In this guide, I will show you exactly how to implement ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 and ensure you pass your audit. You will get a complete walkthrough of the control, practical implementation examples, and access to the ISO 27001 templates and toolkit that make compliance easy.
I am Stuart Barker, an ISO 27001 Lead Auditor with over 30 years of experience conducting hundreds of audits. I will cut through the jargon to show you exactly what changed in the 2022 update and provide you with plain-English advice to get you certified.
Key Takeaways: ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Contact with Special Interest Groups
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 requires organizations to establish and maintain contact with security-related professional associations, forums, and special interest groups. This control ensures that your organization stays up-to-date with current best practices, emerging threats, and the latest security advisories. In an ever-evolving threat landscape, “external intelligence” is critical for maintaining an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS).
Core requirements for compliance include:
- Identify Relevant Groups: You must determine which external groups are most relevant to your technology stack and industry. This includes vendor security forums (e.g., Microsoft or AWS security blogs), professional bodies (e.g., ISACA or ISC2), and industry-specific groups (e.g., FS-ISAC for Finance).
- Document Your Involvement: You must maintain a record of the groups you are involved with and how you interact with them. This can range from signing up for a newsletter to active participation in local security chapters.
- Stay Up-to-Date: The primary purpose of these contacts is to ensure you receive early warnings of alerts, advisories, and patches. This external flow of information helps you anticipate risks before they impact your organization.
- Demonstrate Engagement: It is not enough to just “tick a box” by registering. You must be able to explain how the information you receive from these groups is used to improve your security posture (e.g., “We received an advisory on this vulnerability and applied the patch immediately”).
- Proactive Networking: Consider joining government-backed communication schemes (like the NCSC in the UK or CISA in the US) to receive critical national threat alerts for free.
Audit Focus: Auditors will look for “The Intelligence Trail”:
- The List: “Show me your documented list of special interest groups. Why did you choose these specific forums?”
- Evidence of Engagement: “Can you show me a recent security advisory or newsletter you received from one of these groups and how it influenced your security actions?”
- Staff Awareness: “Does your technical team know which forums they should be monitoring for patch notifications and threat intelligence?”
Table of contents
- What is ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6?
- Watch the ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Tutorial
- ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Podcast
- ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Implementation Guide
- How to implement ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6
- Group Types Matrix
- ISO 27001 Templates
- How to comply
- How to pass the audit of ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6
- What the auditor will check
- Top 3 ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Mistakes People Make and How to Avoid Them
- Applicability of ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 across different business models.
- Fast Track ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Compliance with the ISO 27001 Toolkit
- ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 FAQ
- Related ISO 27001 Controls
- Further Reading
- ISO 27001 Controls and Attribute Values
What is ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6?
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Contact With Special Interest Groups is an ISO 27001 control that requires an organisation to establish and maintain contact with security related professional associations, forums and interest groups.
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 is about contact with special interest groups which means that you should record any outside groups you are involved in that care about information security and how you interact with them to stay up to date.
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Purpose
The purpose of ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 is to ensure the appropriate flow of information takes place with respect to information security.
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Definition
The ISO 27001 standard defines Annex A 5.6 as:
The organisation should establish and maintain contact with special interest groups or other specialist security forums and professional associations.
ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 5.6 Contact With Special Interest Groups
Watch the ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Tutorial
In the video ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Contact With Special Interest Groups Explained show you how to implement it and how to pass the audit.
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Podcast
In this episode: Lead Auditor Stuart Barker and team do a deep dive into the ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Contact With Special Interest Groups. The podcast explores what it is, why it is important and the path to compliance.
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Implementation Guide
You are going to have to ensure that you identify and document any professional associations, forums or interest groups you are involved with.
People often scratch their heads at this one but have a think about what technology you are involved with. Are you part of a security vendors newsletter, patch notification, or user group. Are you a developer that has access to beta and early release development tools or versions of software for testing and implementation? Worse case can you join a local security chapter, attend a local event, sign up to a government communication scheme on information security threats.
