Application Security: Compliance with ISO/IEC 27001 using ZAP

Introduction

ISO/IEC 27001, the international standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), provides a comprehensive framework for managing information security risks and protecting sensitive data. Achieving compliance with ISO 27001 requires not only robust policies and procedures but also practical, technical validation of security controls.

This is where OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) becomes a valuable asset. As a widely-used, open-source web application security scanner, ZAP enables organizations to identify vulnerabilities, test the effectiveness of security controls and support secure development practices—all essential components for meeting ISO 27001 requirements.

This blog explores how OWASP ZAP can be leveraged to support and validate compliance with key ISO 27001 controls. By integrating ZAP into development and operations workflows, organizations can strengthen their security posture, improve audit readiness and demonstrate a proactive approach to information security management.

Objectives of ISO/IEC 27001

ISO 27001 is a framework for managing and protecting sensitive company and customer information in a systematic, risk-based and process-driven manner. The objectives of ISO/IEC 27001 are as follows:

• Ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.

• Establish and maintain an Information Security Management System (ISMS).

• Identify and treat security risks effectively.

• Meet regulatory, contractual and business requirements.

Key Components of ISO/IEC 27001 Compliance

ISO/IEC 27001 compliance refers to aligning your organization’s information security management system (ISMS) with the internationally recognized standard ISO/IEC 27001. The key components of ISO/IEC 27001 include:

• Risk Assessment & Risk Treatment

• Information Security Policies

• Security Controls

• Training and Awareness

• Monitoring & Auditing

• Management Review

• Continuous Improvement

  
  

Benefits of ISO/IEC 27001 Compliance

• Reduced risk of data breaches.

• Improved customer trust and credibility.

• Stronger legal and regulatory standing.

• Competitive advantage.

• Better security governance.

  
  

Capabilities of ZAP

ZAP can automatically scan web applications for common vulnerabilities like SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), which are often targeted by attackers. ZAP's findings can be integrated into an organization's Information Security Management System (ISMS), which is a requirement for ISO 27001 compliance. ZAP provides tools for both automated scanning and manual exploration, allowing security professionals to thoroughly assess web applications. ZAP can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines to continuously monitor applications for vulnerabilities throughout the development lifecycle. ZAP can also be used to scan APIs for vulnerabilities, which is increasingly important in modern web applications. Some relevant ISO 27001:2022 Annex A controls that can be validated using ZAP are:

• 5.36 – Compliance with policies, rules and standards for information security - “Compliance with the organization’s information security policy, topic-specific policies, rules and standards shall be regularly reviewed.”

• 8.8 – Management of technical vulnerabilities - “Information about technical vulnerabilities of information systems in use shall be obtained, the organization’s exposure to such vulnerabilities shall be evaluated and appropriate measures shall be taken.”

• 8.27 – Secure system architecture and engineering principles - “Principles for engineering secure systems shall be established, documented, maintained and applied to any information system development activities.”

• 8.29 – Security testing in development and acceptance - “Security testing processes shall be defined and implemented in the development life cycle.”

Compliance with policies, rules and standards for information security

OWASP ZAP can play a supportive role in validating ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A Control 5.36 – Compliance with policies, rules and standards for information security by automating and documenting security assessments of web applications, helping demonstrate that systems are technically compliant with defined security policies and standards. ZAP ensures continuous compliance checking, not just one-time reviews, as it can be scheduled to run periodically (e.g., weekly or monthly) in CI/CD pipelines or staging environments. ZAP can automatically scan web applications for vulnerabilities that indicate non-compliance with internal or external security standards (e.g., OWASP Top 10, secure coding policies etc.). These scans provide tangible evidence that technical controls are being evaluated regularly. ZAP generates detailed reports identifying:

• Vulnerability types

• Risk levels

• Affected components

• Suggested remediation

These reports can be mapped to the organization’s internal security standards to demonstrate gaps and compliance coverage.

Management of technical vulnerabilities

OWASP ZAP can be a valuable tool for helping organizations validate compliance with ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A Control 8.8 – Management of technical vulnerabilities. ZAP performs automated vulnerability scanning against web applications to identify known weaknesses such as:

• Injection flaws (e.g., SQL, XSS)

• Insecure authentication

• Misconfigured headers

• Broken access controls

This aligns with the requirement to identify technical vulnerabilities in a timely fashion. ZAP can also be integrated into CI/CD pipelines to ensure continuous vulnerability assessment. Zap Supports regular scanning, helping ensure that newly introduced vulnerabilities are detected early. ZAP generates detailed reports of identified vulnerabilities, including severity levels and remediation guidance. These reports can be used to demonstrate due diligence and evidence that vulnerabilities are being monitored and managed.

Secure system architecture and engineering principles

OWASP ZAP can assist in validating ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A Control 8.27 – Secure system architecture and engineering principles by providing practical, repeatable security testing that ensures secure coding and design principles are being followed throughout the system development process. ZAP identifies common implementation flaws that often result from not following secure engineering principles, such as:

• Insecure input handling (e.g., XSS, SQLi)

• Inadequate session and authentication controls

• Missing security headers

• Unauthenticated redirects or insecure error handling

  
  

These findings help verify whether secure design and coding practices are effectively enforced. ZAP can be integrated into the development lifecycle (DevSecOps) to ensure security is considered early and often. Regular use of ZAP scans confirms that secure engineering principles are not just documented but actively enforced. When security features are added (e.g., input validation, access controls etc.), ZAP can be used to verify their effectiveness. It helps ensure that security engineering principles are maintained throughout code changes and updates. The practical application of secure system engineering principles can be reinforced by embedding ZAP in workflows.

ZAP provides detailed reports showing what was tested, how and with what results. These reports can serve as evidence for audits, demonstrating that secure engineering practices were applied and validated.

ZAP supports compliance with Control 8.27 but does not replace the need for:

• Documented secure engineering principles

• Secure design reviews

• Code analysis and threat modeling

• Developer training and awareness

  
  

Security testing in development and acceptance

OWASP ZAP can play a key role in validating ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A Control 8.29 - Security testing in development and acceptance. ZAP can be integrated into the Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) to perform automated security testing of web applications before release. This helps demonstrate that security functionality is tested as part of development, not just after deployment. ZAP supports headless execution and can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines. This enables automated security scans every time new code is deployed to staging or QA environments. ZAP generates detailed reports showing detected vulnerabilities and suggested remediation. These reports can be used to demonstrate that security testing activities are performed and documented, a key requirement of Control 8.29.

Conclusion

OWASP ZAP is a powerful, open-source security testing tool that can significantly support an organization's journey toward ISO/IEC 27001 compliance. While ZAP alone cannot fulfil all requirements of the standard, it plays a critical role in validating technical controls, identifying vulnerabilities and enforcing secure development practices—all of which are essential components of a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS).

By integrating ZAP into development workflows, performing regular technical compliance reviews and generating detailed, auditable reports, organizations can demonstrate due diligence and continuous improvement in managing information security risks. When used in conjunction with documented policies, secure engineering principles and structured risk management, ZAP helps bridge the gap between security theory and practical implementation.

From initial risk assessments and ISMS design to technical validation and audit readiness, we, at Sujosu Technology, cover the full compliance lifecycle. We provide customized solutions based on your organization’s size, industry and maturity level. Our team combines deep technical knowledge of tools like ZAP with a strong understanding of ISO/IEC 27001 governance and process requirements. Do get in touch with us for further details and any help or assistance regarding the implementation of ISO/IEC 27001 for your organization.