If you have been keeping up with the world of information security, you know that the transition from ISO 27001:2013 to the 2022 version brought some significant shifts. One of the most notable additions to the framework is Annex A 5.30, titled “ICT Readiness for Business Continuity.” If you are searching for where this lived in the 2013 version, you might be looking for a long time. Here is the lowdown on what changed, why it matters, and how to get your systems ready.
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Is There a 2013 Equivalent?
The short answer is no. One of the biggest changes between the 2013 and 2022 versions is that Annex A 5.30 is a brand-new control. In the 2013 version, business continuity was largely covered under the A.17 domain, which focused more broadly on “Information Security Continuity.” While the old version asked you to ensure security stayed intact during a disaster, it didn’t specifically drill down into the “readiness” of your Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems in the same way.
According to the experts at Hightable.io, this new control was introduced to bridge the gap between high-level business continuity planning and the actual technical ability of your IT infrastructure to survive a hit. It is no longer enough to have a paper plan; your technology must be demonstrably ready to perform.
The Focus on “ICT Readiness”
The 2022 update recognizes that modern businesses don’t just “use” IT, they are built on it. Annex A 5.30 shifts the focus toward the resilience and redundancy of your digital assets. It requires that ICT readiness be planned, implemented, maintained, and crucially tested.
Where the 2013 version was sometimes criticised for being a bit vague on the technical side of continuity, the 2022 version is much more explicit. You are now expected to base your ICT readiness on very specific business continuity objectives and requirements. This means your IT recovery isn’t just a “best effort” anymore; it must be tied to the actual needs of the business.
Key Requirements: BIA, RTO, and RPO
If you are looking to comply with this new control, there are a few technical terms you need to get comfortable with. These aren’t just buzzwords; they are the foundation of Annex A 5.30. As highlighted by Hightable.io, a successful implementation usually involves three core pillars:
- Business Impact Analysis (BIA): You need to conduct a formal BIA to identify which ICT services are critical and what happens to the business if they go down.
- Recovery Time Objective (RTO): This is the “how fast” part. How quickly do you need a specific system back online before the damage becomes unacceptable?
- Recovery Point Objective (RPO): This is the “how much data” part. How much data can you afford to lose? If your last backup was 24 hours ago, is that okay, or do you need a point-in-time recovery?
In the 2013 version, these were often treated as “nice to haves” or managed outside of the ISMS. In the 2022 version, they are front and center.
Testing Is No Longer Optional
Another major shift in the 2022 version is the emphasis on testing. While the old standard mentioned “verifying” continuity, Annex A 5.30 is very direct about the need for regular exercises. You have to prove that your ICT continuity plans actually work. This might involve failover tests, restoring from backups, or running simulated “disaster” scenarios to see how your team and your tech react.
The goal here is to move away from “theoretically secure” to “practically resilient.” Auditors now look for evidence of these tests and, perhaps more importantly, evidence that you learned something from them and improved your plans afterward.
Why the Change Happened
The world has changed since 2013. We’ve seen the rise of cloud-first environments, remote work, and increasingly sophisticated ransomware attacks that can take down an entire network in minutes. The 2013 version of ISO 27001 was written for a slightly different era.
The 2022 update, and specifically the inclusion of Annex A 5.30, is a response to this new reality. It forces organizations to think about ICT as the backbone of the company. As Hightable.io points out, this control ensures that when a disruption hits, whether it’s a cyberattack or a natural disaster, your information assets remain available and your critical processes can keep running.
How to Transition
If you are transitioning from the 2013 version, don’t panic. You likely already have some form of disaster recovery in place. To meet the new 5.30 requirements, you’ll need to formally document your ICT continuity strategy, link it back to your BIA, and start a regular schedule of testing. It’s less about reinventing the wheel and more about making sure the wheel is actually attached to the car and ready for a bumpy road.