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What Is The Purpose of ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.4?

Annex A 8.4 of ISO 27001:2022 defines “source code” as the underlying code, specifications, and plans used to develop applications, programs, and processes belonging to the organisation. As well as source code access, Annex A 8.4 emphasises the importance of development tools (compilers, test environments, etc.).

The management of source code represents a unique risk for any organisation that has to store it. A business’s intellectual property, production data, and protected configuration details are all considered business critical components of source code.

In accordance with an organisation’s wider set of access controls, Annex A 8.4 is a preventative control that measures risk by establishing underlying data access principles that govern read/write access to:

  • Source code
  • Developmental tools
  • Software libraries

Who Has Ownership of Annex A 8.4?

Source code, development tools, & commercially sensitive information such as software libraries are covered in Annex A 8.4. Therefore, ownership should be vested in the Chief Information Security Officer (or equivalent), who is responsible for the business’s overall information and data security.




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General Guidance on ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.4

According to ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.4, organisations should be able to centrally administer access to and amendments to their source code across their ICT estate with a source code management system.

Organisations are encouraged to consider access to source code along strict read/write privileges based on the nature of the source code, where it is accessed from, and who is accessing it.

Organisations seeking to control source code access should:

  • Maintain published procedures for controlling access to source code.
  • Access to source code based on defined business requirements on a case-by-case or user-by-user basis.
  • When administering access to source code, follow a set of change management procedures (see Annex A 8.32), including proper authorisation based on access variables (user type, business case, etc.).
  • Provide developers with access to source code through a series of development tools that provide a top-down view of access rights and read/write privileges.
  • Create a secure space for storing program listings and read/write permissions.
  • All source code-related activities, including timestamps and change-related activities, should be maintained in a concurrent audit trail.
  • Digital signatures should be used for any code that is going to be published outside of the organisation.

Accompanying Annex A Controls

  • ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.32



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What Are the Changes From ISO 27001:2013?

ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.4 replaces ISO 27001:2013 Annex A 9.4.5 (‘Access Control to Program Source Code’) and contains three main discrepancies in its approaches to establishing a source code management system (a concept that is absent from ISO 27001:2013 Annex A 9.4.5):

  1. Read/write access is subject to a strict set of business requirements.
  2. Providing developers with indirect access to source code through development tools and/or test environments.
  3. Annex A 8.32 contains newly published change management procedures that must be applied to source code access activities.

Table of All ISO 27001:2022 Annex A Controls

In the table below you’ll find more information on each individual ISO 27001:2022 Annex A Control.