What you are showing is that you are involved in getting knowledge about best practice, you are up to date with current best practices, that you get early warnings of alerts, advisories and patches. It can show that you got specialist information security advice and share and exchange information. Sign up to the High Table newsletter and tick the box.
How to implement ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6
Implementing ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 requires a shift from passive observation to active participation in the global security community. By formalising connections with external specialists and peer groups, organisations gain early warnings of emerging threats and access to technical best practices that internal teams may lack. This action-orientated guide provides the technical and procedural steps necessary to establish a compliant engagement framework that satisfies the requirements of the 2022 standard update.
1. Formalise the Special Interest Group (SIG) Engagement Policy
Establish a documented framework that defines why the organisation interacts with external forums and what data is permitted for exchange. This action results in a standardised governance layer that prevents the accidental disclosure of proprietary system architectures or sensitive intellectual property.
- Define the “Rules of Engagement” (ROE) regarding what technical information can be shared during forum discussions.
- Identify specific industry-relevant associations, such as ISACs (Information Sharing and Analysis Centres) or professional bodies like ISACA and (ISC)².
- Document the organisational objectives for these contacts, such as threat intelligence gathering or regulatory horizon scanning.
2. Provision Designated Relationship Owners
Assign specific accountability for maintaining contacts to qualified personnel within the IT, Security, or Legal departments. This result-focused step ensures that external information is not only received but is actively disseminated to the relevant internal stakeholders.
- Assign a primary and secondary contact for each identified group to ensure continuity during staff turnover.
- Update job descriptions or IAM-related responsibility matrices to include “External Security Liaison” duties.
- Ensure that the designated owners have the technical expertise required to interpret and act upon specialist security advice.
3. Execute a Verifiable Engagement Log
Perform the regular tracking of all interactions, bulletins received, and webinars attended. This action results in a central repository of audit-ready evidence that proves the organisation is actively engaged with the specialist community.
- Maintain a log of all security advisories, newsletters, and threat alerts received from external forums.
- Archive certificates of attendance for security conferences, workshops, and local cybersecurity cluster meetups.
- Log specific instances where advice from a special interest group led to an improvement in internal technical controls.
4. Formalise Information Influx and Response Workflows
Provision a workflow that filters incoming threat intelligence and best practice advice into actionable tasks. This result-oriented step bridges the gap between external knowledge and internal security posture improvements.
- Create a process for the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to review high-priority alerts from special interest groups.
- Link external threat advisories to your internal Risk Register for immediate impact assessment.
- Establish technical triggers, such as firewall rule updates or MFA policy adjustments, based on peer-group alerts regarding active exploits.
5. Execute Periodic Review of Group Relevancy
Perform an annual audit of all active contacts to verify their continued value to the Information Security Management System (ISMS). This action ensures that resources are not wasted on inactive forums and that the organisation remains aligned with the evolving threat landscape.
- Revoke or cancel subscriptions to groups that no longer provide high-fidelity or relevant security information.
- Identify and provision new contacts in response to organisational changes, such as adopting new cloud technologies or entering new geographical markets.
- Incorporate the findings of this review into the Management Review meeting required by Clause 9.3.
Group Types Matrix
| Type | Example | Cost | Why join? | ISO 27001:2022 Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Body | ISACA / ISC2 / IAPP. | $$$ | Career development & certifications. | Annex A 5.6 |
| Govt / CERT | NCSC (UK) / CISA (US). | Free | Critical national threat alerts. | Annex A 5.5, 5.6 |
| Vendor Forums | Microsoft Security Blog. | Free | Patch warnings for your specific software. | Annex A 5.6, 8.8 |
| Industry Groups | FS-ISAC (Finance). | $$ | Peer-sharing on sector-specific attacks. | Annex A 5.6, 5.7 |
ISO 27001 Templates
Everything you need to meet this control is provided in the ISO 27001 Toolkit which has been designed so you can DIY your ISO 27001 Certification.
