ALPHA

June 30, 2022

Article

Your essential guide to cybersecurity compliance in 2022

Nowadays, cybersecurity compliance is more than a best course of action – it’s a requirement. Whether you are in the healthcare industry, financial services, government services or other type of industry, there are certain cybersecurity regulatory requirements you are legally required to fulfill. By fulfilling these requirements with the help of an IT professional, you will enhance business continuity and stay on track to achieve success.  

As regulations are constantly changing, it’s important to stay up to date or consult with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to ensure that you meet all your current industry requirements. If you are negligent and a problem occurs, your organization could face serious liability issues, a bruised reputation, critical system downtime, or be shut down for a prolonged period while recovering from a breach. In the worst case, businesses may have to shut down entirely.  

What is cybersecurity compliance?

Cybersecurity compliance is a framework built on risk-based measures that secure the integrity, privacy and availability of information stored or processed online. Most compliance regulations differ depending on the industry and sector. However, they align in terms of creating controls that secure data integrity 

Understanding cybersecurity regulations for your industry 

Cybersecurity compliance requirements are in constant flux. From healthcare to government services and beyond, get a sense of what regulations you should be up to date on to ensure that your organization is legally secure. By not meeting these regulations, you could lose client trust or be faced with costly mistakes or lawsuits.  

    Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)  

    PIPEDA is a Canadian federal regulation for private-sector organizations. It encompasses a set of controls that organizations must follow when dealing with personal information during business activity. Personal information includes (but is not limited to) a person’s name, address, ID numbers, income, ethnicity and more. Essentially, PIPEDA requires that organizations need to protect and get consent from users to collect, utilize and share personal information.  

    Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) 

    Like PIPEDA, PIPA is a privacy act that organizations in the private sector must follow in order to protect the confidentiality of personal information used during commercial activity. This is a provincial regulation that entails how private sector organizations need to handle employee and customer personal information. As part of the act, individuals have the right to secure their information and organizations need a reasonable purpose to collect, utilize or disclose it.  

    Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC)  

    The GRC is a risk-mitigating strategy that aligns a sector’s IT with their core objectives. Financial, legal and cybersecurity risks are encompassed within the GCR and allow organizations to reduce, monitor and control the outcome of issues such as a security breach, hardware failure and more.  

    Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) 

    If you are a public organization operating in B.C. such as a local government service, schoolboard, etc. you are subject to fulfill FOIPPA regulatory requirements. FOIPPA protects public sector information from unauthorized access and allows employees, students and the general public to request access for information.  

    Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)  

    Launched in 2006, the PCI DSS is a set of security measures made to enhance the protection of credit card and financial information throughout the digital payment process. This set of regulations applies to any business receiving credit cards as a form of payment, either in-person or online.  

    Ensure compliancy by teaming up with an IT partner

    When it comes to meeting industry standard requirements, avoiding legal issues and building customer loyalty, meeting your industry’s cybersecurity compliance requirements is a must. As compliances constantly change and evolve, ensure that you are up to date by consulting with an IT professional. Unsure if you are meeting your industry’s cybersecurity compliance requirements? Give us a call to find out today.