COURSE OVERVIEW:

ISO 27001 is the definitive international standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), providing a framework for managing digital, physical, and intellectual property risks. This Lead Auditor course is designed to empower senior professionals with the authority and technical expertise required to lead complex audits on behalf of certification bodies or global enterprises. By mastering the latest 2022 updates, participants will be able to evaluate an organization’s resilience against modern cyber threats and ensure high-level compliance with international data protection requirements.

The scope of this training involves a rigorous exploration of the lead auditor’s role in managing the entire audit lifecycle, from strategic resource allocation to the final certification recommendation. Attendees will learn to interpret the management system requirements of clauses 4 through 10 and the specialized control themes of Annex A: Organizational, People, Physical, and Technological. The curriculum emphasizes the leadership skills necessary to manage audit teams, navigate organizational politics, and communicate significant security risks to executive boards and stakeholders.

Coverage includes advanced auditing methodologies such as risk-based sampling, technical vulnerability assessment reviews, and the evaluation of cloud security and remote working protocols. Participants will practice synthesizing complex evidence into definitive audit conclusions, ensuring that the ISMS is not only compliant but also effective in mitigating real-world security incidents. By the end of this course, participants will possess the technical competence to lead audits that drive systemic improvement and provide institutional confidence in information security governance.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Interpret the ISO 27001 standard requirements for certification auditing.
• Lead a multi-disciplinary audit team through all phases of an ISMS assessment.
• Evaluate the strategic alignment of the ISMS with organizational business goals.
• Audit the effectiveness of the information security risk assessment methodology.
• Assess the technical implementation of Annex A controls across four themes.
• Verify the adequacy of the Statement of Applicability (SoA) and risk treatment.
• Manage audit team dynamics and resolve technical disputes during the audit.
• Conduct high-level interviews with senior management and board members.
• Synthesize large volumes of audit evidence into objective audit conclusions.
• Write professional, high-impact audit reports for certification body review.
• Lead the opening and closing meetings for large-scale security audits.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of corrective actions following security breaches.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Information Security Managers, Security Consultants, IT Directors, Compliance Officers, and experienced Auditors seeking to lead ISO 27001 certification audits.

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximize the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive, practical, and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material will be provided in PowerPoint, with necessary animations, learning videos, and general discussions.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and at the end of the course.

COURSE CERTIFICATE:

National Consultant Centre for Training LLC (NCC) will issue an Attendance Certificate to all participants completing a minimum of 80% of the total attendance time requirement.