ISO/IEC 27701:2025 for CISOs
What does ISO/IEC 27701:2025 require of a CISO?
ISO/IEC 27701:2025 is the second edition of the requirements and guidance for privacy information management systems, published in October 2025 to replace ISO/IEC 27701:2019. Under ISO/IEC 27701:2025, which defines 108 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 27701:2025 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 27701:2025 defines 108 controls across 10 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 27701:2025
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 27701:2025
These are the most common obstacles CISOs face when managing ISO/IEC 27701:2025 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 27701:2025
1. Readiness Assessment
Take a 5-minute readiness assessment to identify your organisation's current gap profile against ISO/IEC 27701:2025. Get a prioritised action plan tailored to your specific situation.
2. Cross-Framework Mapping
Use our platform to map ISO/IEC 27701:2025 controls against other frameworks you already comply with. ISO/IEC 27701:2025 maps to 1 other frameworks in our database.
3. Build Your Toolkit
Equip yourself with ISO/IEC 27701:2025 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 27701:2025 in your sector
Who else owns part of ISO/IEC 27701:2025
Questions CISOs ask about ISO/IEC 27701:2025
What does a CISO need to know about ISO/IEC 27701:2025?
How does ISO/IEC 27701:2025 affect the CISO role?
What are the biggest ISO/IEC 27701:2025 challenges for CISOs?
How should a CISO prepare for a ISO/IEC 27701:2025 audit?
What tools help CISOs manage ISO/IEC 27701:2025 compliance?
CISO: How ready is your organisation for ISO/IEC 27701:2025?
Answer 25 questions and get a professional readiness report with gap analysis, maturity scores, and prioritised action items. Results in 5 minutes.