ISO 17025
International standard for competence of testing and calibration laboratories
ISO 27018
International standard for PII protection in public clouds
Quick Verdict
ISO 17025 accredits testing labs for technical competence and impartiality, ensuring valid results. ISO 27018 extends ISO 27001 for cloud providers protecting PII. Labs gain market trust; CSPs accelerate procurement and meet privacy laws.
ISO 17025
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 General requirements for laboratory competence
Key Features
- Mandates impartiality via ongoing risk identification and mitigation
- Requires metrological traceability to SI units for calibrations
- Evaluates measurement uncertainty for technically valid results
- Ensures personnel competence through full lifecycle management
- Accreditation attests technical competence in defined scope
ISO 27018
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 Code of practice for PII protection
Key Features
- Privacy controls for public cloud PII processors
- Subprocessor transparency and location disclosure
- Prohibits PII marketing use without consent
- Mandates prompt customer breach notifications
- Supports data subject rights in clouds
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 17025 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is the international standard specifying general requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. It employs a risk-based, performance-oriented approach, linking management system controls directly to technical validity of results, including sampling activities.
Key Components
- Eight clauses: general (impartiality/confidentiality), structural, resource requirements (personnel, facilities, equipment, traceability), process requirements (methods, validation, uncertainty, reporting), and management system (Option A/B, integrable with ISO 9001).
- Emphasizes metrological traceability, measurement uncertainty, proficiency testing.
- Leads to accreditation by ILAC-recognized bodies attesting scope-specific competence.
Why Organizations Use It
- Ensures global acceptance of results via ILAC mutual recognition, enabling market access.
- Mitigates risks from invalid data in regulated/safety-critical decisions.
- Builds stakeholder trust, differentiates competitively, reduces rework/complaints.
Implementation Overview
Phased PDCA: gap analysis, documentation, competence training, method validation, internal audits, accreditation assessment with witnessed testing. Suits labs of all sizes/industries globally; ongoing surveillance required.
ISO 27018 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 is a code of practice for protecting personally identifiable information (PII) in public cloud services where providers act as PII processors. This voluntary international standard extends ISO/IEC 27001/ISO/IEC 27002 with cloud-specific, privacy-focused controls. It uses a risk-based approach integrated into an Information Security Management System (ISMS).
Key Components
- ~25–30 additional controls in organizational, people, physical, and technological domains.
- Principles: consent/choice, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, retention/disclosure limits, security safeguards, transparency, accountability.
- Built on ISO 27001 certification model; controls added to Statement of Applicability (SoA).
Why Organizations Use It
- Enhances trust, speeds procurement via SoA reviews.
- Aligns with GDPR/HIPAA processor obligations.
- Mitigates privacy risks, supports insurance, provides market differentiation for CSPs.
Implementation Overview
- Conduct gap analysis, integrate into ISMS, update DPAs/contracts.
- For CSPs all sizes; audited within ISO 27001 processes with annual surveillance.
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 17025 | ISO 27018 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Testing/calibration lab competence, impartiality | PII protection in public cloud processors |
| Industry | Labs in manufacturing, environmental, forensics globally | Cloud service providers handling PII worldwide |
| Nature | Voluntary accreditation standard for labs | Code of practice extending ISO 27001 |
| Testing | Accreditation body assessments, proficiency testing | ISO 27001 audits with privacy control review |
| Penalties | Loss of accreditation, market exclusion | No legal penalties, certification withdrawal |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 17025 and ISO 27018
ISO 17025 FAQ
ISO 27018 FAQ
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