ISO/IEC 27018 - Protection of PII in Public Cloud
Protect Personal Data in the Cloud, Build Customer Trust
Public cloud services offer unprecedented opportunities for organizations to scale and innovate. However, when cloud service providers process Personally Identifiable Information (PII) on behalf of customers, protecting that personal data becomes paramount. At Glocert International, we specialize in providing independent third-party ISO/IEC 27018 certification that validates your organization's PII protection controls in public cloud environments. As a leader in the Testing, Inspection, and Certification industry, we conduct thorough ISO 27018 audits that verify your PII protection implementation meets international standards, helping cloud service providers demonstrate privacy commitments and build trust with customers.
What is ISO/IEC 27018?
ISO/IEC 27018:2019 is the international code of practice for protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in public clouds acting as PII processors. It establishes commonly accepted control objectives, controls, and guidelines for implementing measures to protect PII in accordance with privacy principles in ISO/IEC 29100 for the public cloud computing environment.
The standard is specifically designed for public cloud service providers that process PII on behalf of other organizations (acting as PII processors). ISO/IEC 27018 builds upon ISO/IEC 27002 and ISO/IEC 27017 (cloud security controls) and adds specific requirements and guidance for protecting PII in public cloud services. It's particularly relevant for ensuring compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR where cloud providers act as data processors.
Key Components of ISO/IEC 27018
- PII Processing Principles: Based on ISO/IEC 29100 privacy principles
- Consent and Choice: Customer control over PII processing
- Purpose Legitimacy and Specification: Clear purposes for PII processing
- Collection Limitation: Limiting PII collection to what's necessary
- Data Minimization: Processing only the minimum necessary PII
- Use, Retention and Disclosure Limitation: Controls on PII use and disclosure
- Accuracy and Quality: Ensuring PII accuracy
- Openness, Transparency and Notice: Informing customers about PII processing
- Individual Participation and Access: Rights of data subjects
- Accountability: Responsibility for PII protection
- Information Security: Technical and organizational security measures
- Privacy Compliance: Meeting privacy obligations
Why is ISO/IEC 27018 Important?
ISO/IEC 27018 is essential for public cloud service providers processing PII, helping them meet customer expectations and regulatory requirements. Here's why this standard is crucial:
1. Privacy Regulation Compliance
ISO/IEC 27018 helps cloud service providers comply with privacy regulations including:
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) - requirements for data processors
- CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)
- LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law)
- PIPEDA (Canada Personal Information Protection)
- Various national and regional privacy laws
2. Customer Trust and Confidence
Implementing ISO/IEC 27018 enables cloud providers to:
- Demonstrate commitment to protecting customer PII
- Differentiate services with privacy certification
- Meet customer due diligence requirements
- Build trust through transparency about PII processing
3. PII Processor Obligations
ISO/IEC 27018 provides a framework for:
- Clearly defining PII processor responsibilities
- Implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures
- Ensuring subprocessor compliance
- Managing data subject rights requests
- Providing transparency to PII controllers (customers)
4. Risk Mitigation
ISO/IEC 27018 certification helps cloud providers minimize risks of privacy breaches, regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust.
ISO/IEC 27018 PII Protection Controls
ISO/IEC 27018 provides comprehensive PII protection controls organized into key areas:
Core PII Protection Requirements
Consent Management
Not using PII for advertising without explicit consent
PII Return/Deletion
Returning or securely deleting PII at end of service
Data Location
Informing customers about PII storage locations
Subprocessor Management
Ensuring subprocessors meet same standards
Transparency
Clear information about PII processing practices
Access Rights
Supporting data subject access rights
Government Requests
Proper handling of government data requests
Additional Control Areas
- PII Inventory: Maintaining inventory of PII being processed
- Purpose Limitation: Processing PII only for specified purposes
- Data Quality: Ensuring PII accuracy and completeness
- Retention and Disposal: Appropriate retention periods and secure disposal
- Encryption: Encryption of PII in transit and at rest
- Access Control: Limiting access to PII to authorized personnel
- Audit Logging: Logging access to and processing of PII
- Breach Notification: Procedures for notifying customers of PII breaches
- Privacy Impact Assessment: Assessing privacy risks of new services
- Training and Awareness: Staff training on PII protection
- Third Party Management: Managing subprocessors handling PII
- Cross-Border Transfers: Controls for international PII transfers
Benefits of ISO/IEC 27018 Certification
Achieving ISO/IEC 27018 certification provides cloud service providers with numerous strategic, operational, and commercial benefits:
GDPR Processor Compliance
Demonstrate compliance with GDPR requirements for data processors handling EU personal data.
Customer Trust
Build confidence with customers through third-party verified PII protection.
Competitive Advantage
Differentiate cloud services with internationally recognized privacy certification.
Transparency
Demonstrate transparent PII processing practices to customers and regulators.
Risk Reduction
Minimize privacy breach risks and associated penalties through systematic controls.
Due Diligence Assurance
Provide assurance to customers conducting vendor privacy assessments.
Global Market Access
Meet privacy requirements for serving customers in multiple jurisdictions.
