ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.1 User Endpoint Devices Explained

In this guide you will learn how to implement ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 User Endpoint Devices and pass your audit from ISO 27001 Lead Auditor Stuart Barker – author of the ultimate ISO 27001 Toolkit.

User Endpoint Devices

This is an important control because endpoint devices are typically harder to manage as people are a lot more mobile. In the mobile economy it is difficult to predict the environment in which the endpoint device will be used and as a result difficult to predict the risks that you would need to mitigate.

Examples of endpoint devices include

• Desktop computers
• Laptops
• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Other connected devices used to access company systems, such as POS terminals or IoT devices.

ISO 27001 User Endpoint Devices is the control of those end point devices.

This ISO 27001 annex a control sets out the requirement to implement technical and administrative controls to ensure that data and systems are protected.

Key Takeaways

ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 requires organizations to protect the information stored on, processed by, or accessible via user endpoint devices (laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets). Because these devices are portable and often used in unmanaged environments (homes, cafes), they present a significant risk of loss, theft, or unauthorized access. The goal is to implement a multi-layered defence, combining technical tools, strict policies, and user awareness, to secure every “entry point” to your corporate network.

Purpose & Definition

The purpose of ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 User Endpoint Devices is to protect information against the risks introduced by using user endpoint devices. More specifically it wants you to make sure you have controls in place to protect devices that store, process or transmit data.

The ISO 27001 standard defines ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 as:

Information stored on, processed by or accessible via user endpoint devices should be protected.

ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.1 User Endpoint Device Security

FREE ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 Training Video

In this free training video you will learn How to implement ISO 27001 User Endpoint Devices (Annex A 8.1) and Pass Your Audit.

ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 Requirements and Guidance

Establishing an Endpoint Device Security Policy

A starting point is the create of a topic specific policy that clearly sets out what you expect to happen. A topic specific policy on the secure configuration and use of devices is the starting point.

Maintain a Comprehensive Asset Inventory

You need to have good asset management processes in place so that you know what end points you have and what needs to be protected.  This is a common mistake we see where people do not know the devices they have an allow any device to connect to the organisation. We counter this with strong asset management as we covered in ISO 27001 Annex A 5.9 Inventory of information and other associated assets. 

Essential Security Controls for User Devices

In this day and age you would need a compelling reason not to have the basic technical controls of encryption and protection against malware software installed. These are a first line of defence. Consideration for layering on top of that endpoint device management solutions that give you more control over what the device can and cannot do is now common place. Where the ability to remote lock or remote wipe a device is available this should also be considered.

Examples of relevant technical controls include

• Encryption: Encrypt the hard drives and data stored on user devices to protect against loss or theft. 


• Antivirus and Anti-Malware: Install and maintain antivirus software with up-to-date definitions on all applicable endpoints. 
• Configuration Management: Implement secure baseline configurations, such as those from CIS Benchmarks or DISA STIGs, to protect workstations. 
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Use solutions to control the use of portable storage devices like USB drives and prevent sensitive data from leaving the organisation. 
• Endpoint Device Management (EDM) tools: Deploy tools to enforce security policies, manage devices remotely, and provide functionalities like remote wipe for lost or stolen devices. 

The Importance of Employee Training and Awareness

A large section of the guidance on this control concerns user responsibility, and rightly so. There is a lot of trust being placed in the users of these devices. Your role here is setting out what is expected, advising, communicating, training and educating. To tell people not to do silly things like leave these devices unattended, or worse case unattended and logged in. That they should be protected against theft and logged out of when not in use. More detail on education, training and awareness is provided in ISO 27001 Annex A 6.3 Information Security Awareness Education and Training.

Implement Physical Security Controls

The role of endpoint devices needs to take account of ISO 27001 Annex A 7.5 Protecting Against Physical and Environmental Threats. Even if you have no offices which we covered in ISO 27001 Physical Security Controls When You Have No Office there are physical security controls that are required. You are going to educate users not to leave devices unattended in public places and consider:

• Screen protectors
• Device auto locking after a set period of time
• Locks as appropriate
• Lockable storage for home locations
• Shredders for home locations

“Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) Governance

People in smaller organisations really like using their own devices. It is not ideal but is also something that can be overcome. You will consider the technical controls that are in your gift and how they can mitigate risks. Example of access over VPN, or terminal equivalent access can work. Having either manual or automated checks that the devices at least have the basics of malware protection, encryption and are patched to the latest version would be expected. The real kicker here is that legislation often works against you if you allow a personal device as you probably cannot do what you think you can do. An example of this would be thinking you can remote wipe a personal device or ask to view the contents of a personal device. It is easy to allow, but a little a tricker to manage and usually the best course of action is to dig deep in those pockets and find the money to get a work device the person can use.

Data Backup Requirements

Backups present their own challenges. As a rule, for ease, you are not going to have a structured approach to the back up of end point devices. That is unless you need one. What you will have to consider though is if people do personal backups then where are those backups and how secure are they. This can be a real rabbit hole to go down. For more detail on backups read ISO 27001 Annex A 8.13 Information Backup.

Removing Asset Tags

A traditional way of managing assets is to add physical asset tags to devices that identify the asset. Modern thinking is that these should either be removed or should be replaced with non descriptive, yet unique, tags so as not to make the asset a target as in the case of labelling the asset with the organisation or classification such as confidential as this can lead to the asset becoming a target.

