May 30, 2007 – (HOSTSEARCH.COM) – Macquarie Telecom (http://www.macquarietelecom.com/hosting) is the first Australian carrier and web hosting provider to receive ISO 27001 Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) certification, it was announced today. ISMS is a new three-year international certification standard designed to “help businesses with a global presence secure their information assets and boost their defenses against costly information security attacks”.
Developed in response to recent high profile information security breaches, ISO 27001 ISMS has 135 controls that cover all aspects of information security, from physical access, to network device control, password management, virus impact mitigation processes, and managing security risks.
“The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has had a significant impact on the financial and legal reporting requirements placed on global businesses. Key to compliance with the Act is managing risk associated with the security, reliability and accuracy of a company’s IT systems,” explained Macquarie Hosting’s Managing Director, Aidan Tudehope. “ISO 27001 puts in place global benchmarks for securing an organization’s information assets. For our customers, it provides a level of assurance that hosted databases, networks and operating systems meet best-practice standards for risk assessment, policy, training, audits, controls, information and communication.”
ISO 27001 requires a two-stage certification process and six monthly external audits to ensure ongoing compliance. The senior management at the certified body then needs to sign off against risks identified in the audit process. “For our government and enterprise customers, this management control is critical. It acts as an assurance that risks associated with the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information assets have been effectively managed,” added Mr. Tudehope.
