All businesses, even small and medium-sized ones, are required to comply with data protection regulations. That's the price of doing business in this digital age, and the cost of noncompliance is steep, affecting both your finances and your reputation.
However, navigating the intricacies of regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), or the Federal Trade Commision's Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information (Safeguards Rule) can be burdensome for businesses.. This is particularly true for those already stretched thin managing day-to-day operations.
That's why small businesses should seriously consider enlisting the services of a managed IT services provider (MSP). An MSP has the experience and expertise to help your business stay compliant with their budget.
Understanding the compliance challenge
Compliance requires more than just putting up a firewall or installing an antivirus program. Many regulations require:
- Data to be encrypted at rest or in transit
- Detailed audit logs and reporting
- Access controls and identity verification
- Regular risk assessments
- Written policies and procedures
- Security awareness training for staff
- Periodic data backups and disaster recovery plans
- Use of multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Moreover, compliance requires resources that most small businesses don't have, and even if they did, the sheer volume of tasks alone can overwhelm their IT staff. A partner MSP can support your organization with the following:
Proactive compliance management
Reliable MSPs try to prevent issues instead of reacting to them when they happen. They proactively evaluate your systems and workflows to identify the gaps in compliance and close them. They offer services like automated patch management, vulnerability scans, and risk assessments to keep your business up to date with evolving regulations.
Tailored solutions that meet industry-specific standards
Businesses in different industries face specific regulatory challenges. For example, HIPAA is there to make sure healthcare companies keep patient data protected. Retailers dealing with credit cards must follow PCI DSS regulations. CPAs and financial firms may be required to implement a Written Information Security Plan (WISP). And businesses handling data from EU residents may be subject to GDPR.
Additionally, because your MSP understands the nuances of your industry, they can build a compliance strategy that's right for you. Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach, your partner MSP can tailor solutions to address the specific needs of your business, using specialized tools to satisfy auditors and regulatory bodies.
Real-time monitoring and incident response
No security system is 100% immune to threats. That's why regulations require businesses to have real-time monitoring and response capabilities to detect and respond to breaches immediately.
To help their partners remain compliant, most MSPs provide 24/7 monitoring by a dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC) team, ready to alert the team should it detect any suspicious activity. Following the proper protocols should help minimize damage.
Compliance regulations also have strict requirements should a data breach occur. They require businesses to properly report the incident and have protocols in place to remedy the situation. Your MSP will support you in carrying out these requirements.
Streamlined documentation and reporting
Compliance requires strict and thorough documentation. Regulators will require proof of your data security practices, logs of system activities, and evidence of employee training. Your MSP partner can automate many of your documentation tasks, generate audit-ready reports, save your team countless man-hours, and ensure your reports are error-free.
Your MSP can also assist you in coming up with compliance policies, such as the acceptable use of data and data retention guidelines.
Employee training and policy enforcement
Besides the required technology, your employees also play a major part in ensuring compliance.
With human error one of the leading causes of data breaches, it's imperative that your team is trained to properly handle sensitive data.
Your staff's cybersecurity training is best handled by your MSP. Your MSP can also enforce access controls and multifactor authentication so that only authorized users can access your sensitive data.
Staying current with evolving regulations
Regulations are always evolving, so it's important that your MSP partner stays updated with the latest changes in regulations. They should also be responsible for updating your system every time there's a new privacy law or an update to an existing framework.
Are you looking for a local IT partner that understands both technology and compliance? Fidelis, Inc. specializes in helping businesses in Seattle, Greater Puget Sound, and Greater Portland areas meet their data compliance obligations. Contact us today for reliable IT.
