PCI DSS vs ISO 27001 - Scope of Compliances
- Kamalika Majumder | DevOps & ISO 27001 Consultant
- Jul 23, 2025
- 4 min read
Why is ISO 27001 Often Clubbed with Other Compliances by Regulatory Bodies and How Does It Compare with PCI DSS?
Regulatory bodies often require organizations to adhere to multiple compliance frameworks to ensure comprehensive security. Among these, ISO 27001 is frequently clubbed with other compliance standards such as PCI DSS, SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR.
This bundling is done to provide a robust security posture, covering various aspects of risk management, data protection, and industry-specific requirements. This article explores why ISO 27001 is commonly associated with other compliance frameworks and compares it with PCI DSS in terms of controls and requirements.
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Why ISO 27001 is Clubbed with Other Compliances!
1. Holistic Approach to Security
ISO 27001 provides a structured Information Security Management System (ISMS) that encompasses risk assessment, mitigation strategies, and continuous improvement. However, it is a high-level framework, allowing organizations to tailor security measures based on their risk appetite. Regulatory bodies often pair it with other standards to ensure industry-specific security measures are also met.
2. Alignment with Regulatory Mandates
ISO 27001 is often referenced in regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and financial sector guidelines. Since it provides a foundation for implementing strong security controls, other standards build on top of it to address sector-specific risks. For example, the financial sector often mandates compliance with both ISO 27001 and PCI DSS to ensure both general information security and specialized payment security measures are met.
3. Interoperability and Risk Reduction
By integrating ISO 27001 with standards like PCI DSS, organizations can align their security controls, reducing redundancy and operational complexity. This interoperability allows for streamlined audits and better governance. A well-implemented ISO 27001 ISMS can facilitate compliance with other frameworks by establishing a security baseline.
4. Global Acceptance and Flexibility
ISO 27001 is an internationally recognized standard, making it a preferred choice for multinational organizations. However, it does not specify technical controls, leaving room for regulatory bodies to supplement it with prescriptive frameworks like PCI DSS, which has detailed security requirements for payment systems.
Comparing ISO 27001 with PCI DSS
Both ISO 27001 and PCI DSS focus on securing sensitive information, but they differ in scope, implementation, and control requirements.
1. Scope of Compliance
ISO 27001: Covers the entire organization, focusing on information security risk management across people, processes, and technology. It applies to all types of information, including personal data, intellectual property, and business-critical data.
PCI DSS: Specifically targets payment card data security and applies to organizations that store, process, or transmit cardholder data.
2. Control Framework
ISO 27001: Uses a risk-based approach with 93 Annex A controls in ISO 27001:2022, categorized under themes like access control, cryptography, and incident management.
PCI DSS: Contains 12 core requirements with over 300 sub-requirements, focusing on network security, encryption, access control, and vulnerability management.
3. Risk Management Approach
ISO 27001: Allows organizations to define their risk tolerance and implement controls accordingly.
PCI DSS: Mandates a specific set of technical and operational controls that must be implemented without deviation.
4. Certification and Compliance Process
ISO 27001: Requires an external audit by an accredited certification body for certification, which is valid for three years with annual surveillance audits.
PCI DSS: Compliance is validated through a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) or self-assessment, depending on the organization’s transaction volume. Compliance must be maintained annually.
5. Technical vs. Process-Oriented Approach
ISO 27001: Primarily process-driven, focusing on security governance, policies, and continuous improvement.
PCI DSS: Highly technical, prescribing specific security measures like firewalls, encryption, and patch management.
Bridging ISO 27001 and PCI DSS for Unified Compliance
Organizations handling payment card data often need to comply with both ISO 27001 and PCI DSS. A unified approach can help reduce audit complexity and improve security effectiveness.
Common Security Policies – Establish unified policies that satisfy both frameworks’ documentation requirements.
Integrated Risk Management – Use ISO 27001’s risk-based approach to drive PCI DSS controls implementation.
Centralized Access Control – Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to satisfy both standards.
Encryption & Data Protection – Align ISO 27001’s cryptography controls with PCI DSS’s encryption mandates for stored and transmitted data.
Continuous Monitoring & Incident Response – Establish a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system to detect threats and fulfill compliance reporting obligations for both frameworks.
Conclusion:
ISO 27001 is often clubbed with other compliance standards because of its broad applicability and strong governance foundation. Compared to PCI DSS, it is more flexible and risk-based, whereas PCI DSS enforces strict security controls for payment data.
PCI DSS provides a baseline of technical and operational requirements designed to protect environments with payment card account data against threats and secure other elements in the payment ecosystem.
By integrating both standards, organizations can build a comprehensive security program that aligns with regulatory requirements and strengthens overall cybersecurity resilience.
As tech evolves, so will security compliances. You can't always afford last minute evidence collection.
Need to get ISO 27001 or SOC2 Compliant, but not sure where to start!
Thanks & Regards
Kamalika Majumder
