A Workplace Guide to Cyber Security Compliance

Failing to address your cybersecurity needs will cost you one way or another. The average breach creates more than $4 million in damages. Aside from the direct costs of a cyberattack, you can also end up paying a lot of money in fees when you are cited for compliance violations. 

For these reasons, keeping your workplace in compliance with cybersecurity protocols is one of the best things you can do. In this article, you’ll get to know more about cyber security compliance, its importance, and how it can help the way that your company does business. 

Understand the Importance of Compliance 

There are several reasons that you need to make compliance a priority with your business. When you understand how vital it is, you’ll be more likely to take the proper steps for getting these issues under control. 

Some of the reasons to take control of your cybersecurity compliance issues include:

• Remaining transparent and trustworthy in your industry
• Avoiding a public relations (PR) hit to your brand
• Preventing the loss of large sums of money
• Keeping your company free of harsh non-monetary penalties for violations
• It keeps your company infrastructure at its best

Once you understand these areas of compliance, you can put together the resources that’ll assist you. 

Know Your Compliance Needs

When you’re ready to get your compliance in order, start by understanding your needs. There are several cybersecurity compliance bodies that you may be beholden to, depending on your company and the type of business you run. 

A few of the standards that you might need to adhere to include:

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) for companies in medical and related fields that host sensitive patient and practice information
• IEC 27031, which is a type of protocol that deals with information communications
• Personal Health Information (PHI) protocols
• The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) framework
• Federal Information Security Management Act (FISM)

We live in the age of digital information and breaches are on the rise. If anything, expect more protocols and frameworks to emerge throughout the years. If you’d like to keep your company in compliance and avoid setbacks, you need to stay up-to-date with these changes as they occur. 

Get Professional IT Support  

So, how do you stay ahead of the curve with cybersecurity protocols? The best thing you can do is get the help of a qualified information technology (IT) company that can assist you. 

These professionals can not only keep your systems up and running, but they are also experts in issues of cyber security compliance. They regularly continue their education, which keeps them in the loop on these updates as they happen. 

You will add some consistency and normalcy to your setup when you invest in managed IT services for your company. With managed IT work, you’re outsourcing this part of your infrastructure to a team of professionals. 

This prevents you from having to do it all yourself and lets you reduce the number of full-time positions you need to cover it. Working with managed IT pros gives you the best service possible in a way that is cost-effective and organized. 

Invest in Quality Cybersecurity Tech

You also need to make sure you’re constantly upgrading your tech setup. Investing in cybersecurity tech will help you prevent a variety of issues while also keeping your company in compliance every step of the way. 

Keeping your systems upgraded will help you manage your Internet of Things (IoT) security, have the latest protocols for your mobile devices, and sniff out threats before they can do damage. Make sure to also add technology that will take care of your network and endpoint security, and that each new addition gets the oversight that it needs. 

Shore Up Your Cloud Security

A lot of communication today takes place in the cloud. Software as a Service (SaaS) applications are popular and companies use the cloud for storage and other large-scale tasks. 

You can only rely on the cloud when all of your cloud security infrastructure is in place and you’re following protocols. Doing this will prevent sensitive information from leaking and will allow you to handle your company’s data security more effectively. 

A big part of protecting your business data is to simply update your passwords. Use lengthy, smart passwords that are filled with a variety of letters, numbers, symbols, and other characters. Change the passwords on a routine schedule, as outlined in your cybersecurity compliance rules. 

Doing this not only helps you avoid penalties but is also one of the biggest steps for protecting all your company’s information. 

Hire a Compliance Professional

The best way to keep your company safe from compliance issues is by hiring a professional. When you have a third-party compliance officer looking after your data, practices, and details, you’ll be far less likely to get a violation. 

They will run your business through the same protocols that you would face in an audit and will make sure that you’re receiving sound, timely advice. Many companies have legal advisors that can also assist you. This is crucial since cybersecurity compliance can also bring up some liability issues. 

Find a company that can help you fix the issues as soon as they are spotted. 

Cyber Security Compliance 101

If you’re interested in improving your cyber security compliance, these tips are an excellent place to start. 

Terminal B can help you when you’re looking for simplified IT services that can make a difference. If you’re ready to get in touch, reach out to us on our website or by calling us at 512-381-4800.