ISO 27001
International standard for information security management systems
HITRUST CSF
Certifiable framework harmonizing 60+ security and privacy standards
Quick Verdict
ISO 27001 certifies flexible ISMS for all industries globally, while HITRUST CSF delivers prescriptive, harmonized controls with maturity scoring for healthcare and regulated sectors seeking multi-framework assurance.
ISO 27001
ISO/IEC 27001:2022
Key Features
- Risk-based Information Security Management System
- Plan-Do-Check-Act continual improvement cycle
- 93 Annex A controls across four themes
- Internationally recognized certification standard
- Technology-agnostic, industry-independent framework
HITRUST CSF
HITRUST Common Security Framework
Key Features
- Harmonizes 60+ standards into certifiable control library
- Risk-based tailoring via organizational/system factors
- Five-level maturity scoring model per control
- MyCSF platform for scoping and evidence management
- e1/i1/r2 tiered assurance and certification paths
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 27001 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 27001:2022 is the international certification standard for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It provides a systematic, risk-based framework for managing information risks across confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Key Components
- **Clauses 4-10Mandatory requirements for context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, and improvement.
- **Annex A93 controls in four themes (Organizational: 37, People: 8, Physical: 14, Technological: 34).
- Built on PDCA cycle for continual improvement.
- Statement of Applicability (SoA) justifies control selection.
Why Organizations Use It
- Enhances resilience against breaches, reduces costs (e.g., 30% fewer incidents).
- Meets regulatory needs (GDPR, NIS2 alignments), wins bids (20-30% more in finance/tech).
- Builds trust, enables market access, cuts insurance premiums.
Implementation Overview
Phased approach: initiation, risk assessment, control deployment, audits (6-18 months). Scalable for all sizes/industries; requires certification audits (Stage 1/2), annual surveillance.
HITRUST CSF Details
What It Is
HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) is a certifiable, threat-adaptive control framework consolidating requirements from 60+ standards like HIPAA, NIST, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and GDPR. It employs a risk-based, maturity-driven approach for scalable security and privacy assurance.
Key Components
- 19 assessment domains and hierarchical structure (14 categories, 49 objectives, ~156 specifications).
- Five-level maturity model: Policy, Procedure, Implemented, Measured, Managed.
- Risk factors for tailoring; e1/i1/r2 certification tiers.
- MyCSF platform for scoping, evidence, and validation.
Why Organizations Use It
- Rationalizes multi-regulatory compliance (assess once, report many).
- Provides trusted third-party assurance for healthcare, finance.
- Enhances risk management, reduces breaches (99.4% breach-free certified).
- Boosts market access, insurance benefits, TPRM efficiency.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: scoping, readiness, remediation, validated assessment, continuous monitoring.
- Suits regulated industries, all sizes via tiers.
- Requires policies, evidence, Authorized External Assessors for certification.
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 27001 | HITRUST CSF |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | ISMS across all info assets, 93 Annex A controls | Harmonized controls from 60+ sources, 19 domains |
| Industry | All industries globally, any size | Healthcare primary, regulated sectors, industry-agnostic |
| Nature | Voluntary certifiable ISMS standard | Certifiable control framework with maturity scoring |
| Testing | Stage 1/2 audits, annual surveillance, recert every 3 years | Validated assessments via MyCSF, e1/i1/r2 tiers, HITRUST QA |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, no direct legal penalties | No direct penalties, reliance loss for non-certified |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 27001 and HITRUST CSF
ISO 27001 FAQ
HITRUST CSF FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...
Image this: What if GDPR would have NOT been implemented by the EU
What if the EU never implemented GDPR? Explore this hypothetical: consumer data protection in Dec 2025, key differences, pros/cons for users & companies. Read t
CIS Controls v8.1 for Cloud & SaaS: A Practical Safeguard Playbook for AWS/Azure/GCP and Microsoft 365
Turn CIS Controls v8.1 into a cloud-first playbook for AWS, Azure, GCP & Microsoft 365. Get actionable IaaS/PaaS/SaaS safeguards, automation patterns, evidence
Beyond the Boardroom: 5 Ways Modern Compliance Software Elevates Every Department
Discover 5 ways modern compliance software boosts HR, IT, finance & more: automate risks, enhance efficiency, ensure data integrity, stay audit-ready. Elevate y
Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM
Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform
Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
LGPD vs BRC
Compare LGPD vs BRC: Brazil's GDPR-like data law meets global food safety standards. Key diffs, compliance tips & strategies for multinationals. Master both—boost trust now.
PRINCE2 vs MAS TRM
Compare PRINCE2 vs MAS TRM: project governance powerhouse meets tech risk mastery. Discover differences, strengths & ideal use cases for compliance-driven success. Choose wisely now!
SOC 2 vs Basel III
Explore SOC 2 vs Basel III: Tech compliance via Trust Services Criteria (security focus) vs banks' capital buffers, LCR/NSFR liquidity. Key diffs, impacts & strategies. Dive in!