Information Technology and Ethics/Compliance Management

Now that we have reviewed what cybersecurity compliance is, it is important to understand how to get started in making a Cybersecurity Compliance Program within your organization. Every cybersecurity compliance program is specific to an organization due to its versatility and depth it covers. However, the steps below should be a great starting point for any organization to begin developing its compliance program and gain the benefits to meet regulatory compliance requirements.

1. Assemble a Designated Compliance Team

The main power behind cybersecurity compliance is your IT staff, however when a comprehensive compliance program is put into place, a compliance team must be formed. For a business to have a strong cybersecurity posture and support compliance procedures, all departments must collaborate.

2. Make a Risk Analysis Process

You should adhere to the four fundamental phases of the risk analysis process in order to identify and evaluate risks. These include determining which information systems, assets, or networks have access to data, determining the risk level associated with each type of data, applying a formula to analyze the risk, and establishing tolerance by selecting whether to reduce, transfer, reject, or accept any identified hazards.

3. Enable Controls to Mitigate or Transfer Risk

Setting up security measures to reduce or transfer cybersecurity threats is the next stage. These measures include encryption, network firewalls, password restrictions, staff training, incident response plans, access control, and patch management schedules, among other technological and physical measures.

4. Create and Implement Policies

Document any policies or instructions that IT teams, staff, and other stakeholders need to follow controls have been put in place. These regulations will also be helpful for future internal and external audits.

5. Monitor and Respond Quickly

Maintain a constant eye on your compliance program as new laws or revised versions of old ones are passed. A compliance program's objective is to recognize and manage risks and stop cyber threats before they result in a significant data breach. Additionally, it's crucial to have business procedures in place that let you respond rapidly to threats.