According to ISO 27001:2022 Annex A Control 8.30, the organisation shall ensure that externally provided processes, products or services that are relevant to the information security management system are controlled. This includes developing and entering into licensing agreements that cover code ownership and intellectual property rights, and implementing appropriate contractual requirements related to secure design and coding in accordance with Annex A 8.25 and 8.2912 In this case, the organisation and the developer have performed security tests that failed, which indicates that the secure design and coding requirements of Annex A 8.29 were not met. The IT Manager explains that the encryption and pseudonymisation functions failed because they slowed down the system and service performance, and that an extra 150% of resources are needed to cover this. However, this does not justify the acceptance of the test results by the Service Manager, who is not authorised to approve the test according to the software security management procedure. The Service Manager should have consulted with the IT Manager, who is the owner of the process, and followed the procedure for handling nonconformities and corrective actions. The Service Manager's decision to continue the service based on access control alone exposes the organisation to the risk of compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal data processed by the mobile app. Therefore, there is a nonconformity (NC) with clause 8.1, control A.8.30.
References:
1: ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Lead Auditor (Information Security Management Systems) Course by CQI and IRCA Certified Training 1 2: ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor Training Course by PECB 2

The overall competence of the12:
* The audit scope and criteria: The audit scope defines the extent and boundaries of the audit, such as the locations, processes, functions, and time period to be audited. The audit criteria are the set of policies, procedures, standards, or requirements used as a reference against which the audit evidence is compared. The audit scope and criteria determine the complexity and extent of the audit, and thus influence the number and expertise of the auditors needed to cover all the relevant aspects of the audit.
* The overall competence of the audit team needed to achieve audit objectives: The audit team should have the appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience to conduct the audit effectively and efficiently, and to provide credible and reliable audit results. The audit team competence should include the following elements12:
* Generic competence: The ability to apply the principles and methods of auditing, such as planning, conducting, reporting, and following up the audit, as well as the personal behaviour and attributes of the auditors, such as ethical conduct, fair presentation, professional care, independence, and impartiality.
* Discipline and sector-specific competence: The ability to understand and apply the audit criteria and the relevant technical or industry aspects of the audited organization, such as the information security management system (ISMS) requirements, the information security risks and controls, the legal and regulatory obligations, the organizational context and culture, the processes and activities, the products and services, etc.
* Audit team leader competence: The ability to manage the audit team and the audit process, such as coordinating the audit activities, communicating with the audit programme manager and the auditee, resolving any audit-related problems, ensuring the quality and consistency of the audit work and the audit report, etc.
The person responsible for managing the audit programme should not consider the following factors when deciding the size and composition of the audit team for a specific audit, as they are either irrelevant or inappropriate for the audit process12:
* Customer relationships: The audit team should not be influenced by any personal or professional relationships with the auditee or other interested parties, as this may compromise the objectivity and impartiality of the audit. The audit team should avoid any conflicts of interest or self-interest that may affect the audit results or the audit decisions.
* Seniority of the audit team leader: The audit team leader should be selected based on their competence and experience, not on their seniority or rank within the organization or the audit programme. The audit team leader should have the authority and responsibility to manage the audit team and the audit process, regardless of their seniority or position.
* The cost of the audit: The cost of the audit should not be the primary factor for determining the size and composition of the audit team, as this may compromise the quality and effectiveness of the audit. The audit team should have sufficient resources and time to conduct the audit in accordance with the audit objectives, scope, and criteria, and to provide accurate and reliable audit results and recommendations.
* The duration preferred by the auditee: The duration of the audit should be based on the audit objectives, scope, and criteria, and the availability and cooperation of the auditee, not on the preference or convenience of the auditee. The audit team should have enough time to conduct the audit in a thorough and systematic manner, and to collect and evaluate sufficient and relevant audit evidence.
References:
* ISO 19011:2018 - Guidelines for auditing management systems
* PECB Candidate Handbook ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, pages 19-20

Information security is a matter of building and maintaining trust. Trust is the confidence that information and information processing facilities are protected from unauthorized or malicious actions that could compromise their confidentiality, integrity or availability. Trust is essential for establishing and maintaining relationships with customers, partners, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders who rely on the organization's information and services. Trust is also a key factor for achieving compliance with legal, regulatory and contractual obligations, as well as meeting the organization's own information security objectives and policies. ISO/IEC 27001:2022 defines information security as "preservation of confidentiality, integrity and availability of information" (see clause 3.28) and states that "the purpose of an information security management system is to provide a framework for managing activities that influence the trustworthiness of information" (see Introduction). References: CQI & IRCA Certified ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Lead Auditor Training Course, ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information technology - Security techniques - Information security management systems - Requirements, What is Trust?

* A. Advise the Shipping Manager that his request will be included in the audit report. This is true because the audit report should document all the relevant information and evidence related to the audit, including any requests or objections raised by the auditee. The audit report should also provide the rationale for the audit conclusions and recommendations12.
* B. Advise management that the new information provided will be discussed when the auditors have more time. This is true because the auditors should not make hasty decisions based on incomplete or unverified information. The auditors should review and evaluate the new information in a systematic and objective manner, and determine whether it affects the audit findings, nonconformities, or conclusions12.
* F. Thank the Shipping Manager for his honesty but advise that withdrawing the nonconformity is not the right way to proceed. This is true because the auditors should acknowledge and appreciate the cooperation and transparency of the auditee, but also maintain their professional integrity and independence. The auditors should not withdraw a nonconformity unless they are satisfied that it was raised in error or that it has been effectively corrected and verified12.
References :=
* ISO 19011:2022 Guidelines for auditing management systems
* ISO/IEC 17021-1:2022 Conformity assessment - Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems - Part 1: Requirements