How to comply
To comply with ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 you are going to implement the ‘how’ to the ‘what’ the control is expecting. In short measure you are going to:
- List anything that you think is relevant no matter how tenuous the link
- List forums you are in, newsletters you sign up to, vendor communications you get on patching
- Consider joining or signing up to local security chapters or government communications
- Look at the technology you have and see if there are any special interest groups that apply to it that you can join
How to pass the audit of ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6
To pass an audit of ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Contact With Special Interest Groups you are going to make sure that you have followed the steps above in how to comply.
What the auditor will check
The audit is going to check a number of areas. Lets go through the main ones
1. That you are involved in a special interest group
They will check that you are part of a group. It is unlikely they will dig too deeply. Who ever you say is part of a group may be asked about it, their involvement and what they get from it.
Top 3 ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Mistakes People Make and How to Avoid Them
The top 3 Mistakes People Make For ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 are
1. You didn’t register with any special interest groups
Not even one person in your company could find even a tenuous link to something that would satisfy this and they fail you on it.
2. You registered but you didn’t engage
You thought it was a tick box so you registered and you never engaged. As a result you actually have no idea what the special interest group is, does or gives you as benefit. At least before the audit have a basic understanding of what you signed up to.
3. Your document and version control is wrong
Keeping your document version control up to date, making sure that version numbers match where used, having a review evidenced in the last 12 months, having documents that have no comments in are all good practices.
Applicability of ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 across different business models.
| Business Type | Applicability & Interpretation | Examples of Control |
|---|---|---|
| Small Businesses |
Free Alerts & Vendor Newsletters. You don’t need expensive memberships. Compliance is achieved by subscribing to free national alert services and reading the security newsletters from your core software vendors. |
• National Alerts: Subscribing to the free email alert service from the NCSC (UK) or CISA (US) to receive warnings about major phishing campaigns. |
| Tech Startups |
Technical Communities. Your “Special Interest Groups” are the communities where vulnerabilities in your stack are discussed. It’s not just about reading news; it’s about monitoring the tech-specific chatter. |
• Stack-Specific Forums: Active monitoring of subreddits like r/netsec or specific Slack communities (e.g., Kubernetes Security) for early warning of exploits. |
| AI Companies |
AI Safety & Ethics Boards. The definition of “security” in AI includes safety and bias. You must engage with groups defining the standards for AI regulation and model safety. |
• AI Safety Institutes: Engaging with or following the output of the US or UK AI Safety Institutes to understand emerging regulatory requirements. |
Fast Track ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 Compliance with the ISO 27001 Toolkit
For ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 (Contact with special interest groups), the requirement is to establish and maintain contact with security-related professional associations, forums, and interest groups. This ensures you stay up-to-date with current best practices, receive early warnings of alerts and patches, and can exchange specialist information security knowledge.
| Compliance Factor | SaaS Compliance Platforms | High Table ISO 27001 Toolkit | Audit Evidence Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asset Ownership | Rents access to your network logs; if you cancel the subscription, your documented professional memberships and engagement history vanish. | Permanent Assets: Fully editable Word/Excel Interest Group Lists and Communication Plans that you own forever. | A localized “Special Interest Group Register” stored on your secure drive, listing active memberships in ISACA, (ISC)², or local chapters. |
| Operational Utility | Attempts to “automate” networking via dashboards that cannot attend local chapter meetings or participate in specialist peer reviews. | Governance-First: Provides the “Group Types Matrix” to formalize your existing involvement in security blogs, forums, and vendor alerts. | A “Communication Plan” log proving that the IT team receives and triages alerts from critical vendor security mailing lists. |
| Cost Efficiency | Charges a “Network Tax” based on integrated feeds, creating perpetual overhead for information often available through direct community membership. | One-Off Fee: A single payment covers your interest group governance whether you track 2 professional bodies or 20. | Allocating budget to actual professional certifications (CISSP, CISM) or conference attendance rather than monthly dashboard fees. |
| Strategic Freedom | Mandates rigid reporting formats that often fail to align with lean office setups or specialized technical niches. | 100% Agnostic: Procedures adapt to your operating style—from global conference attendance to simple newsletter subscriptions. | The ability to evolve your professional development and knowledge strategy without reconfiguring a rigid SaaS compliance module. |
Summary: For Annex A 5.6, the auditor wants to see that you have a formal list of special interest groups and proof of engagement (like attendance records or emails). The High Table ISO 27001 Toolkit provides the governance framework to satisfy this requirement immediately. It is the most direct, cost-effective way to achieve compliance using permanent documentation that you own and control.
