ISO 27001:2022 What’s New and How to Adapt

Why the updated standard matters and what organizations need to do now to stay audit-ready without disrupting the business.

ISO 27001:2022 OVERVIEW

ISO 27001 has always evolved with the threat landscape, but ISO/IEC 27001:2022 is not a cosmetic refresh.
It reflects how dramatically cloud adoption, remote work, supply-chain risk, and modern threats have changed.

For organizations already certified and those planning certification the big question is:

What’s changed in ISO 27001:2022 and how do we adapt without disrupting the business?

The good news: most organizations don’t need to “rebuild” their ISMS. They need to map, update, and prove a few key areas more clearly especially around cloud, configuration, threat intelligence, and resilience.

Why ISO 27001 Was Updated

The 2013 edition was built for a different operating model. Since then:

  • Cloud services became the default for infrastructure and business apps
  • Remote and hybrid work exploded
  • Supply-chain attacks increased
  • Ransomware became a business continuity issue
  • Automation and AI entered daily operations

Key point: ISO 27001:2022 modernizes Annex A and aligns it with ISO/IEC 27002:2022, making controls easier to apply and maintain in today’s environments.

The Big Picture: What Actually Changed?

The core ISMS model is familiar. The biggest practical change is Annex A the control set that supports your risk treatment plan.
Annex A was reduced and reorganized to better match how organizations operate (not just how IT is structured).

ISO 27001:2013 vs ISO 27001:2022 Side-by-Side

Area ISO 27001:2013 ISO 27001:2022 What This Means for You
Annex A structure 14 domains 4 themes (Organizational, People, Physical, Technological) Simpler navigation + clearer ownership across the business
Number of controls 114 93 Less duplication; controls are merged/modernized, not “less secure”
Cloud security Limited/indirect Explicit cloud services control Cloud use must be governed + responsibilities defined
Threat intelligence Not explicit New dedicated control You need a repeatable way to track threats and adjust controls
Secure configuration Implicit New explicit configuration management control Hardening + drift control is now clearly expected
Data lifecycle Basic coverage New emphasis (deletion, masking, DLP) Stronger privacy + leakage prevention expectations
ICT readiness for BC Weaker linkage New ICT readiness for business continuity control Cyber resilience and operational continuity are more tightly connected
Transition requirement N/A Mandatory transition for certified orgs ISO 27001:2013 certificates were to expire/withdraw by Oct 31, 2025

WHAT’S NEW IN ANNEX A

The 11 New Controls in ISO 27001:2022 (Annex A)

Several controls were merged or renamed, but the standout change is the addition of 11 new controls that reflect modern security realities.

New control (plain English) What auditors will look for SMB-friendly evidence examples
Threat intelligence How you track relevant threats and act on them Threat feed subscriptions, monthly risk review notes, ticketed actions
Cloud services security Cloud requirements, roles, shared responsibility clarity Cloud policy, IAM standards, vendor due diligence checklist
ICT readiness for business continuity Whether IT can support continuity objectives BC/DR test results, RTO/RPO list, recovery runbooks
Physical security monitoring Monitoring of sensitive areas and access Access logs, visitor process, camera/monitoring coverage summary
Configuration management Secure baselines + change control + drift management Hardening standards, IaC reviews, baseline check reports
Information deletion Data disposal practices mapped to retention needs Retention schedule, deletion workflows, deprovisioning checklist
Data masking Reducing exposure of sensitive data in non-prod/ops Masked datasets in staging, redaction rules, access restrictions
Data leakage prevention (DLP) Controls to prevent/detect unauthorized disclosure M365/Google DLP policies, CASB rules, alert records
Monitoring activities What you monitor and how you respond to anomalies Central logging, alert triage SOP, incident tickets
Web filtering Controls limiting risky browsing and malware exposure DNS filtering policy, category blocks, reporting
Secure coding Secure development principles applied in practice Secure SDLC, PR checklists, SAST results, training records

These “new” controls don’t necessarily mean brand-new tooling. For many SMBs, it means clearer governance, better evidence, and tighter operational discipline.

Need help mapping ISO 27001:2013 to ISO 27001:2022?

We’ll review your ISMS, update your SoA mapping, and build an auditor-ready transition plan — without overengineering.

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WHAT DID NOT CHANGE

What Did Not Change (And That’s Important)

ISO 27001 is still a management system. The fundamentals remain the same:

  • Scope: what’s in your ISMS, and what’s not
  • Risk assessment: identify, evaluate, and treat information security risk
  • Statement of Applicability (SoA): selected controls + justification
  • Internal audit & management review: governance and oversight
  • Continuous improvement: corrective actions and measurable progress

HOW TO ADAPT

How to Adapt to ISO 27001:2022 (Practical Steps)

Whether you’re newly implementing or transitioning from 2013, a clean adaptation plan is usually a mapping + evidence exercise. Here’s a practical sequence.

  1. Confirm your Annex A mapping (2013 controls → 2022 controls) and update your SoA accordingly.
  2. Review the 11 new controls and decide: implement, partially implement, or justify exclusion based on risk.
  3. Validate cloud governance (responsibilities, requirements, IAM, logging, supplier oversight).
  4. Strengthen secure configuration management (baselines, drift monitoring, change control evidence).
  5. Formalize threat intelligence inputs and show how they influence risk and controls.
  6. Connect cyber resilience to continuity (RTO/RPO, recovery tests, IR/BC alignment).
  7. Run an internal audit against the 2022 structure and close gaps with corrective actions.

ISO 27001:2022 Transition Checklist (Fast Read)

Checklist item Owner Evidence examples
SoA updated to 2022 ISMS owner / vCISO Updated SoA, mapping sheet, control justification notes
New control coverage assessed Security / IT Gap assessment, implementation plan, risk treatment updates
Cloud responsibilities documented IT + vendor mgmt Cloud policy, shared responsibility matrix, vendor evidence (SOC/ISO)
Logging & monitoring verified Security / MSP Log sources list, alert SOP, sample tickets/incidents
Internal audit + management review completed Internal audit lead Audit report, nonconformities, corrective actions, review minutes

Pro tip for SMBs:
Don’t overcomplicate scoring or tooling to “look compliant.” Auditors reward clarity, consistency, and evidence that matches your real operations.

TRANSITION TIMELINE

Transition Timing: What to Know

Many certification bodies referenced a three-year transition window, with ISO 27001:2013 certificates expiring/withdrawing by
October 31, 2025.

If you were certified to ISO 27001:2013 and haven’t transitioned, you should treat this as urgent: speak with your certification body and close the gap immediately.

How Canadian Cyber Helps You Adapt (Without the Chaos)

We help Canadian and global SMBs transition and implement ISO 27001:2022 in a way that stays practical and audit-ready.

  • SoA & Annex A mapping: clean mapping from 2013 to 2022 with clear control justification
  • Risk-driven updates: integrate the 11 new controls into your risk treatment plan
  • Evidence-first implementation: prove what you do (logs, tickets, reviews, approvals)
  • Internal audits & readiness checks: find gaps before the auditor does
  • vCISO support: leadership, governance, and continuous improvement without a full-time hire

Ready to modernize your ISMS for ISO 27001:2022?

We’ll help you update Annex A, strengthen evidence, and align cloud + resilience controls with the new expectations.

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