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Data Compliance

What is Data Compliance?

Data compliance refers to the practice of adhering to legal and regulatory requirements, industry standards, and internal policies related to the collection, storage, processing, and sharing of data. It involves implementing measures and following guidelines to ensure data is handled securely and responsibly.

Why is Data Compliance Important?

Data compliance is crucial for organizations as it helps protect individuals’ privacy, maintain data security, and mitigate the risk of data breaches or unauthorized access. Compliance requirements may vary depending on factors such as the industry, the type of data being handled, and the organization’s geographical location.

Critical aspects of data compliance include data security, privacy, and governance. Data security compliance focuses on safeguarding data from unauthorized access, loss, or theft, keeping it out of the hands of those not allowed access. Data privacy compliance involves protecting individuals’ personal information (PII) and ensuring that it is collected, processed, and used in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. These rules are often outlined in data privacy frameworks which outline the processes of identifying and managing privacy risk. Data governance refers to establishing policies, procedures, and controls to ensure data assets’ integrity, availability, and usability.

Data compliance and security

Failure to meet data compliance requirements can result in legal consequences, reputational damage, and financial penalties. Organizations can quickly become non-compliant without simultaneously meeting security, privacy, and governance mandates, placing sensitive data at risk. Preventing this requires an ongoing process of continuous monitoring, updates, and adaptation to changes in regulations and industry best practices to protect data throughout its lifecycle. 

Cloud Challenges

Data compliance has become more challenging with the increasing adoption of cloud technologies, which have increased based on its numerous benefits, such as scalability, cost-efficiency, and accessibility, which are offset by the challenges of maintaining cloud data compliance.

Cloud technologies pose several challenges to data compliance. Data sovereignty and jurisdiction become significant concerns as data stored in the cloud may be physically located in different countries or regions. This leads to complexities in determining applicable laws and regulations. Maintaining control over data is another challenge, as organizations rely on cloud service providers (CSPs) for data storage and management, necessitating appropriate contractual agreements and mechanisms for data retrieval or deletion.

Data visibility and auditing are also challenging because data distribution across multiple servers hinders comprehensive visibility and compliance demonstration. Organizations must implement robust data compliance strategies in cloud environments, considering shared responsibility models and carefully selecting compliant CSPs to fulfill their respective roles and obligations.

Data Compliance Use Cases

Data compliance is vital beyond the healthcare and financial sectors, encompassing various industry verticals. While healthcare and financial industries are often recognized for their stringent data compliance requirements, many other sectors also heavily rely on data compliance with their own unique compliance framework requirements to ensure data security, privacy, and ethical handling. Some common use cases where data compliance plays a crucial role:

  • Financial Services: Financial institutions are subject to strict data compliance regulations to ensure the security and privacy of customer financial information. Compliance standards like PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) are essential to protect credit card data.
  • Healthcare: The healthcare industry handles sensitive patient information and is bound by regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States. Compliance ensures the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI) and safeguards against unauthorized access or disclosure.
  • E-commerce and Retail: Online businesses that handle customer payment information must comply with data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. Compliance is necessary to protect customer data and maintain trust.
  • Technology and Cloud Services: Cloud service providers and technology companies that handle customer data must ensure compliance with regulations and standards such as ISO 27001 (Information Security Management System) and SOC 2 (Service Organization Control). Compliance assures customers that their data is handled securely.
  • Government Agencies: Government entities deal with sensitive citizen information, and compliance with data protection laws and regulations is essential. Examples include the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) in the United States and the Data Protection Act in the United Kingdom.
  • Education: Educational institutions collect and manage student data, including personal information. Compliance with relevant data protection laws, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in the United States, ensures the privacy and security of student records.
  • Marketing and Advertising: Companies that engage in marketing and advertising activities must comply with regulations like the GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) to protect individuals’ personal information and provide transparency regarding data usage.
  • Professional Services: Law firms, accounting firms, and other professional service providers often handle sensitive client data. Compliance helps maintain client confidentiality and meets professional and industry standards.

Dig Builds a Data Compliance Foundation

Dig Security is a valuable partner for organizations seeking to enhance their data compliance efforts. Leveraging its Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) suite and Data Detection and Response (DDR) capabilities, Dig offers comprehensive solutions for data compliance.

The platform’s advanced data discovery techniques allow organizations to scan and analyze structured and unstructured data in the cloud, helping identify and classify sensitive information. Through data classification and static risk analysis, Dig enables organizations to assess potential risks, prioritize compliance efforts, and establish a security baseline. This proactive approach ensures that security measures align with regulatory requirements and helps organizations protect sensitive data.

Dig’s DDR feature provides real-time ability to detect attacks and respond to reduce the impact and stop data from exfiltrating the organization. Dig identifies unusual patterns that may indicate security threats by monitoring data interactions. The platform promptly responds to these threats, mitigating risks and maintaining compliance. Furthermore, Dig incorporates threat intelligence to strengthen its defenses, blocking traffic from known malicious sources.

Dig significantly reduces the likelihood and impact of data breaches by combining static and dynamic risk monitoring. The platform enhances existing security controls, assisting organizations in protecting sensitive data and complying with data security regulations. Moreover, Dig’s automation capabilities streamline data compliance efforts, providing real-time insights and reducing the burden on IT and security teams.