Leaving the cabinet unlocked while the technician is on a lunch break exposes the client's equipment and data to potential physical security risks, such as theft, damage, or tampering. This is a violation of the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 requirements for physical entry (control 7.2) and physical security monitoring (control 7.4), which aim to prevent unauthorized access to information processing facilities and assets. Therefore, the appropriate actions for the auditor are:
Raise an opportunity for improvement (OFI) suggesting that the cabinet doors are locked whenever clients leave their suites, even if they intend to return within a short time. This would enhance the security of the client's equipment and data, and reduce the likelihood of security incidents.
Review the CCTV records to ensure that only the client has accessed the cabinet since it was last confirmed as locked. This would verify the integrity and availability of the client's equipment and data, and identify any possible unauthorized access or interference.
With the permission of the guide, speak to the customer to confirm that they are in the process of swapping out a drive. This would validate the reason for leaving the cabinet unlocked, and assess the impact and risk of the activity on the client's information security.
Reference:
ISO/IEC 27001:2022, clause 7.2, Physical entry
ISO/IEC 27001:2022, clause 7.4, Physical security monitoring
PECB Candidate Handbook ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, page 19, Audit Process
PECB Candidate Handbook ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, page 21, Audit Findings