Standards Comparison

    CE Marking

    Mandatory
    1985

    EU marking indicating product conformity to health-safety rules

    VS

    ISO 27017

    Voluntary
    2015

    International code of practice for cloud security controls.

    Quick Verdict

    CE Marking mandates product conformity for EU market access via directives and assessments, while ISO 27017 provides voluntary cloud security guidance extending ISO 27001. Manufacturers use CE for legal sales; CSPs adopt 27017 for trusted cloud operations.

    Product Safety

    CE Marking

    CE Marking (Conformité Européenne)

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Manufacturer's self-declaration of EU essential requirements conformity
    • Enables free product circulation across EEA single market
    • Presumption of conformity via OJEU-published harmonised standards
    • Risk-proportionate conformity assessment modules A-H
    • Technical documentation retention for 10+ years
    Cloud Security

    ISO 27017

    ISO/IEC 27017:2015 Code of practice for cloud security

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Clarifies shared responsibilities between CSPs and CSCs
    • Adds 7 cloud-specific CLD security controls
    • Provides guidance for 37 ISO 27002 cloud adaptations
    • Addresses multi-tenancy segregation and VM hardening
    • Enables customer monitoring of cloud service activities

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    CE Marking Details

    What It Is

    CE Marking (Conformité Européenne) is the EU's mandatory conformity marking for products under harmonised legislation like Low Voltage Directive and Machinery Regulation. It signifies the manufacturer's declaration that products meet essential health, safety, and environmental requirements. The approach is risk-based, using harmonised standards for presumption of conformity and scalable conformity assessment modules (A-H).

    Key Components

    • Identification of applicable directives/regulations and essential requirements.
    • Technical documentation, EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC), and CE affixation.
    • Post-market surveillance under Regulation (EU) 2019/1020.
    • Notified Body involvement for high-risk products; self-assessment for low-risk. Compliance model relies on manufacturer responsibility with economic operator roles.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Mandated for EEA market access, enabling free movement. Reduces trade barriers, manages liability risks, builds stakeholder trust. Provides competitive edge via standardized compliance and innovation pathway through standards.

    Implementation Overview

    Map legislation, perform risk assessment, compile technical file, issue DoC, affix mark. Applies to manufacturers across industries/geographies targeting EEA. Varies by product risk; audits via Notified Bodies where required. Typical for mid-large firms; 6-12 months with cross-functional teams.

    ISO 27017 Details

    What It Is

    ISO/IEC 27017:2015 is a code of practice extending ISO/IEC 27002 with cloud-specific guidance for information security controls. Its primary purpose is to address unique cloud risks like shared responsibilities and multi-tenancy in public, private, hybrid clouds across IaaS, PaaS, SaaS. It uses a control-based, risk-oriented approach integrated into ISO 27001 ISMS.

    Key Components

    • Guidance on 37 ISO 27002 controls adapted for cloud.
    • 7 additional CLD cloud-specific controls (e.g., segregation, VM hardening, asset removal).
    • Built on ISO 27001/27002; dual perspectives for CSPs and CSCs.
    • Assessed via ISO 27001 certification with 27017 scope extension; no standalone cert.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Meets procurement demands and regulatory alignment (GDPR, CCPA).
    • Clarifies shared responsibility, reduces cloud incidents.
    • Enhances trust, competitive edge for CSPs/CSCs.
    • Builds stakeholder confidence through auditable cloud controls.

    Implementation Overview

    • Integrate into existing ISO 27001 ISMS via risk assessment, control mapping.
    • Key activities: define responsibilities, configure monitoring, audit prep.
    • Suits CSPs, enterprises with cloud footprints; global applicability.
    • Joint audits (9-12 months); annual surveillance.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    CE Marking
    Product safety, health, conformity to EU directives
    ISO 27017
    Cloud-specific information security controls

    Industry

    CE Marking
    Manufacturers of regulated products, EU/EEA market
    ISO 27017
    Cloud service providers and customers, global

    Nature

    CE Marking
    Mandatory marking for market access, self-declaration
    ISO 27017
    Voluntary guidance extending ISO 27001 ISMS

    Testing

    CE Marking
    Conformity assessment modules, notified bodies if required
    ISO 27017
    Integrated into ISO 27001 audits, no standalone certification

    Penalties

    CE Marking
    Market withdrawal, fines, sales bans by authorities
    ISO 27017
    No legal penalties, loss of certification confidence

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about CE Marking and ISO 27017

    CE Marking FAQ

    ISO 27017 FAQ

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