When are the information security policies required to be reviewed, according to the Policies for information security control?

According to ISO/IEC 27001:2022, the information security policy and its topic-specific policies must be reviewed to ensure their ongoing suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness. The standard explicitly mandates this review process to occur "at planned intervals or if significant changes occur." This dual trigger ensures that policies are not only checked periodically as part of a regular cycle (e.g., annually) but are also updated proactively in response to major events, such as changes in business objectives, legal environments, technology, or the threat landscape. This approach maintains the relevance and effectiveness of the organization's information security posture.

A. Every six months: The standard does not prescribe a fixed six-month interval. It allows organizations the flexibility to define their own "planned intervals" based on their specific context and needs.

B. Annually: While an annual review is a common practice and a valid "planned interval," it is not a strict requirement of the standard. Mandating it as the only option is incorrect.

C. According to a schedule defined by the Certification Body: The Certification Body audits for conformity to the standard; it does not define the organization's internal operational schedules. The organization itself is responsible for defining its policy review intervals.

1. ISO/IEC 27001:2022, Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection — Information security management systems — Requirements.

Clause 5.2 Policy, item c): States that the information security policy shall be "reviewed at planned intervals or if significant changes occur, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness."

Annex A, Control 5.1 Policies for information security: The control objective states, "The information security policy and topic-specific policies should be reviewed at planned intervals and if significant changes occur, to ensure their continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness."

2. University of Cambridge, Information Security Office. (2023). Information Security Policy.

Section: Policy Review: "The Information Security Policy and supporting policies will be reviewed at least annually, or when significant changes occur to the organisational or technical infrastructure." This document exemplifies the implementation of the ISO 27001 requirement, combining a defined "planned interval" (annually) with the trigger for "significant changes." (Available from the University of Cambridge official website).

3. Calder, A., & Watkins, S. (2019). IT Governance: An International Guide to Data Security and ISO 27001/ISO 27002 (7th ed.). Kogan Page.

Chapter 11, Section: '5.2 Policy': This academic and professional reference, widely used in university curricula, explains that a key requirement for the information security policy is that it must be reviewed at planned intervals and also when significant changes occur. This reinforces the dual nature of the review trigger as specified in the standard.