Within the cybersecurity field, security compliance management are three golden words that pose immense value for any cybersecurity strategy and above all, represent peace of mind for IT teams and end clients as well.
While compliance really depends on what you’re complying with, this requires careful coordination between security policies and your business activities - ultimately, your cybersecurity strategy needs to allow your business to grow without stifling your innovation.
To understand how you can nail your company’s security compliance management, take a look at a few of our most important pointers.
FIGURE OUT WHICH STANDARDS ARE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR YOU
While there are numerous security standards you can comply with, it’s always best to figure out which standards are most appropriate to your line of business and the nature of the work you do.
The PCI DSS, for instance, is more suited for B2C businesses that process card payments on a large scale. This information security standard concerns the storage of card and consumer data securely on business databases.
If your company does not undertake these processes frequently, therefore, it doesn’t make much sense for you to comply with this specific standard and the same goes for others as well. If you’re unsure about which security standards are most relevant for you, speak to a cybersecurity consultant for a push in the right direction.
FIRMLY ESTABLISH WHICH STANDARDS YOU’RE ABIDING BY AND COMMUNICATE THAT CLEARLY
To ensure that organisations abide by policies established for security compliance management, clear communication of your intention, especially from higher levels of management, is important.
This sets the tone for compliance, making it clear to employees that abiding by company security standards is not an option.
Beyond establishing the fact that you will be abiding by certain codes or standards, communicating why you’re doing so is equally important - when employees understand the reason behind certain changes, it makes them more likely to follow through with new policies and systems.
DO YOUR RESEARCH ON BEST PRACTICES AND OTHER COMPLIANCE TIPS AND STRATEGIES
Another important part of your security compliance management strategy is doing your research and implementing industry best practices and strategies to ensure easier and more effective compliance.
As with most things in the business environment, there’s a hard way and an easy way to get certain things done and this is true for security compliance as well. Dive into case studies, testimonials, and any other resources that will help you identify the best ways to implement certain cybersecurity policies.
This is especially important if you’re functioning as a dedicated IT team in your company. In most cases, businesses consult security specialists to get their input on how certain security standards can be given effect within a specific organisational setup and infrastructure.
TRAIN YOUR STAFF TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON NEWLY-ESTABLISHED POLICIES AND SECURITY SYSTEMS
Sure, effective communications of new cybersecurity standards are important. Unfortunately, that alone is not going to be enough to ensure that your teams follow through and do their part to keep your operations secure.
As we’re in the habit of stating, training is a crucial part of cybersecurity compliance. If you’re planning on ensuring that your security compliance management goes smoothly, have sessions where you break down the requirements of each standard and policy to your employees and explain what they need to do to ensure this process goes smoothly.
Beyond getting them onboard, employees will appreciate that you take the time to explain why you’re going in this direction instead of demanding blind obedience and compliance.
SECURITY COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED - NAIL IT IN A FEW EASY STEPS
Compliance with industry-leading security standards are crucial for any business growing and engaging dynamically in the business environment we operate in.
In this process, it’s not enough to just establish policies that ensure compliance - you need to go the extra mile to ensure that your entire team gets with the agenda and does their part. Figuring out best practices is also incredibly important.
For more support on security compliance management, speak to our team at Triskele Labs today.