ISO 27001:2022 Organisational Controls
Annex A Control Type ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A Identifier ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Annex A Identifier Annex A Name
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.1 Annex A 5.1.1
Annex A 5.1.2
Policies for Information Security
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.2 Annex A 6.1.1 Information Security Roles and Responsibilities
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.3 Annex A 6.1.2 Segregation of Duties
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.4 Annex A 7.2.1 Management Responsibilities
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.5 Annex A 6.1.3 Contact With Authorities
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.6 Annex A 6.1.4 Contact With Special Interest Groups
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.7 NEW Threat Intelligence
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.8 Annex A 6.1.5
Annex A 14.1.1
Information Security in Project Management
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.9 Annex A 8.1.1
Annex A 8.1.2
Inventory of Information and Other Associated Assets
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.10 Annex A 8.1.3
Annex A 8.2.3
Acceptable Use of Information and Other Associated Assets
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.11 Annex A 8.1.4 Return of Assets
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.12 Annex A 8.2.1 Classification of Information
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.13 Annex A 8.2.2 Labelling of Information
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.14 Annex A 13.2.1
Annex A 13.2.2
Annex A 13.2.3
Information Transfer
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.15 Annex A 9.1.1
Annex A 9.1.2
Access Control
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.16 Annex A 9.2.1 Identity Management
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.17 Annex A 9.2.4
Annex A 9.3.1
Annex A 9.4.3
Authentication Information
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.18 Annex A 9.2.2
Annex A 9.2.5
Annex A 9.2.6
Access Rights
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.19 Annex A 15.1.1 Information Security in Supplier Relationships
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.20 Annex A 15.1.2 Addressing Information Security Within Supplier Agreements
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.21 Annex A 15.1.3 Managing Information Security in the ICT Supply Chain
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.22 Annex A 15.2.1
Annex A 15.2.2
Monitoring, Review and Change Management of Supplier Services
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.23 NEW Information Security for Use of Cloud Services
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.24 Annex A 16.1.1 Information Security Incident Management Planning and Preparation
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.25 Annex A 16.1.4 Assessment and Decision on Information Security Events
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.26 Annex A 16.1.5 Response to Information Security Incidents
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.27 Annex A 16.1.6 Learning From Information Security Incidents
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.28 Annex A 16.1.7 Collection of Evidence
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.29 Annex A 17.1.1
Annex A 17.1.2
Annex A 17.1.3
Information Security During Disruption
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.30 NEW ICT Readiness for Business Continuity
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.31 Annex A 18.1.1
Annex A 18.1.5
Legal, Statutory, Regulatory and Contractual Requirements
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.32 Annex A 18.1.2 Intellectual Property Rights
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.33 Annex A 18.1.3 Protection of Records
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.34 Annex A 18.1.4 Privacy and Protection of PII
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.35 Annex A 18.2.1 Independent Review of Information Security
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.36 Annex A 18.2.2
Annex A 18.2.3
Compliance With Policies, Rules and Standards for Information Security
Organisational Controls Annex A 5.37 Annex A 12.1.1 Documented Operating Procedures
ISO 27001:2022 People Controls
Annex A Control Type ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A Identifier ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Annex A Identifier Annex A Name
People Controls Annex A 6.1 Annex A 7.1.1 Screening
People Controls Annex A 6.2 Annex A 7.1.2 Terms and Conditions of Employment
People Controls Annex A 6.3 Annex A 7.2.2 Information Security Awareness, Education and Training
People Controls Annex A 6.4 Annex A 7.2.3 Disciplinary Process
People Controls Annex A 6.5 Annex A 7.3.1 Responsibilities After Termination or Change of Employment
