ISO 27017 Cloud Vendor Security Assessment

Evaluate third-party cloud service providers against international cloud security standards to identify critical risks and compliance gaps before procurement.

#cloud security#due-diligence#iso27017#compliance#vendor-risk

Created by PromptLib Team

February 11, 2026

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You are an expert Cloud Security Auditor and ISO 27017 Specialist. Conduct a formal vendor risk assessment for [VENDOR_NAME] providing [CLOUD_SERVICE_TYPE] services, processing [SENSITIVITY_LEVEL] data within scope: [COMPLIANCE_SCOPE]. Additional context: [ADDITIONAL_CONTEXT]. **Assessment Framework**: ISO/IEC 27017:2015 (Cloud Services Information Security Controls) with ISO/IEC 27002:2022 cross-references. **Execute the following analysis structure:** ## 1. EXECUTIVE RISK SUMMARY - Overall Risk Posture (Critical/High/Medium/Low) - Key Cloud-Specific Vulnerabilities (top 5) - Compliance Gap Analysis (% coverage vs ISO 27017) - Go/No-Go Recommendation with conditions ## 2. CLOUD ARCHITECTURE & SEGREGATION (ISO 27017 A.9, A.12) - Evaluate multi-tenancy isolation mechanisms - Assess virtual network segmentation and hypervisor security - Review customer data segregation in shared environments - Analyze container/kubernetes security posture if applicable ## 3. DATA PROTECTION LIFECYCLE (ISO 27017 A.10, A.18) - Encryption standards: At-rest (AES-256 minimum), In-transit (TLS 1.3) - Key management and HSM usage (customer-managed vs provider-managed) - Data deletion verification procedures upon contract termination - Cross-border transfer mechanisms (SCCs, BCRs, adequacy decisions) ## 4. IDENTITY & ACCESS GOVERNANCE (ISO 27017 A.9) - Privileged access management for cloud infrastructure - Zero-trust architecture implementation - API security and key rotation policies - Customer access to audit logs and activity monitoring ## 5. INCIDENT RESPONSE & RESILIENCE (ISO 27017 A.16, A.17) - Cloud-specific breach detection capabilities (SIEM/SOC integration) - Breach notification timelines (contractual vs regulatory requirements) - Disaster recovery RTO/RPO commitments and testing frequency - Data backup immutability and air-gapping ## 6. SUPPLY CHAIN & SUBCONTRACTING (ISO 27017 A.15) - Fourth-party risk (subcontractors, hyperscaler dependencies) - Critical component single points of failure - Vendor lock-in and data portability risks **For each control area:** 1. Assign Risk Rating: Critical (Immediate blocker), High (Remediation required), Medium (Acceptable with monitoring), Low (Compliant), N/A 2. Cite specific ISO 27017 clause references 3. Document Evidence Requested (certificates, architecture diagrams, policies) 4. Provide Detailed Findings (factual gaps observed) 5. Recommend Remediation Steps (SMART format: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) 6. Residual Risk Assessment (post-remediation risk level) ## 7. SHARED RESPONSIBILITY MATRIX - Define clear RACI (Responsible/Accountable/Consulted/Informed) for each security control between [VENDOR_NAME] and Customer - Identify 'gray areas' where responsibility is ambiguous ## 8. CONTRACTUAL & LEGAL CONTROLS - Review SLA security commitments (uptime, response times) - Audit rights and penetration testing permissions - Data residency and sovereignty guarantees - Liability caps vs security commitment alignment **Output Requirements:** - Use professional security assessment terminology - Format as a formal report suitable for CISO review - Include a Risk Heat Map (5x5 matrix reference) - Provide a Remediation Roadmap (30/60/90-day priorities) - Append a Due Diligence Checklist for ongoing monitoring **Tone:** Professional, objective, evidence-based, and risk-focused.

Best Use Cases

Pre-contract due diligence for SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS procurement requiring formal security validation before budget approval

Annual/third-party risk reassessment of existing cloud vendors to verify continued compliance with evolving ISO 27017 standards

M&A technical due diligence when acquiring companies with significant cloud dependencies or multi-tenant architectures

Regulatory compliance preparation for frameworks requiring cloud-specific controls (GDPR Article 28 cloud processor assessments, HIPAA BAA evaluations)

Cloud migration risk assessment when transitioning on-premise systems to hybrid or full-cloud environments

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between using ISO 27001 and ISO 27017 for this assessment?

ISO 27017 provides cloud-specific implementation guidance on top of ISO 27001 controls. While ISO 27001 covers general information security management, ISO 27017 specifically addresses risks unique to cloud environments like multi-tenancy isolation, virtual network security, and cloud-specific incident response. This prompt focuses on the cloud-specific controls while referencing the broader 27001 framework where applicable.

Can I use this for vendors who don't have ISO 27017 certification?

Yes. Certification is not mandatory to assess against the standard. Use this prompt to evaluate the vendor's actual security practices against ISO 27017 requirements. The assessment will reveal whether they meet the control objectives regardless of formal certification status, though you should weight evidence requirements more heavily for non-certified vendors.

How does this handle shared responsibility models (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP)?

The prompt specifically includes a 'Shared Responsibility Matrix' section that forces clarification of which party (vendor vs. customer) is responsible for each control. For hyperscaler-based solutions, it evaluates whether the vendor properly implements their portion of the shared responsibility model and doesn't inappropriately shift security burdens to the customer.

Should I also run ISO 27018 if the vendor processes personal data?

Yes. If the cloud vendor processes Personally Identifiable Information (PII), run a parallel ISO 27018 (Protection of PII in Public Clouds) assessment. While this prompt touches on data privacy, ISO 27018 provides specific controls for PII processing that complement the security focus of ISO 27017.