Introduction

Every document, log, and report your organization creates tells a story of decisions made, risks managed, and promises kept.

Now imagine losing that story overnight.
A deleted audit trail. A corrupted backup. A confidential record leaked online.

That’s not just data loss that’s credibility loss.

That’s why ISO 27001 Control 5.34 Protection of Records exists.
It ensures that critical information remains authentic, reliable, and accessible whenever it’s needed and for as long as it’s needed.

Why Record Protection Matters

Records are the backbone of trust.
They prove compliance, accountability, and business continuity.
They’re also a frequent target for attackers because a single tampered record can break audit trails or spark legal consequences.

Control 5.34, from ISO/IEC 27002:2022 Section 5.34, is an Organizational control that’s primarily preventive, protecting all three pillars of information security Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability through the Protect concept.

In simple terms: it’s about keeping your evidence safe, authentic, and ready when it counts most.

What This Control Looks Like in Practice

1. Identify What Counts as a Record

Policies, audit logs, contracts, reports, communications all records must be classified.

2. Define Retention Periods

Determine how long each record type should be kept based on business, legal, or regulatory requirements.

3. Control Access and Modification

Only authorized personnel should view, edit, or delete records.

4. Ensure Secure Storage

Use encrypted drives, document management systems, or secure cloud repositories.

5. Protect Integrity

Implement version control, checksums, and audit trails to prevent tampering.

6. Plan for Recovery

Backup and test restoration of critical records regularly.

Common Weak Spots

🚫 Uncontrolled file shares where anyone can delete or alter files
🚫 Records stored without retention or classification policies
🚫 Inconsistent backups or outdated recovery procedures
🚫 Sensitive data shared through unsecured channels

Canadian Cyber’s Take

At Canadian Cyber, we see too many organizations treat records management as “just storage.”
But in reality, it’s about trust, compliance, and accountability.

We help businesses design records protection frameworks aligned with ISO 27001 and legal requirements ensuring your data tells the right story, even years later.

Whether it’s audit evidence, access logs, or customer contracts, our approach ensures integrity by design and resilience by default.

Takeaway

Your records are more than data they’re proof.
Proof of security, compliance, and integrity.

ISO 27001 Control 5.34 makes sure those records stay protected, unaltered, and available when you need them most.

Because in cybersecurity, losing evidence is as dangerous as losing data.

How Canadian Cyber Can Help

At Canadian Cyber, we provide:

ISO 27001 Documentation and Record Retention Consulting

Secure Storage and Backup Design

Data Integrity Audits and Governance Support

We also bring our expertise from delivering SOC 2 consulting for fast-growing startups, where we’ve helped clients navigate gap assessments, implement safeguards, and achieve compliance while staying agile.

👉 Ready to strengthen your ISO 27001 program? Book a free consultation here.

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