Data Security Compliance

Module 1: Data Breaches And ID Theft

1. Course Introduction
2. Treat And Cost

Module 2: Device Security Basics

1. It’s All About YOU Part1
2. It’s All About YOU Part2

Module 3: Avoiding Inadvertent Disclosure

1. No More Oops Part1
2. No More Oops Part2

Module 4: Physical And Technical Safeguards

1. The DO Of Security Part1
2. The DO Of Security Part2
3. Course Conclusion

With cyber threats constantly evolving, new compliance regulations are being proposed and enacted around data protection and data privacy. Staying compliant is never an easy task. However, the idea that data protection and compliance must be a core part of all business practices makes a good sense in the end. After all, the goal of data security compliance regulations is to help companies achieve integrity, security and availability of information systems and sensitive data. They provide a set of rules and guidelines that help organizations protect their systems and data from security risks.

Today there is a variety of laws and regulations focused on data protection; these include standards like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA).

In order to improve data security and ensure regulatory compliance, organizations often align their security programs with established frameworks developed based on industry best practices, academic research, training and education, internal experience, and other materials. These frameworks offer repeatable procedures that have proven themselves over time in a large number of organizations. Organizations are free to choose the framework that best suits their needs, or to not use one at all.

No matter which framework, if any, you choose to adopt, the following five tips will help you on your journey to regulatory compliance:

• Understand what data you have. Depending on the compliance regulations they are subject to, organizations might need to protect cardholder information (PCI DSS), health records (HIPAA), PII of EU residents (GDPR) or other data. Data discovery and classification tools can help you locate regulated data so you can ensure it is protected by appropriate security controls and is trackable and searchable as required.

• Conduct regular risk assessments. Regular risk assessment is a central mandate of many compliance regulations. At a high level, risk assessment involves identifying risks, assessing the probability of their occurrence and their potential impact, taking steps to remediate the most serious risks, and then assessing the effectiveness of those steps.

• Develop a clear plan. Most regulations require a combination of administrative, physical and technical measures, such as policies and procedures, employee training, and IT controls. Managing all of that effectively requires a clear plan. Use existing checklists to see where your company stands and consider using a standard framework as a starting point for designing a data protection policy.

• Do extra reading. Many resources are available to make regulations more understandable. For example, this comprehensive guide developed by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) answers the most common questions about GDPR compliance.

• Get advice. If you have more questions than answers and your company doesn’t have an internal compliance officer, consider engaging external advisors who have expertise with the specific regulations your organization is subject to. Professional advice can help you adjust your information security program faster and more effectively, saving you money in the long run.

Compliance regulations in the data security space are constantly changing and evolving, with more new acronyms for regulatory standards being introduced every year.

But staying compliant with government and industry regulations doesn’t have to be a major burden.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• The basics of data use compliance
• Limitations of data security compliance laws
• The most common data compliance laws
• Additional standards and frameworks data teams should know
• Where to start when seeking data use compliance

What is data security?

Data security for business is the way your organization handles the sensitive data that passes through every day. From customer credit card details to employee home addresses and beyond, you’ll be trusted to safeguard and protect this data against a breach, meeting data privacy laws and regulations. There are different types of data security regulations at regional, national and global levels that you simply have to comply with, or face steep fines.

What does it mean to be compliant? It means putting workflows and policies in place that outline how data protection is achieved at your business in line with the laws that govern the areas you operate in.

Your organization has to have data security to build a trusting relationship with clients and customers around the world. With all the business that’s conducted online today, your customers have to be confident that their sensitive information is totally protected to the best of your ability. Complying with local regulations is really just the beginning for data protection: you should be doing every single thing you can to keep information secure.