ISO/IEC 27013:2021 for CISOs
What does ISO/IEC 27013:2021 require of a CISO?
ISO/IEC's guidance on running ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 20000-1 as one integrated management system, updated by Amendment 1 to ISO/IEC 27001:2022: aligning scopes, choosing the implementation path, keeping traceability to both standards, resolving where the two diverge on controls, assets, risk, incidents and change, and using service reporting, suppliers, capacity, continuity and release management to strengthen security. Under ISO/IEC 27013:2021, which defines 23 controls, a CISO's work is deciding which controls you own outright, which you share and which belong to another team, then holding the evidence for the first group.
Which ISO/IEC 27013:2021 controls land on the CISO
CISOs own the organisation's information security strategy, budget, and risk posture. They translate compliance requirements into security programmes, report to the board, and balance security investment against business objectives.
ISO/IEC 27013:2021 defines 23 controls across 3 domains that directly affect the CISO role. Understanding which controls fall within your ownership, which are shared, and which are owned by other teams is the foundation of effective compliance management.
What a CISO is accountable for under ISO/IEC 27013:2021
Defining and executing the information security strategy aligned to business goals
Presenting cyber risk posture and compliance status to the board and executive team
Allocating security budget across people, process, and technology investments
Managing the security organisation and building a security-aware culture
Overseeing incident response capability and crisis management readiness
Where CISOs lose time on ISO/IEC 27013:2021
These are the most common obstacles CISOs face when managing ISO/IEC 27013:2021 compliance, and how to address them:
Challenge 1
Justifying security investment to the board with clear business metrics
Challenge 2
Managing compliance across multiple frameworks without duplicating effort
Challenge 3
Hiring and retaining qualified security professionals in a competitive market
Challenge 4
Keeping pace with evolving threats while maintaining compliance baselines
Challenge 5
Balancing security controls with business agility and user experience
A working order for a CISO starting on ISO/IEC 27013:2021
1. Readiness Assessment
Take a 5-minute readiness assessment to identify your organisation's current gap profile against ISO/IEC 27013:2021. Get a prioritised action plan tailored to your specific situation.
2. Cross-Framework Mapping
Use our platform to map ISO/IEC 27013:2021 controls against other frameworks you already comply with. Identify overlapping controls to reduce duplicate effort.
3. Build Your Toolkit
Equip yourself with ISO/IEC 27013:2021 toolkits, self-assessments, and implementation guides from our store. Resources designed specifically for CISOs managing compliance programmes.
4. Continuous Monitoring
Establish ongoing compliance monitoring using our platform's gap analysis tools. Track your maturity over time and demonstrate progress to stakeholders.
ISO/IEC 27013:2021 in your sector
Who else owns part of ISO/IEC 27013:2021
Questions CISOs ask about ISO/IEC 27013:2021
What does a CISO need to know about ISO/IEC 27013:2021?
How does ISO/IEC 27013:2021 affect the CISO role?
What are the biggest ISO/IEC 27013:2021 challenges for CISOs?
How should a CISO prepare for a ISO/IEC 27013:2021 audit?
What tools help CISOs manage ISO/IEC 27013:2021 compliance?
CISO: How ready is your organisation for ISO/IEC 27013:2021?
Answer 25 questions and get a professional readiness report with gap analysis, maturity scores, and prioritised action items. Results in 5 minutes.