Glossary term
ISO 27001
Also: ISO/IEC 27001, ISMS
International standard for information security management systems. Current version ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Certifiable through accredited bodies. Core framework for ISMS implementation, risk treatment, continuous improvement.
ISO 27001 defines requirements for setting up, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an ISMS. Annex A lists 93 controls across four themes: organisational, people, physical, technological.
Certification by accredited bodies, validity 3 years with annual surveillance audits. Recertification in year three.
In practice
Relationship to NIS2/DORA: ISO 27001 is a strong foundation and covers many minimum measures, but NIS2 and DORA additionally require explicit supply-chain security, concrete reporting deadlines, personal management body liability and sector-specific duties. ISO 27001 is help, not substitute.
Related terms
SOC 2 Type 2
Audit report by a US public accountant under AICPA SSAE 18 standard, confirming the operating effectiveness of a service organisation's controls over a period (typically 6-12 months). Refers to Trust Service Criteria.
NIS2
EU directive on network and information security. Replaces NIS1, widens scope to around 30,000 German companies in 18 sectors, introduces personal management body liability, sets ten minimum cybersecurity measures under Article 21.
ISO 27002
Companion standard to ISO 27001 that fleshes out the 93 Annex A controls. Not certifiable, but the practical handbook for implementation.
IAM (Identity and Access Management)
The stack of systems that governs who has access to which systems under which conditions. IAM covers authentication, single sign-on, lifecycle management, access governance (IGA) and privileged access management (PAM), and is the most commonly breached control in enterprise environments.
ICT Concentration Risk
Risk arising from dependence on a small number of or a single ICT third-party provider. DORA Art. 29 obliges financial entities to perform an explicit analysis and steering. Supervisors focus particularly on cloud hyperscalers and core banking system providers.
IGA
Software category for identity governance: lifecycle management, role modelling, access recertification, segregation of duties, audit trail. Pulls the governance layer out of IAM.
AI Act Conformity Assessment
Procedure to demonstrate that a high-risk AI system complies with the EU AI Act before being placed on the market or put into service. Mandatory for all Annex III high-risk systems from 2 December 2027 (postponed from the original 2 August 2026 by the Digital Omnibus, Regulation (EU) 2026/1744).
AI Act Risk Categories
Four-tier classification under the EU AI Act: prohibited (Art. 5), high-risk (Annex I/III), limited risk (Art. 50 transparency), minimal risk. Classification is the first duty; it must be documented and defensible.