ISO IEC 27050-1-2019 PDF

Full title and description

Information technology — Electronic discovery — Part 1: Overview and concepts. This International Standard provides an overview of electronic discovery (eDiscovery), defines related terms and concepts, and describes the high-level activities involved in identifying, preserving, collecting, processing, reviewing, analysing and producing electronically stored information (ESI) in investigations or litigation.

Abstract

Electronic discovery (eDiscovery) is the process used by parties involved in investigations, litigation or similar proceedings to locate and produce relevant electronically stored information. ISO/IEC 27050-1:2019 summarises the eDiscovery lifecycle, provides core definitions and concepts, and identifies other relevant standards (for example ISO/IEC 27037) with which eDiscovery activities interact. The document is intended for both technical and non-technical personnel engaged in any part of eDiscovery.

General information

• Status: Published.
• Publication date: November 2019 (ISO/IEC edition published 2019).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), prepared by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27.
• ICS / categories: 35.030 (Information security).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2019).
• Number of pages: 20 pages (official ISO publication).

Scope

ISO/IEC 27050-1:2019 gives an overview of electronic discovery activities and defines the terminology and core concepts that underpin eDiscovery work. It covers the lifecycle stages commonly used in eDiscovery — identification, preservation, collection, processing, review, analysis and production of ESI — and explains how these activities relate to other standards and organisational governance. The standard is descriptive and aimed at providing shared understanding rather than prescriptive technical requirements.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and common terminology for electronic discovery and ESI (ensures consistent understanding across stakeholders).
• Overview of the eDiscovery lifecycle: identification, preservation, collection, processing, review, analysis and production of ESI.
• High-level concepts for handling ESI in legal, regulatory or investigative contexts (roles, responsibilities and workflow stages).
• Interaction and mapping to related standards (for example guidance on how ISO/IEC 27037 relates to identification and preservation of digital evidence).
• Guidance aimed at both technical and non-technical personnel to support governance, decision-making and communication in eDiscovery activities.

Typical use and users

Used by legal teams, compliance officers, information security managers, IT forensics practitioners, records managers and external eDiscovery service providers to align understanding of eDiscovery concepts and to inform policies, procedures and procurement. The standard is useful for organisations preparing for litigation, regulatory inquiries, internal investigations or cross-border evidence requests and for anyone needing a common vocabulary for ESI lifecycle activities.

Related standards

ISO/IEC 27050-1 is part of the ISO/IEC 27050 series on electronic discovery. Part 2 provides guidance on governance and management of electronic discovery, and Part 3 provides a code of practice for eDiscovery activities. ISO/IEC 27037 (guidelines for identification, collection, acquisition and preservation of digital evidence) is specifically referenced as relevant background guidance for handling digital evidence and ESI. The broader ISO/IEC 27000 family provides the information security context for these standards.

Keywords

electronic discovery, eDiscovery, ESI, electronically stored information, digital evidence, preservation, collection, processing, review, production, ISO/IEC 27050, information security, e-forensics.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO/IEC 27050-1:2019 is the first part of the ISO/IEC 27050 series and provides an overview and core concepts for electronic discovery (eDiscovery), including definitions and the high-level lifecycle of ESI.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers terminology, foundational concepts and the stages commonly involved in eDiscovery (identification, preservation, collection, processing, review, analysis and production), and explains relationships with other standards and governance considerations. It is an overview rather than a prescriptive technical specification.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Legal and compliance professionals, information security and IT teams, digital-forensics practitioners, records managers, and eDiscovery service providers use it as a common reference to align processes, roles and expectations around handling ESI.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2019 edition (Edition 2) replaced the 2016 edition; the 2019 publication is the current edition as published by ISO (standards are subject to periodic review).

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO/IEC 27050-1 is Part 1 of the ISO/IEC 27050 series on electronic discovery. Related parts include ISO/IEC 27050-2 (guidance for governance and management) and ISO/IEC 27050-3 (code of practice). These, together with other ISO/IEC 27000-family standards such as ISO/IEC 27037, form the wider normative context for handling digital evidence and ESI.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: eDiscovery, ESI, electronic discovery, digital evidence, preservation, collection, processing, review, production, ISO/IEC 27050, information security.