The Definitive Governance Requirement.
Clause 8.1 mandates that you plan, implement, and control the processes needed to meet information security requirements and to execute the actions determined in Clause 6. This is where the theoretical architecture of your Risk Assessment meets the concrete reality of daily operations.
The Mandate
You have identified your risks (Clause 6.1.2) and selected your treatments (Clause 6.1.3). Now, you must execute.
The standard requires you to:
- Establish Criteria: You cannot “secure” a process if you haven’t defined what “secure” looks like. What are the acceptance criteria for a new server build? What is the passing grade for a code review?
- Control the Process: Implement checks to ensure the criteria are met. If a server doesn’t meet the hardening standard, it does not go into production.
- Manage Change: You must control planned changes. If you upgrade a database without assessing the security impact, you are non-compliant.
- Control Outsourcing: If a third party handles your data, you are responsible for their controls. You can outsource the labor; you cannot outsource the liability.
The Verdict: A Risk Treatment Plan without Operational Control is a hallucination. You must prove that the security measures you promised in the Boardroom are actually running in the Server Room.
The Implementation Strategy
Operational control requires rigid discipline. It is the antithesis of “Move Fast and Break Things.”
- Define Security Requirements: For every project, product, or process, define the security non-negotiables upfront.
- The Change Management Protocol: Implement a strict CAB (Change Advisory Board) process. No code goes to production without a security review. No firewall rule changes without a ticket.
- Documented Information: You must keep evidence that the process was carried out as planned. A blank checklist is evidence of failure.
- The Supplier Interface: Review your outsourced processes (AWS, Payroll, Cleaners). Do you have the contracts and the audit rights to control them?
The Auditor’s Trap
[The Auditor’s View] The most common Major Non-Conformance here is “The Shadow Process.” We often find that the Engineering team has spun up a new Kubernetes cluster that the Security team doesn’t even know exists. If you have assets or processes running outside of your defined controls, you have failed Clause 8.1. You have lost control of the perimeter.
Required Evidence
An auditor looks for the bridge between the Plan (Clause 6) and the Reality (Clause 8).
- Project Plans: Showing security requirements defined at the initiation phase.
- Change Management Logs: Jira tickets or Service Now logs showing approval for changes.
- Acceptance Testing Records: Proof that systems were tested against security criteria before launch.
- Outsourcing Agreements: Contracts defining the security requirements for third parties.
Strategic Acceleration
Operational control is often where the “bureaucracy” complaints start. You need a system that enforces control without strangling velocity.
The Hightable™ Operational Planning Framework provides the templates for Change Management, Secure Development Lifecycles (SDLC), and Supplier Reviews. It integrates security into your workflow seamlessly.
The Next Move: Deploy the Operational Framework