According to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 clause 8.1, the organization must plan, implement and control the processes needed to meet the information security requirements, and to implement the actions determined in clause 6.1. The organization must also ensure that the outsourced processes are controlled or influenced. According to control A.5.24, the organization must establish and maintain an information security incident management process that includes reporting information security events and weaknesses. Therefore, the use of lower grade machines for the secure disposal of confidential documents and media could pose a significant information security risk and a potential breach of contract with the clients. The auditor should respond to this information by:

A. Advising the individual managing the audit programme of any recommendation by you to conduct a further audit prior to certification. This is in accordance with ISO/IEC 27006:2022 clause 7.4.3, which states that the audit team leader shall report to the certification body any situation that may significantly affect the audit conclusions or the certification decision, and propose any necessary changes to the audit plan.

C. Considering the need for a subsequent audit within 4 weeks based on the additional information that has come to light. This is in accordance with ISO/IEC 27006:2022 clause 7.5.2, which states that the audit team leader shall review the audit findings and any other appropriate information collected during the audit to determine the audit conclusions, and to identify any need for a subsequent audit.

G. Verifying with the auditee that lower grade machines are used in certain circumstances. This is in accordance with ISO/IEC 27006:2022 clause 7.4.2, which states that the audit team leader shall ensure that the audit is conducted in accordance with the audit plan, and that any changes to the plan are agreed upon and documented.

The other options are not appropriate responses, as they either ignore the information, exceed the scope of the audit, or prematurely raise a nonconformity without sufficient evidence. For example:

B. Cancelling the production of the audit report and instead reviewing the organization’s contracts with its clients to determine whether they have permitted the use of lower grade machines. This is not a suitable response, as it would delay the audit process and the certification decision, and it would involve reviewing documents that are outside the scope of the ISMS audit. The auditor should focus on verifying the information security risk assessment and treatment process, and the information security incident management process, as they relate to the use of lower grade machines.

D. Doing nothing. All audits are based on a sample and the sample you took did not include a planned review of the lower grade machines. This is not a suitable response, as it would disregard a significant information security risk and a potential nonconformity that could affect the audit conclusions and the certification decision. The auditor should follow up on the information provided by the employee and verify its validity and impact.

E. Extending the certification audit duration to create additional time to audit the use of the lower grade machines. This is not a suitable response, as it would disrupt the audit schedule and the availability of the audit team and the auditee. The auditor should report the situation to the certification body and propose any necessary changes to the audit plan, such as conducting a subsequent audit.

F. Raising a nonconformity against 8.1 Operational Planning and Control as the organization has not been open about its processes. This is not a suitable response, as it would be based on a single source of information that has not been verified or corroborated. The auditor should collect sufficient and appropriate audit evidence to support any nonconformity, and should also consider the root cause and the severity of the nonconformity.