Information security fails far more often because of unclear ownership than weak technology. Annex A 5.2 exists to address that problem.
This control focuses on ensuring that information security responsibilities are clearly defined, understood, and applied across the organisation.
Not concentrated in IT. Not assumed. And not left to interpretation when something goes wrong.When roles are unclear, accountability disappears. When accountability disappears, risk increases quietly.
Annex A 5.2 of ISO 27001:2022 is concerned with defining and assigning information security roles and responsibilities in a way that fits the organisation’s size, structure, and risk profile.
At a practical level, this means:
The control does not prescribe job titles, reporting lines, or organisational charts. It also does not require dedicated security roles in every organisation.
Instead, it focuses on clarity and ownership.
In smaller organisations, information security responsibilities are often distributed across existing roles. In larger organisations, responsibilities may be more specialised. Both approaches are valid if accountability is clear and proportionate.
The outcome Annex A 5.2 is aiming for is simple:
people know what they are responsible for, and security tasks do not fall through gaps.
Annex A 5.2 is a governance control that underpins how information security is implemented day to day.
Security controls do not operate themselves. They rely on people to:
Without clearly defined roles and responsibilities:
A common real-world issue is organisations assuming that security ownership sits entirely with IT. In practice, information security spans HR, operations, finance, legal, development, and leadership.
Annex A 5.2 helps ensure that security is treated as an organisational responsibility, not a technical afterthought.
A pragmatic approach to Annex A 5.2 usually involves the following steps.
Start by identifying the activities that need ownership, such as:
The goal is not to list every task, but to identify where accountability sits.
Rather than creating new roles, most organisations assign security responsibilities to existing job functions.
For example:
This approach keeps security integrated into business-as-usual operations.
Annex A 5.2 recognises two levels of responsibility:
Both need to be understood, even if they are documented differently.
Responsibilities should be documented in a way that is:
This may be done through job descriptions, role profiles, responsibility matrices, or policy statements. The format matters less than the clarity.
Communication is critical — undocumented responsibilities tend to be forgotten.
As the organisation evolves, roles often change faster than documentation.
Triggers for review typically include:
Keeping responsibilities aligned with reality is key to keeping this control effective.
These challenges are usually governance issues, not technical ones.
Annex A 5.2 is about clarity, not complexity.
When roles and responsibilities are clear:
If people are unsure who owns security tasks, that uncertainty will surface at the worst possible moment.
Define ownership early, keep it proportionate, and review it when the organisation changes.
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