Protecting personally identifiable information (PII) is one of the core objectives of ISO 27001, and today that protection increasingly relies on data loss prevention (DLP). As organizations store and process large amounts of PII across SaaS platforms, cloud infrastructure, collaboration tools, and AI systems, ISO 27001 PII protection can no longer rely on policies alone; it requires active DLP controls that monitor and prevent sensitive data exposure.
The ISO 27001:2022 framework reinforces this reality by introducing stronger expectations around DLP and PII protection, particularly through Annex A 8.12. This control focuses on preventing the unauthorized disclosure, transfer, or misuse of sensitive information, making DLP for ISO 27001 PII protection a critical component of a modern information security program.
In practice, this means organizations must be able to discover, classify, and protect PII wherever it exists; across files, messages, support tickets, cloud storage, and even AI prompts. Without strong ISO 27001-aligned DLP protections, sensitive data can easily be shared outside the organization through everyday workflows.
That’s why modern security programs treat ISO 27001 PII protection and DLP as inseparable. DLP technologies help organizations continuously monitor sensitive data, enforce security policies, and prevent accidental or malicious exposure of PII while maintaining compliance with ISO 27001 requirements.
ISO 27001 is an international standard for information security management. It specifies a management system that organizations can use to identify, manage, and reduce the risks associated with handling sensitive information. The standard provides a framework for managing sensitive information in a manner that is secure, reliable, and compliant with legal and regulatory requirements. Organizations that comply with ISO 27001 can demonstrate to customers, partners, and regulators that they have implemented a robust information security management system.
The ISO 27001 standard includes several controls specifically related to protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Here are a few:
It's worth noting that ISO 27001 standard does not specify a specific control for PII, but it's a requirement for all organizations that handle PII to implement a set of controls that cover the protection of PII and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
A Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution can help several controls specified in ISO 27001 for information security management. Some of these include:
It's worth noting that DLP is just one of the several different control options that organizations can use to meet the requirements of ISO 27001, and it's important to evaluate which controls are appropriate for an organization's specific needs.
To support ISO 27001 PII protection, organizations need DLP capabilities that can continuously discover, monitor, and protect sensitive data across SaaS apps, cloud storage, endpoints, and AI tools. Modern ISO-compliant DLP solutions, like Strac, combine automated data discovery with real-time monitoring and remediation to help security teams reduce the risk of sensitive data exposure.
An ISO-compliant DLP system must be able to automatically find and classify sensitive data such as PII, PHI, PCI, and credentials. Strac uses machine learning and OCR-based detection to identify sensitive information across files, messages, tickets, and attachments in platforms like Slack, Google Drive, and Zendesk.
Effective DLP for ISO 27001 requires visibility into how sensitive data moves across everyday tools. Strac monitors data across environments such as:
Modern DLP systems must also understand how sensitive data moves across environments. This is where data lineage visibility becomes critical; security teams need to track files as they move from cloud storage to endpoints and external services.
ISO 27001 PII protection also requires organizations to control who can access sensitive information. Strac helps enforce this by adjusting access controls based on:
For example, if a file containing sensitive data is accidentally shared publicly, Strac can automatically remove public access or restrict permissions.
ISO 27001 expects organizations to respond quickly when sensitive data is exposed. Strac helps by automating common remediation actions such as:
By combining detection with automated response, organizations can contain potential data leaks faster while maintaining ISO 27001 DLP compliance.
Strac is a DLP solution that helps protect against sensitive data leaks across all your SaaS solutions, including Zendesk, Slack, Office 365, Google Drive, AWS and more. Below are examples of how Strac DLP can help your organization with controls specified in the ISO 27001 standard.
Classification
Email services like Outlook and Gmail are essential for business communication.
At an individual level, Strac DLP can help label emails in your inbox & sent folders according to the information classification scheme adopted by your organization. For example, an inbound email from a customer may contain their identification information. An outbound email to a vendor may contain your payment information.
At an organizational level, Strac DLP can provide insights into information exchange patterns exhibited. Metrics like top PII senders/receivers and data types exchanged help security teams identify and manage risks.
Strac DLP uses machine learning to classify information accurately within an email. The algorithm is actively being improved to provide increased coverage and accuracy. Currently, it is capable of categorizing over 40 data types.
Controls:
Customer support software like Zendesk and Intercom handle customer tickets. These tickets may contain identification information to assist with fraud checks or payment information for managing returns.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average customer-service representative stays on the job for just over one year. The average call center turnover rate is as high as 45%. Outsourcing customer support teams to lower-cost locations like India further increases the risk of data leaks
Strac DLP can mask sensitive data detected by its classification engine to prevent data leaks. Sometimes, sensitive data is required for customer service. To achieve this, Strac provides different policies to meet the organization's needs. For example, masking can occur only after a ticket is closed to keep historic data safe. Strac DLP can also be configured to allow masked data to be viewable for a certain amount of time by authorized groups.
Controls:
Instant messaging software like Slack and WhatsApp are an increasingly popular way to handle business communications.
Strac DLP can back up documents in specific channels (e.g., external Slack channel with B2B customers) to protect against data loss due to ransomware attacks.
Controls:
File sharing systems like Google Drive and Sharepoint are effective collaboration tools and contain vast amounts of sensitive information.
Strac DLP can alert the security team when anomalous data exchanges have been detected. These behaviors may include a variety of events, for example, when a crypto address is exchanged in a healthcare organization. Or when large amounts of sensitive data have been exchanged, etc.
Controls:
ISO 27001 asks organizations to protect PII according to legislatory and regulatory requirements. Let's explore how Strac can help achieve this:
SOX: All publicly traded companies that operate in the USA must comply with SOX, which requires any financial information to be safeguarded and its integrity assured. The first step to safeguarding data is to take inventory of sensitive files. This task alone can be overwhelming due to the vast ecosystem of a large enterprise
Strac DLP can scan cloud file storage systems for financial information and automatically identify where they are and the types of content it contains. By analyzing access controls placed on the files & folders, Strac can alert organizations when existing access controls need to be tightened. For example, if an invoice is accidentally shared with anyone on the Internet and contains business bank account numbers, it will be flagged and auto-remediated by Strac.
IRS 4557: CPA firms often receive emails containing customers' tax information and are required to store it securely (e.g., strong password, MFA, backups, etc) due IRS Publication 4557 for Safeguarding Taxpayer Data.
Strac DLP can detect and mask sensitive information like SSN, EIN and bank account information so that customer information can be stored securely inside Strac Vault. Email servers have a poor track record of keeping data safe and are thus high-value targets for cybercriminals. Unlike email servers, Strac Vault is secure by default, enabling businesses to stay compliant through its data and access control policies.
HIPAA: Healthcare clinics might use Google Sheets or a database to manage patient information. The patient information should only be shared with the patient's consent because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Strac DLP can help clinics gain insight into their patient base by anonymizing the database. For example, a patient age 25 years will be replaced with age group 19 - 29 so that even if the data is shared it will not identify the original patient.
Controls:
Strac's data centric design enables organizations to achieve ISO 27001 compliance, even when using SaaS applications. With its DLP policies, Strac helps protect data from misuse or disclosure and keeps organizations secure.
Organizations of all sizes can benefit from Strac’s robust data loss prevention solution. With the right tools in place, organizations can be confident that they are taking the necessary steps to protect their customers’ information while properly managing it in accordance with international standards and regulations.
If you have any questions or want to meet the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) requirement for ISO-27001, please book a meeting with us.
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