ISO/IEC 27001 vs ISO 9001: Key Differences and Similarities

Organizations aiming to improve their efficiency and security often adopt international standards for guidance. Two distinguished standards in this field are ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 9001. Although both contribute to organizational improvement, their primary focuses differ: one prioritizes information security, while the other focuses on quality management. Recognizing their differences helps organizations select the right certification for their objectives.

Key elements of ISO/IEC 27001:

• Focuses on data protection and information security
• Employs a risk-based approach to address security vulnerabilities
• Requires compliance to Annex A controls
• Ensures confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data
• Applicable to organizations of any size handling critical or sensitive information.
• Requires leadership commitment and employee awareness of security policies and procedures
• Includes risk management and continuous monitoring of security controls