orbit by reconn.Quick answers on ISO 27001 and information security
Can individuals get ISO 27001 certification?
A person cannot be ISO 27001 certified. A person can hold a PECB ISO 27001 credential.
- By Shenoy
- Updated
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Individuals do not certify against ISO 27001 itself. They earn PECB credentials instead: a two-day Foundation certificate, or the five-day Lead Implementer and Lead Auditor courses, each ending in an exam. PECB states the exam fee is included in the course price, and reconn enrollments also cover the PECB application fee and the first year's annual maintenance fee.
The standard certifies a management system. A PECB credential certifies a person's knowledge and, at higher levels, their experience.
The three courses
Foundation runs two days, has no prerequisites and a one-hour exam. Lead Implementer and Lead Auditor each run five days: four of training and the exam on day five, which PECB gives as a three-hour proctored online exam. Foundation carries 14 CPD credits, and each Lead course carries 31.
Experience decides the credential level
For Lead Implementer and Lead Auditor, the same ladder applies. Everyone sits the same exam, and the credential you hold depends on your record.
| Credential level | Work experience | Project or audit hours |
|---|---|---|
| Provisional (Implementer or Auditor) | None | None |
| Implementer or Auditor | 2 years, 1 in information security management | 200 hours |
| Lead Implementer or Lead Auditor | 5 years, 2 in information security management | 300 hours |
| Senior Lead Implementer or Senior Lead Auditor | 10 years, 7 in information security management | 1,000 hours |
Practitioner note: With no experience you can still take the course and sit the exam, and you would hold the Provisional credential. Start logging project or audit hours now so the next level is easy to claim.
How reconn helps
Choose ISO 27001 Foundation if the standard is new, Lead Implementer if you will build the ISMS, or Lead Auditor if you will audit it. reconn adds a free 1-on-1 session with a PECB Certified Trainer and email and WhatsApp support until you clear the exam, within 12 months of enrollment.