Global Recognition
Gain internationally recognized certification accepted worldwide.
Our ISO/IEC 27018 Certification Process
At Glocert International, we follow a structured and systematic approach to conduct ISO/IEC 27018 certification audits. Our audit process is designed to be transparent, efficient, and supportive, verifying that your PII protection controls meet all ISO/IEC 27018 requirements:
Application Process
Submit your application with required documentation. We review your organization's scope and readiness for certification.
Initial Audit (Stage 1)
Documentation review and readiness assessment. Our auditors verify that your PII protection documentation meets ISO/IEC 27018 requirements.
Initial Audit (Stage 2)
On-site/remote audit to verify PII protection control implementation and effectiveness.
Technical Review
Independent review of audit findings by our technical committee to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Decision and Approval
Certification decision based on audit findings. Upon successful completion, certification is approved.
Certification Issuance
Receive your ISO/IEC 27018 certificate, valid for three years, with international recognition.
Surveillance Audits
Annual surveillance audits to ensure continued compliance and effectiveness of PII protection controls.
Re-certification Audit
Comprehensive audit before certificate expiry to renew certification for another three-year period.
Steps in Obtaining ISO/IEC 27018 Certification
While obtaining ISO/IEC 27018 certification may seem daunting, following a structured approach makes the process manageable. Here's the path your organization should take:
- ISO 27001 and ISO 27017 Implementation: Establish foundational ISO 27001 ISMS and ISO/IEC 27017 cloud security controls as ISO/IEC 27018 builds upon these standards.
- Gap Analysis and Readiness Assessment: Assess your current PII protection practices against ISO/IEC 27018 requirements to identify gaps. (Note: This should be conducted by an independent consultant, as certification bodies cannot provide consultation services.)
- PII Inventory: Create comprehensive inventory of all PII being processed in public cloud services.
- Data Flow Mapping: Map PII flows through cloud infrastructure including collection, processing, storage, and disposal.
- Privacy Policies: Develop clear privacy policies and notices for customers about PII processing.
- Consent Mechanisms: Implement consent management ensuring no use of PII for advertising without explicit consent.
- Data Location Controls: Implement controls to inform customers where their PII is stored and processed.
- PII Return/Deletion Procedures: Establish procedures for returning or securely deleting customer PII at end of service.
- Subprocessor Management: Implement due diligence and contractual controls for subprocessors handling PII.
- Access Rights Support: Establish processes to support data subject access rights (access, rectification, erasure, portability).
- Encryption Implementation: Implement encryption for PII in transit and at rest.
- Government Request Handling: Establish procedures for handling government requests for PII disclosure.
- Breach Notification: Implement procedures for notifying customers of PII breaches.
- Training and Awareness: Train staff on PII protection requirements and responsibilities.
- Internal Audit and Management Review: Conduct internal audits to verify effectiveness and hold management reviews.
- Pre-assessment Audit (Optional): Consider a pre-assessment audit to identify any remaining issues before the formal certification audit.
- Final Assessment and Certification: Undergo the formal certification audit (Stage 1 and Stage 2) conducted by Glocert International's accredited auditors.
- Surveillance Audits and Recertification: Maintain certification through annual surveillance audits and prepare for recertification every three years.
Typical Timeline: The certification process typically takes 4-8 months from application to certificate issuance (assuming ISO 27001 and ISO/IEC 27017 are already implemented), depending on your cloud service complexity and current privacy maturity level.
ISO/IEC 27018 Certification Pricing
Our ISO/IEC 27018 certification pricing is transparent and based on your organization's size, cloud service complexity, and scope. We offer competitive rates with no hidden fees. Contact us for a customized quote tailored to your specific needs.
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Get a personalized estimate based on your organization's size, cloud services, and PII protection requirements.
Contact Us for PricingWhat's Included in ISO/IEC 27018 Certification Pricing:
- Documentation review and PII protection control assessment
- Stage 1 and Stage 2 audit days (calculated per IAF MD 5)
- Technical review and certification decision
- ISO/IEC 27018 certificate (valid 3 years)
- Certificate listing on our public register
- First year surveillance audit
- Ongoing audit services and support
Note: ISO/IEC 27018 pricing may vary based on cloud service complexity, volume of PII processed, and additional services. Small organizations typically start from $4,500, medium organizations from $7,500. ISO/IEC 27018 is typically audited in conjunction with ISO 27001 and ISO/IEC 27017. Contact us for a detailed, no-obligation quote.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Find answers to common questions about ISO/IEC 27018 certification:
ISO/IEC 27018 is the international code of practice for protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in public cloud services. You need it if you're a public cloud service provider acting as a PII processor to demonstrate compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR, build customer trust, meet processor obligations, provide transparency about PII processing, and differentiate services with privacy certification.
ISO/IEC 27018 builds upon ISO 27001 and ISO/IEC 27017. ISO 27001 provides the ISMS framework, ISO/IEC 27017 adds cloud security controls, and ISO/IEC 27018 adds specific PII protection requirements for public cloud services. Organizations typically implement all three standards together: ISO 27001 for overall information security management, ISO/IEC 27017 for cloud-specific security controls, and ISO/IEC 27018 for PII protection in public cloud.
