IT Compliance Guide

Navigate the complex world of IT compliance with our comprehensive guide to major regulatory frameworks and industry standards.

Explore Compliance Frameworks

Why Compliance Matters

Proper IT compliance protects your business, builds customer trust, and ensures long-term success.

Risk Mitigation

Reduce legal, financial, and reputational risks through proper compliance management.

Customer Trust

Build confidence with clients by demonstrating commitment to data protection and security.

Competitive Advantage

Gain market advantages by meeting compliance requirements that competitors may lack.

Major Compliance Frameworks

Understanding the key requirements of major regulatory and industry standards.

SOX

Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Financial reporting and corporate governance

  • Internal controls over financial reporting
  • IT general controls and change management
  • Data integrity and audit trails
  • Access controls and segregation of duties

Key IT Requirements

SOX compliance requires robust IT controls to ensure accurate financial reporting. Critical areas include access management, change control, and data backup procedures.

Penalties: Up to $5 million in fines and 20 years imprisonment for executives.

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability

Healthcare data protection

  • Protected Health Information (PHI) safeguards
  • Encryption of data at rest and in transit
  • Access logging and audit trails
  • Breach notification requirements

Security Requirements

HIPAA requires comprehensive safeguards for protected health information, including physical, administrative, and technical controls to prevent unauthorized access.

Penalties: Up to $1.5 million per incident with potential criminal charges.

PCI

PCI DSS

Payment card industry data security

  • Cardholder data protection
  • Network security controls
  • Vulnerability management program
  • Regular security testing

12 Core Requirements

PCI DSS provides a comprehensive framework for protecting payment card data through network security, data protection, vulnerability management, and access controls.

Penalties: Fines up to $100,000 per month plus card replacement costs.

GDPR

General Data Protection

European privacy regulation

  • Data subject rights and consent
  • Privacy by design and default
  • Data breach notification (72 hours)
  • Data Protection Impact Assessments

Privacy Requirements

GDPR establishes comprehensive data protection rules for any organization processing EU residents' personal data, regardless of the organization's location.

Penalties: Up to 4% of annual revenue or €20 million, whichever is higher.

Compliance Implementation Steps

A systematic approach to achieving and maintaining compliance.

1

Assessment

Evaluate current systems and identify compliance gaps

2

Planning

Develop remediation plans and implementation timelines

3

Implementation

Deploy controls, policies, and monitoring systems

4

Monitoring

Continuous compliance monitoring and reporting

Need Help with Compliance?

Our compliance experts can help you navigate complex requirements and implement robust controls.