What is ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.31 Separation of development, test and production environments in ISO 27001?
Annex A 8.31 is a documented process for isolating system environments. It separates development, testing, and production activities. This reduces risk of unauthorised access to live systems. Organisations manage these boundaries using tools like SharePoint. This approach ensures security stays part of daily technical work.
Auditor’s Eye: The Shortcut Trap
Many firms use SaaS tools for environment logs. This leads to surface-level compliance. Auditors want to see your actual configuration history. We look for proof in your native organisational repositories. Automated ticks do not prove environment isolation. Real compliance lives in your Jira and Confluence records. This shows genuine management ownership. Disconnected dashboards often hide weak boundaries.
| ISO 27001:2013 Reference | ISO 27001:2022 Reference | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Annex A 12.1.4 | Annex A 8.31 | Strict environment isolation. Change management integration. Access restriction for production. |
How to Implement ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.31 (Step-by-Step)
Environment separation is a cultural change. It is not just a software installation. Use existing tools to build robust audit trails. This approach ensures your team retains control of system boundaries. Follow these clinical steps for implementation.
- Identify technical requirements for each environment in Confluence.
- Draft an environment isolation policy within SharePoint.
- Use Jira workflows to manage and approve deployments.
- Configure separate accounts for development and production tasks.
- Maintain architecture diagrams showing environment boundaries in Confluence.
- Perform quarterly reviews of access permissions.
- Log all review findings in SharePoint meeting minutes.
ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.31 Audit Evidence Checklist
Auditors look for manual records and internal document versions. These prove human oversight and intent. Maintain the following items in your native document repositories.
- Environment Architecture diagrams with clear version history.
- Jira tickets showing deployment approvals for production.
- Access review logs stored in SharePoint folders.
- Management meeting minutes for production change reviews.
- Internal audit reports of environment isolation.
Relational Mapping
Annex A 8.31 connects to several core ISO 27001 requirements:
- Clause 8.1: Operational planning and control.
- Annex A 8.32: Change management.
- Annex A 8.3: Information access restriction.
Auditor Interview
Auditor: How do you manage your environment boundaries?
Manager: We use an isolation policy stored in SharePoint. We review our environment boundaries every quarter.
Auditor: How is a new developer granted production access?
Manager: Production access requires a Jira ticket. A senior manager must approve every request. We log all approvals in our SharePoint repository.
Common Non-Conformities
| Failure Mode | Description | Corrective Action |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Complacency | Relying on a SaaS platform tick without internal evidence. | Move configuration logs to SharePoint for review. |
| Production Data in Test | Using sensitive live data for testing without sanitisation. | Enforce data masking procedures in Confluence. |
| Shared Admin Accounts | Developers using production admin accounts for testing. | Enforce account separation in the access policy. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary requirement for environment separation?
The bottom line is that you must isolate development and test environments from live production systems. This prevents accidental or malicious changes to operational data. Document these boundaries in your internal management tools. Integrated records prove you actively manage technical risks.
How should I document environment access?
The bottom line is to record all access requests and approvals in Jira. This provides a verifiable audit trail within your organisational boundary. Avoid external platforms that isolate this data from your daily work. Native records prove management oversight to an auditor.
Why is production data restricted in test environments?
The bottom line is that using production data in test environments increases data breach risks. You must sanitise or mask data before use. Document your sanitisation process in Confluence. This keeps sensitive information protected during development cycles.