on consent, data deletion, and access management.
- Document everything: Maintain records of processing activities, consent, and deletion proofs.
- Train your teams: Ensure all staff handling PII understand their responsibilities under ISO 27018.
- Pursue certification: Once aligned, opt for ISO 27018 certification online to demonstrate formal compliance.
- Monitor and review: Regular audits and continuous monitoring help sustain long-term compliance.
Benefits of ISO 27018 for Your Business
Aligning with ISO 27018 brings multiple long-term benefits to your company, beyond mere compliance:
- Builds customer trust: Clients and users gain confidence knowing their personal data is managed responsibly.
- Improves global competitiveness: Many organizations prefer working with partners certified to recognized standards.
- Reduces legal exposure: Structured privacy controls reduce the likelihood of fines or regulatory penalties.
- Streamlines vendor management: With ISO 27018 controls, you can assess and onboard cloud providers more efficiently.
- Enhances brand reputation: Demonstrating proactive privacy management positions your company as a trustworthy partner.
Why ISO 27018 Matters for Cloud-First Startups
If you’re a growing business or startup, adopting ISO 27018 early gives you a competitive edge. You can scale confidently, knowing that your data management practices are globally recognized.
Cloud environments change rapidly, but privacy expectations remain constant. ISO 27018 provides the consistency and discipline you need to manage PII across shifting platforms, vendors, and regions.
On Concluding Note!
Protecting personal data in the cloud is no longer optional; it’s a business necessity. To make your ISO 27018 journey seamless, INTERCERTstands as a globally accredited audit and assessment body. Through a structured audit and assessment, INTERCERT verifies adherence to ISO 27018 principles for protecting personal data in the cloud. If your organization meets the standards, INTERCERT grants the ISO 27018:2019 certification, showcasing your company’s commitment to protecting personal data.
Obtaining an ISO 27018:2019 certification not only strengthens your GRC frameworks but also enhances your credibility, showcasing your company’s commitment to global privacy standards and customer trust.