If you are auditing ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6, you might be tempted to just ask for a list of memberships, tick the box, and move on. Don’t do that. This control is often underestimated, but it is actually the pulse check of an organization’s security culture.
Annex A 5.6 isn’t just about paying dues to a professional body. It is about intelligence. As an auditor, your job is to verify that the organization isn’t just “in the club,” but is actually listening to the music. Here is how to audit this control effectively and uncover whether a company is proactive or asleep at the wheel.
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What is the Auditor Actually Looking For?
The requirement states that the organization must establish and maintain contact with special interest groups (SIGs). These can be industry forums, government security bodies (like CISA or NCSC), or professional associations like ISACA or OWASP.
When you audit this, you are looking for a feedback loop. You want to see evidence that information from the outside world (threats, vulnerabilities, best practices) is flowing into the organization and being acting upon.
The “Social Media” Trap:
Many auditees will say, “I follow security researchers on Twitter/X, so I’m covered.” As an auditor, you should push back. While that is great for personal knowledge, it is not a management system. You need to see a formalized process where this intelligence is captured and shared.
The Audit Checklist: Evidence to Request
You can’t audit vibes. You need artifacts. Here is the specific evidence you should request during the audit:
1. The “List” (Membership Register)
Start with the basics. Ask to see the list of special interest groups the organization is part of.
Audit Test: Is the list current? If they list a forum that shut down three years ago, that is a finding. Check if the memberships are relevant to their tech stack. If they are a cloud-native AI company, why is their only membership a physical security association?
2. Proof of Participation
Membership is easy; participation is hard. Ask for evidence of engagement.
Audit Test: Look for receipts for membership fees, calendar invites for webinars, or email confirmations of attendance at industry roundtables. If they are a “member” but haven’t logged into the portal in 12 months, the control is not effective.
3. The “So What?” Evidence (Actionable Intelligence)
This is the gold standard. Ask the auditee: “Can you show me one change you made to your security posture based on information from these groups?”
Audit Test: Look for a link between an external alert and an internal ticket. For example:
- “We received a Log4j alert from the NCSC newsletter.”
- “Here is the ticket where we patched our servers the next day.”
If they can’t show this link, they aren’t using the control effectively.
Interview Questions that Reveal the Truth
Documents can be faked; answers to hard questions usually can’t be. Use these questions to dig deeper:
- “Who is responsible for checking these forums?” (If the answer is “everyone,” then it means “no one.”)
- “How do you share what you learn with the rest of the team?” (Look for Slack channels, monthly newsletters, or team meeting minutes.)
- “What was the last big threat you learned about from these groups?” (If they stare blankly, they aren’t engaged.)
Common Non-Conformities to Watch For
1. The “Ghost” List
The organization lists memberships that belong to employees who left the company years ago. This shows a failure in Annex A 5.2 (Roles and Responsibilities) as well as A 5.6.
2. Confusion with Annex A 5.5 (Authorities)
Auditees often mix these up. They list the “Police” or the “Data Regulator” under Special Interest Groups.
Correction: Authorities (A 5.5) are people who can arrest or fine you. Special Interest Groups (A 5.6) are people who help you learn. Keep them separate.
3. Passive Consumption
The organization subscribes to 50 newsletters but automatically filters them into a folder nobody reads. If there is no evidence of review, the control is failing.
How to Fix Gaps Before the Audit
If you are self-auditing and realize you are weak on this control, the fix is straightforward:
- Formalize it: Pick 2-3 high-value groups (e.g., your cloud provider’s security blog, a local CISO forum, a national CERT).
- Assign an Owner: Make one person responsible for reading the weekly digest.
- Document the Review: Create a simple log. “Reviewed NCSC alert on [Date]. No action needed.”
If you need a structure for this, Hightable.io provides excellent ISO 27001 toolkits that include a “Special Interest Group Register.” Using a template like this ensures you capture the ‘Relevance’ and ‘Frequency of Contact’ fields that auditors love to check.
Conclusion
Auditing Annex A 5.6 is about verifying that the organization is not an island. You are checking that they have built a bridge to the outside world to import knowledge and export risk. If you can trace the path from “External Alert” to “Internal Action,” you have found a compliant and resilient organization.
