Minesweeper

ISO 27001 is Like Minesweeper: A Game Plan for Certification

Let's talk about minesweeper.

No, this isn't a glitch. You are reading the right article... I'm not just a retro game fanatic with a penchant for wasting people's time. Hear me out.

A series of online polls found that the majority of people (71.1% to be precise) have no idea how to play minesweeper. Today, I'm going to tell you how—whilst simultaneously teaching you a thing or two about ISO 27001 certification.

The First Rule of Minesweeper

You don't need to reveal the entire board at once. The aim of the game is to make careful decisions with the information you have, create a logical strategy, and evaluate risks to dictate your next move.

The same goes for ISO 27001. It's not about having every control perfectly in place from the start. It's about showing that you've identified potential 'mines' (or risks) and you've come up with a solid plan or systematic approach to deal with them over time.

Breaking Down the Parallels

In minesweeper, you avoid mines by interpreting numbers.
In ISO 27001, you avoid security issues by gradually implementing relevant controls.

In minesweeper, you reveal safe areas progressively to avoid risks.
In ISO 27001, you progressively implement controls and improvements based on risk assessments.

In minesweeper, you plan your moves to avoid problematic triggers.
In ISO 27001, you demonstrate a plan to auditors that shows you've thought long and hard about how to avoid or address risks whilst improving continuously.

ISO 27001 is a Process, Not a One-Time Fix

Like a game of minesweeper, ISO 27001 is a process. It centres around creating a practical, functioning system that helps manage information security risks over time. If you steam in with intent to eliminate every single risk right away, you're going to fail.

The Reality: It Can Feel Overwhelming

I get it. ISO 27001 certification can feel overwhelming—especially if you're under pressure. When you're invested in continuing a strong growth trajectory or keen to bag a big client, you're going to want to box the whole thing off overnight.

But it just doesn't work like that. You need to get to grips with ISO 27001's key elements, define the scope of your certification, lay the foundations of your security system, get buy-in from your team, yadda yadda yadda. These things take time.

The Good News: It Can Be Done Quickly

The good news is, it can all be done relatively quickly when you've got the right help. Within a month, even.

A couple of focused workshops can get most of it underway—as long as you've got the right people in the room and a clear roadmap to follow.

Get the Right Help

By 'the right people', I'm talking about my team and I—and the sooner you reach out, the sooner we can get started and help get your business to where it needs to be.

Who knows. When all's said and done... we might even have time for a quick game of minesweeper.