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ISO/IEC 27018:2025 Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection — Guidelines for protection of personally identifiable information (PII) in public clouds acting as PII processors

ISO/IEC 27018:2025 is an international standard that provides guidelines for the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in the use of public cloud services. It is part of the ISO/IEC 27000 family of standards and is intended for cloud service providers that process PII on behalf of their customers and act as PII processors.
The current 2025 edition (Edition 3) replaces ISO/IEC 27018:2019 and is aligned with ISO/IEC 27002:2022, as well as with contemporary best practices for information security and personal data protection in cloud environments.

What ISO/IEC 27018:2025 Is
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 provides additional controls and guidance specific to public cloud services, building upon general information security controls. The standard applies in situations where the cloud service provider acts as a PII processor and processes PII in accordance with the instructions of the customer.
It does not cover cases in which the provider acts as a PII controller for its own purposes (e.g. cloud service customer account data).
The main focus of the standard is on:

protecting the privacy and confidentiality of PII in the cloud;
clearly distinguishing roles and responsibilities between the cloud service provider and the customer;
ensuring transparency and accountability in the processing of PII.

Why ISO/IEC 27018 Is Important for Cloud Services
As the use of public cloud platforms continues to grow, the protection of personal data has become a key factor for trust, regulatory compliance, and sustainable business development. ISO/IEC 27018:2025:

defines clear control objectives and measures for the protection of PII in public cloud environments;
is designed to be used in conjunction with ISO/IEC 27002 and supports an ISO/IEC 27001-based Information Security Management System (ISMS), facilitating integration into an existing ISMS;
provides guidance supporting principles such as privacy by design (and, where applicable, privacy by default, depending on the context);
assists cloud service providers in addressing applicable legal and regulatory requirements, including those arising from the GDPR, depending on the specific processing context and assigned roles.

It is important to note that implementation of ISO/IEC 27018 alone does not guarantee GDPR compliance; however, it provides a strong foundation for establishing effective technical and organizational measures for the protection of personal data.

Who Should Apply ISO/IEC 27018:2025
The standard is intended for all types of organizations that provide public cloud services as PII processors and that:

process PII on behalf of their customers;
provide Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Software as a Service (SaaS);
seek to enhance the level of information security and protection of PII in the cloud;
wish to demonstrate the application of internationally recognized best practices to customers and partners.

The guidelines in ISO/IEC 27018 may also be useful for organizations acting as PII controllers, particularly when selecting and managing relationships with cloud service providers.

Benefits of Implementing ISO/IEC 27018:2025
Implementing the standard offers a number of benefits for organizations that use or provide cloud services, including:

increased trust and transparency regarding the processing of PII;
clearer definition of roles and responsibilities between customers and cloud service providers;
improved readiness for audits and compliance assessments;
easy integration with an ISO/IEC 27001-based ISMS;
enhanced risk management related to PII protection in cloud environments.

How CONSEJO Can Help
CONSEJO supports organizations in implementing and applying international standards for information security and personal data protection. Our team offers:

readiness assessments for the implementation of ISO/IEC 27018:2025;
development and updating of policies and procedures for PII protection in public cloud services;
integration of ISO/IEC 27018 with ISO/IEC 27001;
preparation for audits, compliance assessments, and demonstration of implemented measures to customers and partners.

ISO/IEC 27018:2025 Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection — Guidelines for protection of personally identifiable information (PII) in public clouds acting as PII processors

Implementation of management standards

CONSEJO Ltd. is a consulting company with over 20 years of practical experience in the development, implementation and maintenance of management systems in accordance with international standards and regulatory requirements. The company provides consulting services in the areas of quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety, food safety, information security, cybersecurity, risk management and sustainable development. Our expertise covers standards and schemes such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 22000, ISO/IEC 27001, IFS Food, BRCGS and HACCP, as well as consulting services related to NIS2, DORA, GDPR and EcoVadis.

The CONSEJO team has been involved in over 1,500 projects for organizations across various sectors of the economy, including manufacturing, construction, energy, information technology, transport, trade, the food industry and services. Our approach focuses on developing management systems that work effectively in practice, tailored to the specific characteristics and needs of each organization. We work closely with our clients, providing consulting support, staff training and assistance during implementation. We strive to deliver high-quality services within the agreed deadlines and solutions that support successful certification and create long-term value for businesses.

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