ISO 27001 • ISMS Scope • SaaS Companies
Defining Your ISMS Scope: A SaaS Company’s First Step Toward ISO 27001
Setting Boundaries That Protect Your Platform and Your Clients
For SaaS providers, trust is everything. Clients depend on your platform to keep their data available, private, and secure. But before you can demonstrate ISO 27001 compliance, there’s one step every SaaS business must take defining the scope of its Information Security Management System (ISMS).
Your ISMS Scope determines the boundaries of your security universe which products, cloud environments, and business processes are covered by ISO 27001, and how your responsibilities interact with suppliers like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
At Canadian Cyber, our ISMS Scope Template (CC-ISMS-001) helps SaaS companies clearly define and document those boundaries ensuring that your certification reflects your real environment, from code to cloud to customer.
Why Defining ISMS Scope Matters for SaaS Providers
SaaS companies evolve quickly new features, new integrations, new data flows. Without a well-defined ISMS Scope, your security program can easily miss key areas, like API exposure or third-party service dependencies.
A precise ISMS Scope helps you:
- Cover all relevant applications, environments, and assets.
- Identify shared-responsibility zones between you and cloud providers.
- Align your Statement of Applicability (SoA) and Risk Register with reality.
- Avoid audit delays and compliance gaps.
In short, a clear scope makes your ISO 27001 program accurate, auditable, and agile.
Building an ISMS Scope for SaaS with the CC-ISMS-001 Template
The Canadian Cyber ISMS Scope Template follows ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Clause 4.3 and ISO/IEC 27006-1 (Section 9.1.3.6) providing a consistent structure for defining:
- Internal and external issues impacting your SaaS operations.
- The products, services, and platforms included in the ISMS.
- Interfaces and dependencies (cloud, vendors, customers).
- Justified exclusions.
- Roles, documentation, and control mapping.
🧾 Sample ISMS Scope Document
(Based on the Canadian Cyber CC-ISMS-001 Template)
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Document Title | ISMS Scope |
| Document Number | CN-ISMS-001 |
| Version | 2.0 |
| Date | October 2025 |
| Company | CloudNova Software Inc. |
| Classification | Confidential |
1. Purpose
To define the boundaries and applicability of CloudNova’s Information Security Management System (ISMS) in accordance with ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Clause 4.3. This document specifies all included services, systems, and interfaces covered by the ISMS certification.
2. Scope
2.1 Organizational Context
Legal Entity: CloudNova Software Inc., headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Business Model: Multi-tenant SaaS provider offering secure data-analytics and collaboration services through a cloud-native platform hosted on AWS and Azure.
Certification Goal: Achieve ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for all functions that design, develop, operate, and support CloudNova’s platform and client data.
2.2 Included Locations
- Head Office: Toronto, ON: Corporate HQ, Finance, Legal, Compliance.
- Operations & Engineering Center: Vancouver, BC: DevOps, SRE, Product Support.
- Cloud Infrastructure: AWS (Canada Central) and Azure (Canada East): production, staging, and backup environments.
- Remote Employees: Authorized across Canada with secure VPN and MDM controls.
2.3 Included Processes and Information
- Development and deployment of CloudNova SaaS platform.
- Cloud operations, security monitoring, and incident response.
- Access control management and user authentication systems.
- Data encryption, backup, and disaster recovery management.
- Supporting business processes: HR, Finance, Legal, Procurement.
- Information assets: client data, source code, system logs, user credentials, contracts, and financial records.
2.4 Technical Scope
- Cloud Services: AWS EC2, S3, RDS; Azure Storage and AD.
- SaaS Product: CloudNova Platform (Production, Staging, Dev).
- DevOps Tools: GitHub Enterprise, Jenkins, Terraform, Jira.
- Monitoring: Datadog, AWS GuardDuty, SIEM.
- Endpoints: Laptops with EDR and SSO-enforced MFA.
2.5 Interfaces & Dependencies
- Cloud Providers: AWS and Azure managed under shared-responsibility model.
- Third-Party Vendors: Email (Google Workspace), Support (Zendesk), CRM (HubSpot).
- Payment Gateway: Stripe PCI DSS compliant environment.
- Clients: Access via web portal and API (HTTPS/TLS 1.3 encrypted).
Each interface is assessed in the ISMS Risk Register and documented in the Statement of Applicability (CC-ISMS-006).
2.6 Exclusions
Excluded from scope: personal devices not used for business purposes and marketing websites not connected to client data. Justifications documented in the SoA.
3. References
- ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Clauses 4.1–4.3 and 7.5.3
- ISO/IEC 27006-1:2024 Section 9.1.3.6 Scope Definition and Interfaces
- ISO/IEC 27002:2022 Control 5.31 Legal and Contractual Requirements
- CC-ISMS-003 Risk Assessment Methodology
- CC-ISMS-004 Risk Register & Treatment Plan
- CC-ISMS-006 Statement of Applicability
- CC-ISMS-008 Internal Audit Program & Reports
4. Definitions & Acronyms
- ISMS: Information Security Management System.
- SoA: Statement of Applicability.
- CSP: Cloud Service Provider.
- DevOps: Development and Operations Integration.
5. Roles & Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| CEO (Laura Kim) | Approves scope and ensures it aligns with corporate goals. |
| ISMS Manager (David Singh) | Maintains this document and coordinates annual scope reviews. |
| CTO (Sarah Nguyen) | Ensures technical environments match scope definition. |
| Department Leads | Identify assets, interfaces, and dependencies within their functions. |
| Internal Auditor | Validates scope application and evidence during audits. |
6. Procedure Highlights
- Assess internal/external factors that influence the ISMS (e.g., threat landscape, privacy laws).
- Identify interested parties and their requirements (e.g., clients, partners, regulators).
- Define boundaries and interfaces for systems and suppliers.
- Include cloud and remote operations explicitly.
- Review scope annually and upon major organizational or infrastructure changes.
- Maintain links to Risk Register and SoA for evidence traceability.
7. Compliance Mapping
- Clause 4.3: Defining ISMS Boundaries and Applicability.
- Clauses 4.1–4.2: Understanding Context and Interested Parties.
- ISO 27006-1 9.1.3.6: Certification Body Scope and Interface Requirements.
- Control 5.31: Legal and Contractual Obligations.
8. Continuous Improvement
CloudNova reviews its ISMS Scope annually and whenever there are significant changes such as adding a new cloud provider, service module, or client region. Updates are tracked through document control and approved by Top Management.
Why This Example Works
This example shows how a SaaS company can translate ISO 27001’s requirements into clear, real-world boundaries. It demonstrates that CloudNova:
- Defines scope around what it actually controls.
- Documents interfaces and cloud dependencies.
- Links scope to SoA and risk processes.
- Keeps its documentation current as its platform evolves.
How Canadian Cyber Helps SaaS Companies Define Their ISMS Scope
- ISMS Scope Template (CC-ISMS-001) customized for SaaS operations.
- SoA and Risk Register Integration to align scope with controls.
- Supplier & Cloud Dependency Mapping.
- Virtual CISO (vCISO) and ISO 27001 Implementation Support.
- Pre-Certification Audit and Readiness Assessments.
We make your scope clear, defensible, and certification-ready.
Ready to Define Your ISO 27001-Compliant ISMS Scope?
Your SaaS platform deserves a security framework as strong as your code. Let Canadian Cyber help you define your scope and start your journey to ISO 27001 success.
Connect with Us
Canadian Cyber Helping SaaS Companies Define Scope, Secure Clouds, and Achieve Compliance with Confidence.
