ISO 27001 Readiness Checklist (2026)
Step-by-step guidance for building an Information Security Management System (ISMS) that meets ISO 27001:2022 standards.
Assess Your Readiness →Download the ISO 27001 PDF Checklist
Map your Annex A controls and clause requirements with our downloadable toolkit.
- ISMS Clause 4-10 Roadmap
- Annex A Control mapping
- Statement of Applicability (SoA) template
- Internal audit prep guide
Download the PDF Checklist
Get the portable, offline version of our 2026 SOC 2 readiness expert guide.
1. Management Clauses (The "ISMS Shell")
ISO 27001 is not just about technical controls; it's about management commitment and continuous improvement.
- Defined Scope of the ISMS (Clause 4.3)
- Information Security Policy approved by leadership (Clause 5.2)
- Risk Assessment and Treatment methodology (Clause 6.1)
- Competence records and awareness training (Clause 7.2 & 7.3)
- Internal Audit program (Clause 9.2)
2. Annex A Controls (The "Technical Guardrails")
The 2022 update reorganized Annex A into 4 themes: Organizational, People, Physical, and Technological.
Organizational (A.5)
Policies, inventory of assets, information security in vendor relationships.
People (A.6)
Screening, terms and conditions of employment, disciplinary process.
Technological (A.8)
Access control, cryptography, configuration management, data masking.
ISO 27001 vs SOC 2: Which is right for you?
While SOC 2 is the standard for US-based SaaS companies, ISO 27001 is the global gold standard. Many startups find that achieving SOC 2 first provides a strong foundation for ISO 27001.
Read our full comparison guide →Related guides