ISO 27001 Annex A 5.5: Contact with authorities

What auditors look for

Auditors check that 5.5 is either justified as not applicable in your Statement of Applicability or implemented and working. Typical evidence includes:

• Authority contact list in the incident plan
• Records of regulator notifications
• Review date on the contact list

How to implement 5.5 in practice

1. Include the data protection authority for breach reporting
2. Check the list twice a year
3. Record who is authorised to contact each authority
4. Name an owner for 5.5, decide how often it runs and file evidence each time, so the control is audit-ready all year.

How 5.5 supports GDPR

This control helps demonstrate GDPR Art. 33. Map it once in your control matrix so the same evidence supports both ISO 27001 and GDPR accountability. See the GDPR compliance checklist.

Recording 5.5 in the Statement of Applicability

List 5.5 with whether it applies, the reason (usually the risks it treats or a legal or contractual requirement), its implementation status and where the evidence lives. If you exclude it, explain why none of your risks or obligations require it.

Free resources

• ISO 27001 and GDPR readiness assessment
• 10 steps to implement ISO 27001
• Remote ISO 27001 consultant

More organizational controls

• 5.1 Policies for information security
• 5.2 Information security roles and responsibilities
• 5.3 Segregation of duties
• 5.4 Management responsibilities
• 5.6 Contact with special interest groups
• 5.7 Threat intelligence
• 5.8 Information security in project management
• 5.9 Inventory of information and other associated assets