ISO 27001 Annex A 5.6Contact with special interest groups
Official control statement
The organization shall establish and maintain contact with special interest groups or other specialist security forums and professional associations.
Quoted as published. Everything else on this page is written by Control Stack.
In plain English
Maintain ties with security groups to stay updated on threats and best practices.
What this means in practice
This control is about keeping in touch with groups and organisations that specialise in information security. Doing so helps you stay informed about the latest threats and how to protect against them. If you don't keep these connections, you risk missing out on critical updates that could protect your organisation from security breaches.
Framework
ISO/IEC 27001:2022
Control effect (Control Stack)
Proactive
ISO 27001 domain
Organisational controls
Classifications
N/A
Official last update
24 Oct 2022
Control Stack last updated
29 Sept 2026
Why it matters
Lack of engagement with security groups can lead to missed threat intelligence, increasing the risk of undetected vulnerabilities and slower incident responses.
Operational notes
Join relevant security forums and ISACs; assign owners to monitor alerts, share summaries internally, and track actions from shared threat intel.
Implementation tips
- The IT manager should join security groups and forums that focus on industry-specific threats and best practices. This can be done by identifying reputable organisations online or through industry contacts and ensuring ongoing participation in discussions and updates.
- The board should allocate resources for attending relevant security conferences and webinars. This not only promotes continuous learning but also provides networking opportunities to connect with security professionals.
- The compliance officer should ensure regular communication with these groups, sharing relevant information and receiving updates on threats. This involves subscribing to newsletters, participating in forums, and attending events where leading experts discuss current security trends.
- The HR department should include involvement in special interest groups as part of the ongoing security training programs for relevant staff. This can be integrated into professional development goals to encourage engagement with larger security communities.
- The overall security strategy team should periodically review memberships and participation in these groups to assess the value and relevance of continued association. This ensures the organisation stays aligned with the most applicable and advantageous resources.
Audit / evidence tips
- AskA list of memberships or subscriptions to security groups and forumsLook atThe frequency and relevancy of these connectionsGoodActive and ongoing engagement with at least several well-recognised security groups
- AskTo see evidence of participation in security conferences or webinars over the past yearLook atThe topics and organisations hosting these events. GOOD means attending events that offer practical insights into emerging security threats and solutions
- AskRecords of internal discussions or reports that include information shared from these groupsLook atHow this external information is integrated into the organisation's security policies. GOOD shows a clear link between shared information and security policy updates
- AskDocumentation or communication that details alerts or advisories received from these groupsLook atHow quickly and effectively the organisation responds to these alerts. GOOD reflects processes in place for timely implementation of new security measures
- AskTo see professional development plans for staff that involve interaction with these groupsLook atThe integration of this engagement into their roles. GOOD should demonstrate staff actively participating and applying information from these groups in their work
Cross-framework mappings
How Annex A 5.6 relates to controls across ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, Essential Eight, and ASD ISM.
ASD ISM
| Control | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|
sync_altPartially overlaps(1)expand_less | ||
| ISM-2000 | Annex A 5.6 requires the organisation to establish and maintain ongoing contact with special interest groups and specialist security foru... | |
These mappings show relationships between controls across frameworks. They do not imply full equivalence or certification.
Related ISO 27001 controls in Organisational controls
See all Organisational controls controls, or browse the full ISO 27001 Annex A library. You can also track all 93 controls with the free ISO 27001 Annex A checklist.
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