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 FAQ
What is ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6?
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6 is an organisational control that requires organisations to maintain appropriate contacts with special interest groups, specialist security forums, and professional associations.
- Ensures the organisation stays updated on emerging security threats and trends.
- Provides access to specialist advice and technical best practices.
- Facilitates knowledge sharing within specific industry sectors.
- Supports the continuous improvement of the Information Security Management System (ISMS).
What are examples of “special interest groups” for ISO 27001?
Special interest groups (SIGs) include professional bodies, industry-specific forums, and cybersecurity communities focused on information security knowledge exchange.
- Professional associations like ISACA, (ISC)², or the BCS.
- Industry-specific Information Sharing and Analysis Centres (ISACs).
- Regional cyber security clusters or government-backed forums (e.g., CiSP in the UK).
- Specialist technical groups focusing on specific technologies or threat types.
Is formal membership in these groups mandatory?
No, formal paid membership is not strictly mandatory, but you must demonstrate verifiable engagement or contact with relevant specialist forums to satisfy the control.
- Engagement can be evidenced by attending webinars or local meetups.
- Subscriptions to specialist security newsletters or advisory feeds count as contact.
- Participation in community forums or technical mailing lists is acceptable.
- Active attendance at cybersecurity conferences can serve as evidence.
What is the difference between Annex A 5.5 and Annex A 5.6?
The primary difference is that Annex A 5.5 focuses on legal and regulatory authorities, while Annex A 5.6 focuses on peer groups, professional bodies, and knowledge-sharing forums.
- Annex A 5.5: Contact with police, regulatory bodies, and government agencies for incident reporting and compliance.
- Annex A 5.6: Contact with security specialists and professional peers for proactive knowledge and best practice sharing.
- Both controls aim to improve situational awareness but through different channels.
How do auditors check for compliance with Annex A 5.6?
Auditors look for verifiable evidence that the organisation is actively communicating with or receiving information from recognised security communities.
- A documented list of relevant special interest groups and the reason for contact.
- Subscription logs or archive folders of security bulletins and advisories.
- Certificates of attendance for security-related seminars or workshops.
- Meeting minutes or email exchanges showing the implementation of advice received from SIGs.
What information should be shared with special interest groups?
Information sharing should be strictly limited to non-confidential technical knowledge and threat trends to avoid compromising organisational security.
- Share anonymised threat intelligence or observed attack patterns.
- Exchange advice on the implementation of specific security controls.
- Participate in discussions regarding industry-wide security challenges.
- Never disclose internal system architectures, specific vulnerabilities, or PII.
Who is responsible for managing these relationships?
The responsibility typically falls on the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or designated security specialists who possess the expertise to engage meaningfully.
- Security managers are often tasked with monitoring advisories and disseminating info.
- IT leads may manage contacts with technology-specific vendor forums.
- Data Protection Officers (DPOs) may engage with privacy-specific interest groups.
- Relationship owners should be clearly identified in the ISMS documentation.
Related ISO 27001 Controls
ISO 27001 Clause 4.2 Understanding The Needs And Expectations of Interested Parties
ISO 27001 Annex A 5.5 Contact With Authorities
Further Reading
How to Implement ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 5.6: Contact with Special Interest Groups
How to Audit ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 5.6: Contact with Special Interest Groups
Your Small Business Guide to ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6: Contact with Special Interest Groups
ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 5.6 for Tech Startups: Crowdsourcing Your Security
ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 5.6 for AI Companies: Staying Ahead of the Curve
ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 5.6 for Small Business: Getting Expert Help for Free
ISO 27001 Controls and Attribute Values
| Control type | Information security properties | Cybersecurity concepts | Operational capabilities | Security domains |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preventive | Confidentiality | Protect | Governance | Defence |
| Integrity | Respond | |||
| Availability | Recover |
