Ensuring the security of data at rest has become a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity, especially as storage architectures shift toward complex cloud and hybrid models. The standard provides a definitive framework for this, offering technical requirements and guidance for securing storage systems and ecosystems.
: Guidance for various environments, including Direct Attached Storage (DAS), Network Attached Storage (NAS), and Storage Area Networks (SAN). Data Protection Techniques iso iec 27040 pdf
To set strict security benchmarks when buying new storage services. Ensuring the security of data at rest has
Published in January 2024 , this version replaces the 2015 edition. It shifts from "guidance" to include formal "requirements," making it a more rigorous tool for auditing and compliance. Key Updates in the 2024 Version Data Protection Techniques To set strict security benchmarks
It places a heavy emphasis on verifiable data destruction, recommending IEEE 2883 for sanitizing modern storage media like SSDs.
| Control Area | ISO 27040 Requirement | |--------------|------------------------| | Data location | Know the geographic region and legal jurisdiction of each storage volume. | | Multi-tenancy | Ensure logical isolation (e.g., no cross-tenant snapshot access). | | Cloud backups | Do not store production and backup data in the same cloud account/project. | | API security | Use signed API requests, rotate access keys every 90 days. |
| Clause | Title | Core Content | |--------|-------|---------------| | | Storage security concepts | Security objectives, threat modeling for storage systems. | | 6 | Storage security controls | Detailed list of technical and administrative controls (access control, monitoring, encryption). | | 7 | Storage architecture security | Securing network components (switches, directors), zoning, LUN masking. | | 8 | Storage management security | Administrative roles, separation of duties, logging and alerting. | | 9 | Storage media security | Lifecycle management – from provisioning to sanitization. |