ISO 27001:2022 Annex A Control 6.8

Explaining Annex A Control 6.8 Information security event reporting

ISO 27001 Control 6.8 Information security event reporting focuses on establishing a structured approach for personnel to report information security events. Security events include incidents, vulnerabilities, breaches, and anomalies that could impact the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your organization's information assets.

Annex A Control 6.8 Information Security Event Reporting

Control Type

Information Security Properties

Cybersecurity Concepts

Operational Capabilities

Security Domains

Objective of ISO 27001 Control 6.8

The primary objective of Control 6.8 is to provide a structured approach for reporting information security events. This ensures that such events are detected, communicated, and acted upon in a timely manner, minimizing their impact on your organization’s operations.

Goals of ISO 27001 Control 6.8 include:

  • Ensuring security events are reported as soon as they are observed.
  • Enabling a structured and consistent approach to event reporting.
  • Preventing security incidents by identifying vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
  • Ensuring compliance with ISO 27001 requirements and other regulatory standards.
  • Reducing the risk of business disruption due to unreported security threats.

Purpose of ISO 27001 Control 6.8

The purpose of this control is to enable the timely identification, documentation, and response to potential security risks.

Via enforcing a structured reporting system, your organization:

  • Detects security events before they escalate into major incidents.
  • Reduces downtime and financial losses associated with security breaches.
  • Improves coordination between IT teams, management, and incident response teams.
  • Ensures compliance with cybersecurity frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST, and GDPR.

Scope and Applicability

ISO 27001 Control 6.8 applies to all individuals in your organization who interact with its information systems, including:

  • Employees and management using IT systems for daily tasks.
  • Contractors and third-party vendors with access to internal systems.
  • Customers and partners who report security concerns related to your systems or services.

What Qualifies as an Information Security Event?

ISO 27001 Control 6.8 emphasizes that all security events must be reported. The following categories outline some of the most common reportable security events:

1. Ineffective Information Security Controls

  • Security mechanisms failing to function as intended (e.g., a firewall failing to block unauthorized access).
  • Unexpected behavior in security software or monitoring tools.

2. Data Breaches

  • Unauthorized access to sensitive or personal data.
  • Accidental or intentional data leaks.
  • Exfiltration of confidential files from company networks.

3. Human Errors

  • Employees sending sensitive emails to the wrong recipients.
  • Accidental deletion of critical data without backups.
  • Poor password management practices.

4. Policy Violations and Non-Compliance

  • Bypassing security controls (e.g., using unauthorized applications or USB devices).
  • Failure to follow information security policies or ISO 27001 guidelines.

5. Physical Security Breaches

  • Unauthorized individuals accessing restricted areas.
  • Loss or theft of company devices such as laptops or mobile phones.

6. Unapproved System Changes

  • IT infrastructure modifications that bypass change management processes.
  • Unauthorized software installations on company devices.

7. Malfunctions and System Anomalies

  • Unusual spikes in network activity, indicating potential cyberattacks.
  • Software crashes, data corruption, or service interruptions.

8. Access Violations

  • Employees attempting to access restricted files or systems.
  • Unusual login attempts, such as multiple failed password attempts.

9. Malware Infections

  • Employees receiving suspicious emails with attachments or links.
  • Detection of unauthorized software executing on devices.

10. Vulnerability Discoveries

  • Identification of weaknesses in software, hardware, or configurations.
  • Unpatched systems running outdated or unsupported software.

Implementation of ISO 27001 Control 6.8

To ensure effective information security event reporting, your organization should take the following steps:

1. Develop a Security Event Reporting Policy

  • Define the types of events that must be reported.
  • Specify who is responsible for reporting security events.
  • Provide a clear escalation process for critical incidents.

2. Establish Reporting Mechanisms

  • Implement multiple reporting channels, such as:
    • Online reporting forms
    • Email reporting systems
    • Dedicated security hotlines
  • Ensure anonymity options are available where necessary.

3. Define Responsibilities

  • Assign roles to security teams, IT personnel, and department heads.
  • Ensure incident response teams act on reported events promptly.

4. Train Employees and Stakeholders

  • Conduct periodic security awareness programs.
  • Use real-world case studies to demonstrate the importance of event reporting.
  • Include reporting guidelines in employee handbooks and onboarding materials.

5. Maintain a Security Event Log

  • Document all reported events for auditing and compliance purposes.
  • Ensure logs include:
    • Date and time of the event.
    • Nature of the event (e.g., data breach, policy violation).
    • Actions taken and their outcomes.

6. Test and Improve Reporting Mechanisms

  • Conduct simulated security incident drills to test the reporting process.
  • Collect feedback from employees to optimize reporting accessibility.

Relevant ISO 27001 Controls Supporting Control 6.8

Control 6.8 is closely linked to other security incident management controls, including:

  • Control 5.24 – Information security incident management planning and preparation
  • Control 5.25 – Assessment and decision on information security events
  • Control 5.26 – Incident Response Procedures
  • Control 5.27 – Learning from Security Incidents
  • Control 5.28 – Evidence Collection

Supporting Templates for ISO 27001 Control 6.8

To streamline event reporting, your organization can use the following templates available on our website:

  1. Information Security Event Reporting Form – A structured template for logging security events.
  2. Incident Response Procedure Template – A step-by-step guide for handling reported security events.
  3. Security Awareness Training Materials – Resources to educate employees on event reporting best practices.
  4. Vulnerability Assessment Checklist – A tool for proactively identifying and mitigating security risks.