Gap analysis against ISO 27018's cloud-specific controls, built on top of your existing or in-progress ISO 27001/27002 ISMS
Cloud Privacy
ISO 27018 Certification
Cloud Privacy
ISO 27018 Certification
Prove You Protect Personal Data in the Cloud, With Evidence Your Customers Can Actually Check
ISO 27018 certification extends your ISO 27001 or ISO 27002-based ISMS with a specific code of practice for protecting personally identifiable information in public cloud services, the exact assurance enterprise customers look for before trusting you with their data. We assess your cloud practices against ISO 27018's controls, close the gaps a certification auditor would flag, and get you certified without derailing the roadmap for the cloud service that data supports.
The challenge
The Problem We're Usually Called In For
Most cloud providers with strong general security practices haven’t specifically mapped their PII handling against ISO 27018’s cloud-specific controls, which cover things like sub-processor notification, PII return and deletion at contract end, and restrictions on using customer data for advertising without explicit consent. A customer’s data protection questionnaire asks for something more specific than a general privacy policy can answer. A sub-processor relationship changed and nobody updated the customer notification that ISO 27018 expects.
We work with CISOs, Heads of Privacy, and Cloud Platform leads at SaaS and cloud service providers processing personal data on behalf of enterprise customers, particularly where those customers themselves face regulatory scrutiny over their data processors. Some of you already hold ISO 27001 and want the cloud-specific extension. Some are responding to a specific enterprise customer requirement. Others want a competitive edge in a market where cloud privacy assurance increasingly decides the deal.
Scope
What the Certification Process Covers
PII processing and consent review, including how data is used, and specifically how it isn't used for advertising or marketing without explicit customer consent
Sub-processor management review, including the notification and disclosure obligations ISO 27018 requires when sub-processors change
Data return and deletion process review at contract termination, tested against realistic offboarding scenarios
Access control and audit logging review specific to who can access customer PII within your cloud environment
Cross-border data transfer review, where your cloud infrastructure spans multiple jurisdictions
Transparency and disclosure documentation review, so customers get clear, verifiable answers to their data protection questions
Internal audit support and certification body liaison through Stage 1 and Stage 2
Engagement
How the Engagement Works
Step 01
Discovery & Scoping
Step 02
Gap Assessment
Step 03
Build & Remediation
Step 04
Internal Audit & Management Review
Step 05
Certification Support
A short call to understand your cloud architecture, existing ISO 27001 status, and what's driving certification. We agree on scope before assessment begins.
We benchmark your current PII handling practices against ISO 27018's specific controls and flag exactly what's missing or undocumented.
We help close the gaps, from sub-processor notification processes to data deletion procedures, integrated with your existing ISMS rather than run as a separate program.
We run the internal audit ISO 27018 requires and support the management review that certification depends on.
We prepare your team for the certification body's audits and help resolve any findings quickly.
Outcomes
Proof, Not Promises
SaaS platform storing customer PII in a multi-tenant cloud environment:
the gap assessment found no formal process for notifying customers when a new sub-processor was added, a direct ISO 27018 gap that had already gone unnoticed through two vendor changes. A structured notification process closed it and gave the sales team a concrete answer to a recurring customer question.
Cloud infrastructure provider pursuing an enterprise contract:
the data deletion review found offboarding processes deleted primary records but left PII in a legacy backup system for months longer than the customer's contract specified. Fixing the deletion process closed a gap that would have failed the certification audit and, separately, exposed real contractual risk.
FAQ
Questions We Get Asked Before Signing
Yes. ISO 27018 is a code of practice that extends an existing ISO 27001 or ISO 27002-based information security management system, it isn't a standalone certification. If you don't have ISO 27001 yet, we can scope both together.
ISO 27018 is specific to protecting PII in public cloud services and cloud service providers acting as processors. ISO 27701 is broader, covering privacy information management across an organization regardless of whether it's cloud-specific. Many cloud providers pursue 27018 as the more targeted, customer-facing certification.
Typically two to three months, since the underlying management system infrastructure already exists and the work focuses on cloud-specific PII controls.
Significantly. ISO 27018 is increasingly the specific certification enterprise customers look for when assessing a cloud provider's handling of their personal data.
ISO 27018 is specifically focused on the processor role, cloud providers processing PII on behalf of their customers. If you also act as a controller for other data, that's typically addressed through your broader ISO 27701 or privacy program.
It's audited alongside your ISO 27001 surveillance cycle, so ongoing maintenance is combined rather than duplicated.
Ready to Answer Every Cloud Privacy Question With Evidence, Not Assurance Language?
Enterprise customers don't want to hear that their data is safe, they want proof, specific to how a cloud provider handles PII. ISO 27018 certification is that proof.
Schedule a 30-minute cloud privacy readiness call and find out where your gaps are. When you reach out, we'll ask for your name, work email, company, role, and your current ISO 27001 status. That's enough for us to come prepared.