In running a business, there are a lot of important matters that need to be taken care of although they are not really in line with the core competencies of the business. One such matter is IT compliance. In the last few weeks, we have been talking about compliance and how it is important to your business.
What Is IT Compliance?
One of our recent blogs gives a brief but enlightening overview of what IT compliance is all about. In a nutshell, it is the process of complying with the rules, regulations and requirements set by a third party, which aim to reduce the risk for your organization and allow you to operate within the location or industry under their jurisdiction.
How Is IT Compliance Different from IT Security?
IT security is another term that we are all familiar with, especially these days when online fraud, data breaches and other kinds of cyberattacks are so prevalent. In another recent blog, we list the differences between IT security and compliance, and also how they are similar in some ways.
The Similarities
IT Compliance and security can be quite confusing to a lot of people, with many mistakenly thinking that they are the same concept. This is understandable as both do have to do with the protection of your organization amidst the threat-filled online environment. That is, both reduce the risk for your business and let you operate more smoothly.
Also, both compliance and security are vital for gaining and maintaining the trust of your clients. By showing that your system is secure and fully compliant with all industry and legal standards, you can attract customers and build a positive reputation much more easily.
The Differences
One of the primary differences between IT compliance and IT security is that the former is meant only to fulfill the requirements set by a third party, while the latter is done for the actual protection of one’s business or company. As such, IT security usually involves much more stringent safety measures and protocols that aim to keep your system as safe as possible.
Another difference is that IT security is an ongoing process that needs to be maintained 24/7 while compliance is done as soon as the requesting party is satisfied. The requirements for compliance remain more or less the same for a very long time, while security needs can change very often as it needs to address the continually evolving strategies used by hackers day in and day out.
Why Compliance Should Be a Team Effort
Because compliance is considered by many as routine work that only requires the minimum requirements set by a third party, it is often delegated to just one individual. But compliance is actually a much more significant and much larger task than that.
Among these reasons is that there are plenty of discussions that need to take place before full compliance is achieved. Some of the most crucial issues to talk about are email encryption, data encryption, firewalls, backups, data availability and storage. If any of these matters is not addressed properly, it can lead to fines and penalties for your company. Worse, it could leave gaps in your security system that hackers can easily get through.
To minimize the risk of that happening, you need to put due effort into compliance. It won’t be practical or wise to expect just one person to complete this sensitive work. We highly recommend delegating the work to a team of experts who can guarantee that all requirements will be met and that your organization will be fully compliant in no time at all.
To find out more about how we can help, contact us today and we will schedule a consultation!
