What Is Information Security Management?

Every organisation handles information that matters — customer records, financial data, employee details, strategic plans. Information security management is the discipline of protecting that information: keeping it accessible to the right people, accurate, and shielded from threats.

It is not a purely technical function. While IT teams play an important role, information security management spans the entire organisation — from how documents are stored and shared to how access is granted and revoked. It is a management discipline that demands governance, risk thinking, and accountability at every level. 

The Three Pillars: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability 

Almost everything in information security management comes back to three core properties, commonly known as the CIA triad: 

• Confidentiality — information is accessible only to those authorised to see it. 

• Integrity — information is accurate and has not been modified without authorisation. 

• Availability — information and systems are accessible when the business needs them. 

A breach of any one of these properties constitutes a security incident. Ransomware that locks staff out of systems is an availability failure. A misconfigured database leaking customer data is a confidentiality failure. An invoice altered in transit is an integrity failure. Effective information security management reduces the likelihood of all three. 

The Role of ISO/IEC 27001 

ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally recognised standard for information security management systems (ISMS). It provides a structured, risk-based framework that organisations can implement and certify against — demonstrating their security posture to customers, regulators, and partners. 

Rather than prescribing identical controls for every organisation, ISO/IEC 27001 requires organisations to identify their own risks and select proportionate controls. This makes it applicable to organisations of any size or sector, from small professional services firms to global enterprises. 

ISO/IEC 27001 certification is increasingly a commercial requirement: enterprise customers and public-sector buyers regularly list it as a mandatory criterion in procurement and RFPs. 

EXIN Information Security Management Certifications 

EXIN’s information security management certification programme is built directly on ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002, offering a clear three-level pathway for professionals at different stages of their career. 

• EXIN Information Security Essentials based on ISO/IEC 27001 — for any professional who handles confidential information and needs a working awareness of security principles. No prerequisites. 

• EXIN Information Security Foundation based on ISO/IEC 27001 — a globally recognised baseline credential covering core concepts, threats, and the ISO/IEC 27001 risk framework. Suitable for all professionals; prerequisite for the Professional level. 

• EXIN Information Security Management Professional based on ISO/IEC 27001 — the advanced qualification for Information Security Managers, Security Officers, and managers with direct security responsibilities. Covers risk management and organisational, technical, and physical controls. Requires accredited training and two practical assignments. 

All exams are available online via EXIN Anywhere or in-person through EXIN’s global network of 450+ accredited training partners.