When ISO 27001 controls are set up properly, they’re meant to keep your information safe and organised. They help keep things running smoothly, reduce risks, and protect data from slipping through the cracks. But sometimes, those very controls don’t work the way they’re supposed to. Maybe they stop being effective, or perhaps they were never doing the job to begin with.
It can be frustrating when the processes you’ve carefully put in place just don’t deliver. You might notice gaps during regular checks, or maybe something small goes wrong that reveals a bigger issue behind the scenes. Either way, it’s important to act quickly and fix what isn’t working before those issues turn into real damage. Here’s how to spot what’s going wrong and get back on track.
Identifying The Problem Areas
The first step in sorting out broken ISO 27001 controls is working out exactly what’s going wrong. Not all problems are big or dramatic. Some happen quietly, over time. But without fixing them early, they may end up causing real disruptions.
Here are a few reasons controls might fail:
– Controls weren’t set up right from the beginning
– Staff weren’t trained properly, or training wasn’t kept up
– The controls haven’t been updated in a long time
– The rules don’t match how the business works in real life
– There’s been a change in tech or processes that hasn’t been accounted for
Rather than guessing, it helps to do a proper gap analysis. This isn’t as complicated as it sounds. It just means looking at what’s supposed to happen under ISO 27001 and comparing it to what’s actually happening within the business.
Start by reviewing:
- Existing security policies and records
- System logs and error reports
- Recent audit outcomes, if any
- Staff feedback or complaints about confusing processes
- Any changes in the business that haven’t been reflected in the documents
For example, a business might have strong controls for workplace computer access but never updated those rules once staff started working remotely. That’s a classic case of a control no longer matching the real situation. Once you’ve pinpointed the weak spots, you’re in a better position to fix them.
Reviewing And Updating Controls
Once you know where the gaps are, the next job is reviewing current controls and making changes where needed. Skipping this step leaves the same problems hanging around, even if you’ve had a good audit in the past.
Begin with an open review. Bring in team leads or managers who understand how the daily work gets done. Don’t make it a technical-only discussion. Controls should make sense to the people using them.
Here’s how you might go about updating them:
– Compare current controls to what’s written in ISO 27001
– Check whether any recent threats or incidents have come up
– Look at changes in the business – growth, restructures, new tools, or legal updates
– Confirm that old processes still apply and aren’t slowing things down unnecessarily
– Adjust or rewrite rules where they’re either outdated or not working anymore
Keep the language clear and to the point. Controls should be practical, not a list of nice-sounding statements. If things seem too complex or there’s confusion about how to set them up, bring in help. Getting expert input early can often save hours of rework later.
Make sure every update you make gets documented properly. That includes version numbers, what was changed, who approved it, and when it took place. Good recordkeeping protects the business and makes future checks easier.
Once controls are cleaned up and updated, give them a little time to run. Then check in again to see if they hold up as expected. If not, make changes early before they cause any harm.
Strengthening Staff Training
ISO 27001 controls don’t run on their own. They need people to understand them, follow them, and raise the flag when things don’t look right. That’s where training plays a major part. If staff don’t get what the controls are for, or they forget how to use them, even the strongest systems can fall short.
Start by looking at your past training sessions. Were they one-off events? Were they too technical or too vague? Training needs to match the day-to-day roles of your team while still covering what’s required under ISO 27001. If you’ve noticed issues with compliance or repeated mistakes, chances are someone either missed the training or didn’t fully understand what they were meant to apply.
Here are a few ways to strengthen staff training:
– Tailor the sessions to specific roles. A finance team member doesn’t need the same detail as someone in system admin
– Mix up how information is shared. Short videos, face-to-face sessions, and simple guides work better than long documents alone
– Add refreshers throughout the year, especially after audits or control updates
– Use practical examples. Show what a breach or mistake looks like from your own business context
– Create feedback loops. Let staff ask questions or give examples when something doesn’t make sense to them
An example that often pops up is password management. If staff aren’t shown why complex passwords matter or how to store them safely, they’ll come up with shortcuts that can undercut your whole strategy. With better training, those shortcuts disappear, and people become part of the solution rather than a risk.
Training isn’t just about tick-the-box activities. It’s an ongoing step that needs to grow with your business. The more supported your staff feel, the more ready they’ll be to spot and respond to real issues.
Continuous Oversight And Improvement
Once you’ve trained your team and updated your policies, the next step is making sure everything keeps working as time goes on. ISO 27001 isn’t something you set and forget. The threats change, systems change, and how businesses operate changes sometimes faster than you’d expect.
To keep on top of it all, continuous monitoring makes a big difference. This doesn’t have to be overly technical. It just means you’re checking if the controls are still doing their job and making improvements wherever necessary.
Here’s what you can focus on:
- Schedule regular audits, even internal ones, just to check for drift
- Review incident logs or reports to look for patterns
- Talk to team leads or supervisors. They’ll often spot problems before they show on a dashboard
- Encourage people to report when something feels wrong, even small things
- Keep an eye on changes in regulations or the tech you’re using. If something new comes in, make sure your controls account for it
Something as simple as onboarding new software can throw older controls out of sync. If you’re not watching, you might not realise that the new system bypassed a core check or has weaker password rules than your other platforms.
Improvements don’t have to be large, either. Sometimes, a small change in a form layout or adding a prompt to a checklist is enough to close a gap. The goal is to build a habit of reviewing, adjusting, and learning a process that quietly strengthens your structure without causing big headaches.
Knowing When To Bring In Specialists
There’s no shame in admitting when something is outside the team’s skillset. ISO 27001 controls can touch all parts of a business, so trying to manage everything without outside help can be overwhelming.
Bringing in specialists gives you second eyes on the issue, plus experience in solving problems that may be completely new to your business but common elsewhere. They help spot what’s been overlooked, guide updates to make sure controls hit the mark, and tailor solutions so they don’t slow the business down.
This support becomes especially helpful when:
– You’re preparing for a full re-audit
– There’s been repeated non-compliance
– A breach or near-miss has exposed serious control gaps
– Staff turnover has weakened internal knowledge
– You’ve introduced new tech without matching controls
Stepping back and getting advice early might feel like a big move, but it’s usually far less disruptive than cleaning up a failed certification or recovering from a preventable incident.
Taking Charge Of Your ISO 27001 Controls
When ISO 27001 controls start falling short, identifying the problem quickly saves time and stress. Finding out why they’re not working, reviewing outdated procedures, and updating them to match your real-world operations helps close the gaps. Just as importantly, getting your team trained and confident means they’ll back up those controls day-to-day.
Keeping controls strong isn’t a one-time job. It’s something that grows with your business. Regular reviews, open communication, and external expertise all play a role in keeping things on track.
Whether it’s a minor tweak or a full set of changes, what matters is staying proactive. Letting broken controls linger can cost more than just time it can damage trust and put your data at risk.
Wrap up your ISO journey with confidence. For businesses looking to maintain strong information security practices, understanding the ISO 27001 certification process is key. Edara Systems New Zealand offers guidance through this process to help strengthen your controls and ensure lasting success.