People Controls Annex A 6.6 Annex A 13.2.4 Confidentiality or Non-Disclosure Agreements
People Controls Annex A 6.7 Annex A 6.2.2 Remote Working
People Controls Annex A 6.8 Annex A 16.1.2
Annex A 16.1.3
Information Security Event Reporting
ISO 27001:2022 Physical Controls
Annex A Control Type ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A Identifier ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Annex A Identifier Annex A Name
Physical Controls Annex A 7.1 Annex A 11.1.1 Physical Security Perimeters
Physical Controls Annex A 7.2 Annex A 11.1.2
Annex A 11.1.6
Physical Entry
Physical Controls Annex A 7.3 Annex A 11.1.3 Securing Offices, Rooms and Facilities
Physical Controls Annex A 7.4 NEW Physical Security Monitoring
Physical Controls Annex A 7.5 Annex A 11.1.4 Protecting Against Physical and Environmental Threats
Physical Controls Annex A 7.6 Annex A 11.1.5 Working In Secure Areas
Physical Controls Annex A 7.7 Annex A 11.2.9 Clear Desk and Clear Screen
Physical Controls Annex A 7.8 Annex A 11.2.1 Equipment Siting and Protection
Physical Controls Annex A 7.9 Annex A 11.2.6 Security of Assets Off-Premises
Physical Controls Annex A 7.10 Annex A 8.3.1
Annex A 8.3.2
Annex A 8.3.3
Annex A 11.2.5
Storage Media
Physical Controls Annex A 7.11 Annex A 11.2.2 Supporting Utilities
Physical Controls Annex A 7.12 Annex A 11.2.3 Cabling Security
Physical Controls Annex A 7.13 Annex A 11.2.4 Equipment Maintenance
Physical Controls Annex A 7.14 Annex A 11.2.7 Secure Disposal or Re-Use of Equipment
ISO 27001:2022 Technological Controls
Annex A Control Type ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A Identifier ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Annex A Identifier Annex A Name
Technological Controls Annex A 8.1 Annex A 6.2.1
Annex A 11.2.8
User Endpoint Devices
Technological Controls Annex A 8.2 Annex A 9.2.3 Privileged Access Rights
Technological Controls Annex A 8.3 Annex A 9.4.1 Information Access Restriction
Technological Controls Annex A 8.4 Annex A 9.4.5 Access to Source Code
Technological Controls Annex A 8.5 Annex A 9.4.2 Secure Authentication
Technological Controls Annex A 8.6 Annex A 12.1.3 Capacity Management
Technological Controls Annex A 8.7 Annex A 12.2.1 Protection Against Malware
Technological Controls Annex A 8.8 Annex A 12.6.1
Annex A 18.2.3
Management of Technical Vulnerabilities
Technological Controls Annex A 8.9 NEW Configuration Management
Technological Controls Annex A 8.10 NEW Information Deletion
Technological Controls Annex A 8.11 NEW Data Masking
Technological Controls Annex A 8.12 NEW Data Leakage Prevention
Technological Controls Annex A 8.13 Annex A 12.3.1 Information Backup
Technological Controls Annex A 8.14 Annex A 17.2.1 Redundancy of Information Processing Facilities
Technological Controls Annex A 8.15 Annex A 12.4.1
Annex A 12.4.2
Annex A 12.4.3
Logging
Technological Controls Annex A 8.16 NEW Monitoring Activities
Technological Controls Annex A 8.17 Annex A 12.4.4 Clock Synchronization
Technological Controls Annex A 8.18 Annex A 9.4.4 Use of Privileged Utility ProgramsAccess Rights
Technological Controls Annex A 8.19 Annex A 12.5.1
Annex A 12.6.2
Installation of Software on Operational Systems
Technological Controls Annex A 8.20 Annex A 13.1.1 Networks Security
Technological Controls Annex A 8.21 Annex A 13.1.2 Security of Network Services
Technological Controls Annex A 8.22 Annex A 13.1.3 Segregation of Networks
Technological Controls Annex A 8.23 NEW Web filtering
Technological Controls Annex A 8.24 Annex A 10.1.1
Annex A 10.1.2
Use of Cryptography
Technological Controls Annex A 8.25 Annex A 14.2.1 Secure Development Life Cycle
Technological Controls Annex A 8.26 Annex A 14.1.2
Annex A 14.1.3
Application Security Requirements
Technological Controls Annex A 8.27 Annex A 14.2.5 Secure System Architecture and Engineering PrinciplesLearning From Information Security Incidents
Technological Controls Annex A 8.28 NEW Secure Coding
Technological Controls Annex A 8.29 Annex A 14.2.8
Annex A 14.2.9
Security Testing in Development and Acceptance
Technological Controls Annex A 8.30 Annex A 14.2.7 Outsourced Development
Technological Controls Annex A 8.31 Annex A 12.1.4
Annex A 14.2.6
Separation of Development, Test and Production Environments
Technological Controls Annex A 8.32 Annex A 12.1.2
Annex A 14.2.2
Annex A 14.2.3
Annex A 14.2.4
Change Management
Technological Controls Annex A 8.33 Annex A 14.3.1 Test Information
Technological Controls Annex A 8.34 Annex A 12.7.1 Protection of Information Systems During Audit Testing

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John Whiting

John is Head of Product Marketing at ISMS.online. With over a decade of experience working in startups and technology, John is dedicated to shaping compelling narratives around our offerings at ISMS.online ensuring we stay up to date with the ever-evolving information security landscape.

ISO 27001:2022 Annex A Controls

Organisational Controls