What is ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 is the international standard for information security management systems (ISMS). Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), it provides a framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving information security. Certification demonstrates that your organization has systematically evaluated security risks and implemented appropriate controls.
ISO 27001 certification is increasingly required for international business, enterprise sales, and regulated industries. The certification process involves implementing an ISMS, conducting internal audits, and passing an assessment by an accredited certification body. Certification typically takes 6-12 months and requires annual surveillance audits.
Who Needs ISO 27001 Compliance?
- Organizations seeking international security certification
- Companies selling to European enterprises
- Businesses in regulated industries (finance, healthcare, government)
- Technology vendors pursuing enterprise customers
- Organizations looking to demonstrate security maturity
- Companies expanding into international markets
How Expedited WAF Helps with ISO 27001
Expedited WAF provides technical controls that map directly to ISO 27001 Annex A requirements, helping you implement and demonstrate compliance.
A.10.1: Cryptographic Controls
ISO 27001 requires a policy on the use of cryptographic controls for protection of information.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Enforces TLS 1.2+ encryption for all data in transit
- Implements “state of the art” encryption (auditor expectation)
- Configures security headers including HSTS
- Modern cipher suite selection
- Regular cryptographic configuration reviews
TLS Requirements: ISO 27001 requires “state of the art” encryption—auditors interpret this as TLS 1.2 minimum. See our TLS configuration guide.
A.13.1: Network Security Management
ISO 27001 requires networks to be managed and controlled to protect information in systems and applications.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- WAF protection filters all incoming traffic
- DDoS mitigation ensures availability
- Traffic filtering based on multiple criteria
- Network segmentation through access controls
- IP blocking for known threats
- Rate limiting prevents abuse
A.13.2: Information Transfer
ISO 27001 requires policies and procedures to protect information transfer through all types of communication facilities.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Forces HTTPS for all traffic
- Prevents unencrypted data transmission
- Secure headers prevent data leakage
- Protection against man-in-the-middle attacks
- HSTS enforcement prevents protocol downgrade
A.14.1: Security Requirements in Development
ISO 27001 requires information security to be designed and implemented within the development lifecycle.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Protection against OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities:
- SQL injection
- Cross-site scripting (XSS)
- Broken access control
- Security misconfigurations
- Injection attacks
- Virtual patching protects against new vulnerabilities
- Defense in depth regardless of application-level controls
- Continuous protection while development fixes are implemented
A.12.4: Logging and Monitoring
ISO 27001 requires event logs recording user activities, exceptions, faults, and information security events.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Comprehensive logging of all HTTP requests
- Detailed security event records including:
- Source IP addresses and geolocation
- Request timestamps and methods
- Attack types and payloads
- Blocked request details
- Real-time monitoring and alerting
- Log retention for audit requirements
- Integration with SIEM platforms
A.9.1: Access Control Policy
ISO 27001 requires access control policies based on business and security requirements.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- IP allowlisting for restricted access
- Geo-blocking for geographic access control
- Rate limiting prevents brute force attacks
- Bot detection blocks automated attacks
- Anonymous proxy blocking prevents access circumvention
ISO 27001 Annex A Control Mapping
| Annex A Control | Control Name | How Expedited WAF Helps |
|---|---|---|
| A.9.1 | Access Control Policy | IP restrictions, geo-blocking, rate limiting |
| A.10.1 | Cryptographic Controls | TLS 1.2+ enforcement, secure headers |
| A.12.4 | Logging and Monitoring | Request logging, security alerts, SIEM integration |
| A.13.1 | Network Security | WAF filtering, DDoS protection, traffic analysis |
| A.13.2 | Information Transfer | HTTPS enforcement, encryption in transit |
| A.14.1 | Secure Development | OWASP protection, virtual patching |
| A.16.1 | Security Incident Management | Attack detection, alerting, forensic logging |
ISO 27001 Compliance Checklist for Heroku
Use this checklist to prepare your Heroku application for ISO 27001 certification:
Cryptographic Controls (A.10)
- Enable Expedited WAF for all production applications
- Enforce TLS 1.2+ - TLS configuration guide
- Enable HTTPS redirection - How to force HTTPS
- Configure security headers including HSTS - Security headers guide
Network Security (A.13)
- Enable DDoS protection - DDoS protection guide
- Configure rate limiting to prevent abuse
- Block known malicious IPs - IP blocking guide
- Enable traffic filtering for suspicious patterns
Access Control (A.9)
- Implement IP restrictions for administrative access
- Enable geo-blocking if appropriate - Geo-blocking guide
- Block anonymous proxies - Proxy blocking guide
- Enable bot detection - Bot blocking guide
Secure Development (A.14)
- Enable OWASP Top 10 protection - OWASP protection guide
- Enable virtual patching for vulnerability response - Virtual patching
Logging and Monitoring (A.12)
- Enable comprehensive logging for audit evidence
- Configure security alerts for incident detection
- Retain logs according to your retention policy
- Document all controls for certification audit
Related Resources
- TLS Requirements for ISO 27001
- OWASP Top 10 Protection on Heroku
- How to Force HTTPS on Heroku
- Security Headers on Heroku
- DDoS Protection
- Compliance Overview
Get Started
Achieve ISO 27001 certification for your Heroku application with Expedited WAF. Our platform provides the technical controls auditors expect, with clear documentation for your ISMS.