Introduction

Imagine you’re a business owner staring at ISO 27001 certification. It looks intimidating like a puzzle with too many pieces. Policies, risks, audits… where do you even start? The good news? You don’t need a massive budget or a team of consultants right away. With smart AI tools, SharePoint for organization, and some free resources, you can build your Information Security Management System (ISMS) yourself. And when it’s time for the final check, our team at Canadian Cyber can handle your internal audit to ensure you’re certification-ready.

Let’s break it down into five straightforward steps. I’ll walk you through each one like we’re chatting over coffee, sharing tips that save time and money. By the end, you’ll feel ready to dive in.

Step 1: Draft Your ISMS Documents with AI

Picture this: You’re building a house, but instead of hammering every nail, AI hands you pre-cut lumber. No more blank-page anxiety. Tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Grok, and Perplexity can whip up solid first drafts of essential ISO 27001 documents. Think Information Security Policies, Risk Treatment Plans, Access Control Policies, and Incident Response Plans.
Here’s the key match the tool to the task for the best results:

• ChatGPT: Perfect for drafting policies, risk registers, and gap assessments. It generates structured content quickly.
• Microsoft Copilot: Great for building SharePoint structures and workflows, especially if you’re already in the Microsoft ecosystem.
• Perplexity: Ideal for researching ISO controls, complete with cited sources to back up your work.
• Grok: Excellent for brainstorming practical ideas on how to implement controls in real-world scenarios.

To make it even easier, we’ve hand-crafted a series of prompts specifically for ISO 27001. Our ChatGPT Prompt Series is available on LinkedIn check it out here. We’re also posting new prompts for Perplexity and other tools on our website. Grab them, use as-is, or tweak to fit your business. It’s like having a compliance coach in your pocket.

Start small: Feed in your company details, and let AI do the heavy lifting. You’ll have drafts ready in hours, not weeks.

Step 2: Organize Your ISMS in SharePoint

Now that you’ve got those drafts, it’s time to give them a home. Think of SharePoint as your digital filing cabinet secure, searchable, and always up-to-date. No more scattered emails or lost folders. Set up an ISMS site, and you’re building a foundation that’s easy to manage and audit-proof.

Here’s how to get it rolling:

• Create a dedicated ISMS site with logical folders: Policies, Procedures, Risk Register, Statement of Applicability, and Audit Evidence.
• Align permissions with your Access Control Policy only the right people see sensitive docs.
• Turn on version history and document approval workflows to track changes and ensure reviews happen.
• Use SharePoint Lists for dynamic tracking: One for your risk register, another for corrective actions.
• Add automation with Power Automate: Set up reminders for annual reviews or alerts when a document is updated.

Suddenly, your ISMS isn’t just a stack of papers it’s a living system. Everything’s centralized, secure, and ready for collaboration. And if you’re using Copilot, it can even suggest these setups based on your drafts.

Step 3: Run Your Risk Assessment (Free Template)

Risk assessment? It’s the heart of ISO 27001 like mapping out storm clouds before a hike. Identify threats early, and you avoid disasters. Don’t worry; we’ve got a free template to kick things off. Download our ISO 27001 Risk Assessment Template here.

With the template in hand, document your assets (like data, hardware, and people), spot potential risks, and rate them. Then, bring in AI to supercharge the process:

• Use ChatGPT or Grok to write clear, concise risk statements e.g., “What if a phishing attack exposes customer data?”
• Let Perplexity suggest realistic treatment options, pulling from reliable sources.
• Have AI link those treatments directly to Annex A controls, like A.9 for access control or A.16 for incident management.

By the end, your risk register isn’t just a list it’s a roadmap. It’s practical for your team and polished for auditors. Plus, pop it into your SharePoint List for easy updates.

Step 4: Use AI Agents for ISMS Upkeep

Here’s where many DIY efforts fizzle: Maintenance. ISO 27001 isn’t a one-and-done deal; it’s like tending a garden. But AI agents can handle the watering for you automating the boring bits so your ISMS stays vibrant.
Set up simple agents (using tools like Power Automate, or even custom ChatGPT actions) for these practical wins:

• Send automated reminders for overdue document reviews e.g., “Hey team, time to check the Incident Response Plan.”
• Generate monthly summaries of ISMS progress: Pull data from SharePoint and highlight what’s done or pending.
• Match new evidence uploads to ISO controls: Upload a training log? AI tags it to A.7 (Human Resource Security).

These aren’t fancy sci-fi bots they’re everyday helpers. They keep momentum going without constant manual effort. Your business stays compliant, and you focus on growth.

Step 5: Schedule Your Internal Audit

You’ve built it, organized it, assessed risks, and automated upkeep. Now, the dress rehearsal: An internal audit. This isn’t about nitpicking it’s your safety net before the big certification show. It simulates what the external auditor will do, spotting gaps so you can fix them quietly.

At Canadian Cyber, we treat this like a true partnership. We’ll dive into your SharePoint setup, review documents, scrutinize your risk register, and verify control implementations. Here’s what it covers in detail:

• Simulate the full certification audit: We walk through every clause and Annex A control, just like the real thing.
• Close documentation gaps: Missing a procedure? We’ll flag it and help draft fixes.
• Test processes hands-on: Run mock incidents or access checks to ensure they work in practice.
• Identify implementation weak spots: Is that risk treatment actually in place? We check evidence.
• Draft corrective action plans: End with a prioritized list to strengthen your ISMS.

By the end, you’ll have a roadmap to certification and the confidence to ace it. Schedule with us when you’re ready; we’re here to make sure you succeed.

Conclusion

And there you have it the full DIY ISO 27001 compliance journey in 5 steps. With AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Grok, and Perplexity drafting docs, SharePoint keeping everything tidy, our free risk assessment template guiding your risks, AI agents handling upkeep, and our team at Canadian Cyber delivering that crucial internal audit, certification is within reach. It’s cost-effective, straightforward, and empowering.

Start today you’ve got this. For more resources, follow us on LinkedIn, grab the ChatGPT Prompt Series, or visit our website. Let’s get you audit-ready!

• Share the blog on: