Kimova AI ISO 27001 Auditing Series Technological Control A.8.16 Monitoring Activities

Created in November 15, 2024

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Understand ISO 27001 Technological Control A.8.16 Monitoring Activities with [Kimova AI](https://kimova.ai)

In today’s article in the Kimova AI ISO 27001 auditing series, we turn our focus to Technological Control A.8.16: Monitoring Activities. Monitoring plays a crucial role in detecting, preventing, and responding to potential security threats by continuously assessing activities within an organization’s IT infrastructure.

Control A.8.16: Monitoring Activities

Monitoring activities involve tracking system events, user activities, network traffic, and application performance to identify unusual behavior or security threats in real time. This continuous oversight allows organizations to respond swiftly to incidents, reducing risks and minimizing potential damage.

Key Aspects of Control A.8.16

  1. Establishing a Comprehensive Monitoring Scope
    • Explanation: Identify what needs to be monitored, including sensitive systems, network traffic, application usage, and any system or application that processes critical information.
    • Example: A financial services provider monitors database queries to detect potential unauthorized access to customer data.
  2. Using Automated Tools for Real-Time Monitoring
    • Explanation: Implement automated monitoring tools to quickly detect and alert on suspicious activity or anomalies.
    • Example: A tech firm uses intrusion detection systems (IDS) to continuously monitor network traffic and detect unusual patterns that could indicate a breach.
  3. Defining Alerts and Thresholds
    • Explanation: Set up specific alerts and thresholds to identify abnormal behavior and receive notifications for potential security incidents.
    • Example: An e-commerce platform configures alerts to trigger when there are multiple failed login attempts, which may suggest a brute-force attack.
  4. Establishing a Monitoring Schedule
    • Explanation: Determine the frequency and level of detail for monitoring activities based on business requirements, risks, and compliance needs.
    • Example: A government agency implements 24/7 monitoring for critical infrastructure, while less-sensitive systems are checked periodically.
  5. Implementing Log Correlation and Analysis
    • Explanation: Use log correlation tools to analyze data from various sources and spot complex patterns that might indicate a security threat.
    • Example: An energy company correlates logs from its control systems and network devices to detect potential cyber threats.
  6. Ensuring Regular Review and Evaluation
    • Explanation: Regularly review monitoring configurations to ensure they align with evolving security needs and are updated for new types of threats.
    • Example: A healthcare organization periodically audits its monitoring setup to keep up with regulatory requirements and address any gaps in coverage.

Conclusion

Control A.8.16 ensures that organizations maintain visibility over their IT environment, allowing them to identify and mitigate risks proactively. Effective monitoring strengthens incident response, enhances threat detection, and supports compliance.

In our next article, we’ll cover A.8.17: Clock Synchronisation, where we’ll explore how synchronized timekeeping across systems contributes to accurate incident analysis and system coordination.

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