If you already have ISO 27001 and ISO/IEC 27017 certification, the ISO/IEC 27018 certification process typically takes 4-8 months from application to certificate issuance. Without these foundational standards, you'll need to implement all three, which typically takes 8-12 months total.
ISO/IEC 27018 is specifically for public cloud service providers that process Personally Identifiable Information (PII) on behalf of other organizations (acting as PII processors). This includes IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS providers handling customer personal data. If you're a cloud provider acting as a data processor under GDPR or similar regulations, ISO/IEC 27018 demonstrates your PII protection capabilities.
A PII processor (similar to "data processor" in GDPR) processes PII on behalf of another organization according to their instructions. A PII controller (similar to "data controller" in GDPR) determines the purposes and means of processing PII. ISO/IEC 27018 is specifically for organizations acting as PII processors. Cloud customers acting as PII controllers should look at ISO/IEC 27701 for privacy management.
ISO/IEC 27018 certification costs vary based on organization size, cloud service complexity, and volume of PII processed. Small organizations typically start from $4,500, medium organizations from $7,500. Since ISO/IEC 27018 is typically audited alongside ISO 27001 and ISO/IEC 27017, costs are often combined. Contact us for a detailed quote tailored to your cloud services and PII processing activities.
Yes, ISO/IEC 27018 directly supports GDPR compliance for cloud service providers acting as data processors. The standard addresses many GDPR processor requirements including transparency, data subject rights support, subprocessor management, security measures, breach notification, and data return/deletion. ISO/IEC 27018 certification demonstrates to customers that you meet appropriate technical and organizational measures required under GDPR Article 28.
Key ISO/IEC 27018 requirements include: not using PII for advertising without explicit consent, returning or securely deleting PII at end of service, informing customers about PII storage locations, ensuring subprocessors meet same standards, providing transparency about PII processing, supporting data subject access rights, properly handling government data requests, implementing encryption and access controls, maintaining PII inventory, breach notification procedures, and privacy impact assessments.
After certification, your ISO/IEC 27018 certificate is valid for three years. You'll undergo annual surveillance audits to ensure continued compliance with PII protection controls. You must continue operating and improving your PII protection measures, maintaining PII inventories, updating privacy policies, managing subprocessors, and demonstrating continuous improvement. During the third year, you'll complete a recertification audit to renew your certificate.
While ISO/IEC 27018 technically doesn't mandate ISO 27001, it's strongly recommended and often expected to have ISO 27001 and ISO/IEC 27017 in place first. ISO/IEC 27018 builds upon these standards and references many controls from them. Most organizations implement the three standards together as a comprehensive security and privacy framework for public cloud services.
ISO/IEC 27018 is specifically for public cloud service providers acting as PII processors and focuses on protection of PII in cloud environments. ISO/IEC 27701 is a broader privacy management standard applicable to any organization acting as PII controller or processor (not just cloud). Cloud providers may implement both: ISO/IEC 27018 for their role as processor and ISO/IEC 27701 for comprehensive privacy management including their role as controller for employee data.
Why Choose Glocert for ISO/IEC 27018 Certification?
Accreditations
Glocert International is a globally accredited Conformity Assessment Body for ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 by IAS Inc, USA, a member of the IAF (International Accreditation Forum) and signatory to a number of bilateral, regional and international agreements.
This provides international recognition and acceptance to certificates issued by Glocert International in the following schemes:
- ISO 9001 – Quality Management Systems (QMS)
- ISO 20000-1 – Information Technology Service Management Systems (ITSMS)
- ISO 22301 – Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS)
- ISO 27001 – Information Security Management Systems (ISMS)
- ISO/IEC 27701 – Privacy Information Management Systems (PIMS)
- ISO 55001 – Asset Management Systems (AMS)
Expertise in Cloud Privacy Auditing
Our team of experienced auditors possess in-depth knowledge of ISO/IEC 27018, cloud privacy requirements, and GDPR processor obligations. We understand that every cloud service provider is unique, which is why we conduct thorough ISO/IEC 27018 certification audits that assess your specific PII processing activities, cloud services, and compliance with PII protection requirements.
Continuous Audit Support
Beyond ISO/IEC 27018 certification, we provide ongoing audit services through surveillance audits to help you maintain compliance and demonstrate continuous improvement of your PII protection controls. We pride ourselves in providing the highest standard of audit services in the industry and it is a major reason why more and more cloud service providers choose us as their certification partner for their ISO/IEC 27018 certification needs.
Related Certifications
Many cloud service providers combine ISO/IEC 27018 with other certifications for comprehensive security and privacy governance. Consider pairing ISO/IEC 27018 with ISO 27001 for information security management (required foundation), ISO/IEC 27017 for cloud security controls, and ISO/IEC 27701 for comprehensive privacy management to create a complete security and privacy framework.
Unlock the Full Potential of Your Organization
Contact us today to learn more about our ISO/IEC 27018 certification and audit services and how we can verify your organization's PII protection controls in public cloud.
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