How to implement ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1

Securing user endpoint devices is a fundamental requirement for maintaining a resilient security perimeter, especially in hybrid and remote working environments. By following these technical implementation steps, your organisation can effectively manage hardware assets and mitigate the risk of data breaches in alignment with ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1.

1. Formalise Endpoint Security Policies and Rules of Engagement

• Draft a comprehensive “Acceptable Use Policy” (AUP) that explicitly defines user responsibilities for both corporate-owned and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) assets.
• Establish a technical “Rules of Engagement” (ROE) document for system administrators that outlines the mandatory security configurations for all devices before they are permitted to access the network.
• Result: A documented governance framework that ensures all endpoints meet the organisation’s security baseline prior to operation.

2. Provision Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) and MDM Solutions

• Deploy a centralised Mobile Device Management (MDM) or Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) platform to automate the enrolment and configuration of all laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
• Enforce “Zero-Touch” provisioning to ensure security profiles, such as Wi-Fi certificates and VPN settings, are pushed to devices automatically.
• Result: Full technical visibility and administrative control over the entire device estate from a single management console.

3. Mandate Full Disk Encryption (FDE) and Cryptographic Protection

• Enforce hardware-level encryption (e.g. BitLocker for Windows or FileVault for macOS) across all endpoint devices to protect data at rest.
• Provision a centralised key management system to securely store and rotate recovery keys, ensuring that encrypted data remains accessible only to authorised personnel.
• Result: Protection against data exfiltration in the event of physical device theft or loss.

4. Restrict Administrative Access via IAM and MFA

• Revoke local administrative privileges for standard users to prevent the unauthorised installation of software or modification of system security settings.
• Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and granular Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles for all device-level administrative tasks.
• Result: A significantly reduced attack surface where malware or malicious actors cannot easily gain persistence on the host.

5. Execute Continuous Compliance Monitoring and EDR Deployment

• Provision Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents to monitor for anomalous behaviour, such as lateral movement or unauthorised registry changes.
• Configure “Conditional Access” policies that automatically block devices from accessing corporate resources if they fail security health checks (e.g. outdated OS, disabled firewall).
• Result: Real-time detection of threats and automated enforcement of the organisation’s security posture.

6. Revoke Access and Perform Secure Remote Wiping

• Establish technical procedures for the immediate revocation of access and the execution of a “Remote Wipe” command upon notification of device loss or employee termination.
• Maintain a verifiable audit trail of all decommissioned assets to ensure that corporate data has been forensically removed before hardware disposal.
• Result: Elimination of residual data risks and the maintenance of a clean, authorised device inventory.

How to pass the ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 audit

Based on my experience this is the best practice approach to passing the audit of ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 User Endpoint Devices.

What auditors look for

The auditor is going to check a number of areas for ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 User Endpoint Devices. Lets go through the main ones:

• That you have an asset register: The auditor will check that you have an asset register and an asset management process. They will want to see all of the end point devices in an asset register and that they are assigned to people. For this they are also wanting to see bring your own devices (BYOD) or people’s own devices that connect to or interact with the in scope services.
• That devices are protected and checked: The auditor is going to check that all the appropriate controls are on the end point device with the usual ones being antivirus and encryption. The SOA and the in scope controls is the starting point and specifically the technical controls that you have said are in scope. They want to see that these are checked periodically with evidence of the checks and they also want to see what you do if the checks fail, with evidence of an example of that. This is covered in more depth in ISO 27001 Annex A Control 5.9 Inventory of information and other associated assets.  A great one here is that they will also check that you check that devices used by auditors and testers as part of verification activities are secure to your standards before allowing them to connect. This is covered in more detail in ISO 27001 Annex A 8.34 Protection of information systems during audit testing
• Anyone they audit: They will likely check anyone that they audit. The usual operating approach is to get the person to share their screen and then to direct them to show the technical controls in place. This is usually ‘show me the antivirus is working’ as an approach. It is less common for them to observe the desk top and the trash for evidence of things that should not be there. You really should get everyone that is being audited to perform house keeping before the audit with the assumption they will be asked to share their screen. You can refuse and base that on confidentiality but they will want to see a sample of devices so if not you, then it will be someone.

Top 3 mistakes and how to avoid them

In my experience, the top 3 mistakes people make for ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 are

• Letting people use their own devices: This is not a bad thing actually. Although it comes with some challenges and costs that are going to be far in excess of the cost of just providing a device owned and managed by the organisation. Be sure the appropriate controls are in place and that you can evidence them working.
• Not encrypting devices: There is no real reason in this day and age to not have encryption. It is built into most operating systems and devices and if not can be easily applied. Having and not having it turned on is worse that not just having it. If you don’t or can’t have it then manage it via risk management and have it on the risk register but where you can deploy it, do, and check it is in place.
• 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.

ISO 27001 Annex A 8.1 FAQ

Related ISO 27001 Controls and Additional Resources

• ISO 27001 Annex A 5.9 Inventory of information and other associated assets 
• ISO 27001 Annex A 5.17 Authentication Information
• ISO 27001 Annex A 8.7 Protection Against Malware
• ISO 27001 Annex A 8.13  Information Backup
• ISO 27001 Access Control Policy Beginner’s Guide
• ISO 27001 Asset Management Policy Beginner’s Guide
• ISO 27001 Backup Policy Template
• ISO 27001 Backup Policy Beginner’s Guide

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