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What Is IT Compliance?

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The term IT compliance is frequently heard these days in relation to running an organization and making sure that they keep within the regulations of a third party or a specific client. It is essentially a process that companies go through in order to keep within these predetermined guidelines or boundaries. The main goal of IT compliance is to satisfy the minimum requirements when it comes to security implementation and risk reduction.

IT Compliance versus IT Security

There is a blurry line between IT compliance and IT security, with many people confusing one for the other. While both aim to ensure the security of a company or organization in the digital environment, the level of commitment involved can be very different.

With IT security, the implementing body will go to great lengths to keep the assets of the organization as protected as can be. They will utilize the most cutting edge technology solutions to safeguard against any and all possible online threats known to man. In other words, IT security aims to follow best practices for the protection of the system or network.

IT compliance, on the other hand, simply aims to satisfy the minimum requirements of a third party, like the government or a contracting agent. Such third parties might have their own set of regulations that a company will have to fulfill in order to continue with operations. Such fulfillment of these regulations is what IT compliance is all about.

The Importance of IT Compliance in Cybersecurity

Although it does not necessarily guarantee that your company will be completely safe from online mishaps, IT compliance is a must. For starters, you won’t be able to continue operating if you fail to comply with even one small regulation.

Much more importantly, complying with IT rules and guidelines greatly reduces the risk that you face online. Of course, it is the third party that determines the standards of risk reduction. If you feel that the security procedures that they require are not enough to completely protect you online, you are free to implement even more advanced security measures that meet your needs.

In many cases, though, the simple act of IT compliance will already put you in a much safer place. In your own company, you can create your own compliance program that will effectively manage online risks and avert online attacks that could potentially lead to a dangerous data breach.

How a Managed Services Provider Can Help

Many companies, particularly those that are not directly operating in the IT industry, are not well-versed when it comes to IT compliance and such matters. In this case, the best move would be to partner with a reliable managed services provider that can take care of all the hard work and technical stuff for you.

We will guarantee that you comply with all the IT requirements that apply to your industry, region, or whatnot. We can also design and implement your own IT compliance program to further protect you from online dangers. Furthermore, we will train your employees on the best practices for ensuring IT compliance and protecting your network and data.

If, however, you feel that you have already been hacked, we have provided a free Ebook on what you should do to quickly remediate and be on the fastest road to recovery.

Many companies tend to be lax when it comes to IT compliance, only to learn their lesson after becoming victim to a data breach, by which it would be too late. Don’t wait for this to happen to your organization. Give us a call, let us take care of your IT compliance requirements today and give you the best cybersecurity solutions so you can continue running your business in peace without having to worry about online threats.

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February Recap: Personal Identifiable Information (PII) in Data Security

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This month, we focused on a variety of topics regarding personal identifiable information (PII). Personal identification information (PII) includes name, address, phone number, and medical history. Hackers steal PII from unwary people and organizations in the digital age and its increasing. It’s not surprising that cybercriminals are focusing on PII because it gives them a simple way to access financial accounts, steal identities, and engage in other nefarious deeds.

You can never really underestimate these hackers and the havoc they can wreak. Just to give you an idea, take a look at some of our latest blogs about PII.

Breaches

Week 1: Top Data Breach Incidents in 2022

We recently listed the top 10 data breaches in 2022 in one of our blogs. Millions of innocent people have been impacted by these data breaches, which has unfortunately cost millions of dollars in losses.

Breach of Data to Steal Money

Attacks on cryptocurrency websites have resulted in the theft of $625 million from Ronin Crypto in the first quarter of the year and about $33 million from Crypto.com in January. Massive attacks have also hit Twitter and Microsoft, but fortunately, they detect them quickly.

Breach of Data to Steal Personal Identifiable Information (PII)

Other significant data breaches this year include the sale of stolen credit card information on the dark web, the theft of insurance and medical records from Medibank, an Australian healthcare and insurance company, and the theft of missing persons data from Red Cross.

How Data Breach Events Occur

The origins of these data breaches can be traced to the hacker obtaining access to someone’s personally identifiable information, which they then used to breach the company’s highly secure network, despite the fact that the objectives and methods of these data breaches vary.

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Week 2: Acquiring knowledge of personal identifiable information (PII)

Any information that can be used to clearly identify a specific person is known as personal identifiable information, or PII. The full name of a person, their social security number, and their biometrics are some examples of PII because these are common to us. In one of our recent blogs, we expand on PII.

Hackers aim to obtain these pieces of information by any means necessary because of the influence they hold. Once they possess this vital information, they will have no trouble breaking into secure areas of businesses, both online and off.

Information Security Using a Data Privacy Framework

It is abundantly clear how important personally identifiable information is. Keeping this information as secure as possible is crucial in light of this. Utilizing a solid data privacy framework is one of the best ways to guarantee this.

Although there are many already in existence that you can use, it is best to have your own framework that was especially for your business if you want the highest level of protection. With such a security solution, you can feel safer from intruders.

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Week 3: Keeping Your Personal Identifiable Information (PII) Data Safe

We discuss specific actions you can take to protect your personally identifiable information in a recent blog post titled 2022 – The Guide to Protecting Your PII. Regardless of your data privacy strategy, you should always take precautions to stay ahead of hackers. Some practical methods to safeguard your PII both online and offline are in our guide list. Read the entire blog post here.

Rebuilding your business security After a Hack

In order to protect your PII, you have taken great care and taken all the necessary steps. But even with all of this, some very cunning hackers might still be able to access your system. Here is a Free Ebook to help you quickly repair any harm that has been caused. Do you want to know more about PII and data security? Give us a call right away, and let’s talk!

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Protecting Your PII From Hackers

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The term “personally identifiable information,” or “PII,” refers to any information that can identify a particular person. If an unauthorized party steals your PII, it could use it for illegal activities such as breaking into secured areas, making unlawful transactions in your name, or even stealing your identity entirely. You must have some knowledge about protecting your personally identifiable information to prevent any unfortunate situations from occurring. Both online and offline executions of this procedure are required.

Physical Measures to Protect Your PII

Even though we now conduct most of our business online, if you are not vigilant, hackers can still access a lot of your physical data. Your name, address, and bank or credit card account numbers are all found on postal mail, account statements, and utility bills. As a result, you must protect these records from data thieves.

Discreet Storage

The secure storage of your papers is an important step in securing your personally identifiable information. Start by installing a lock on your mailbox, which is now required. You can also use a private PO Box where only you have access to your mail. It’s also wise to store your vital papers in a fireproof safe at home rather than a cardboard box or dresser drawer.

Look Over Your Mail

When you get your bills and account statements, look them over carefully to see if there are any strange charges. Even better, instead of waiting for the bill to arrive in the mail, you can check your statement online regularly. Because your PII is frequently included in mail, mail theft is a widespread problem.

Employ a Shredder

Even if you no longer need your bank statements or other financial records, never throw them away. Dumpster diving is a common habit among hackers as they look for any data that will aid in their nefarious activities. Purchase a personal shredder that you can use to dispose of confidential documents safely.

Keep Your PII Safe Online

Since practically everything is now online, hackers can access data much more easily. To protect your PII, you must navigate the web with extreme caution.

Select Reliable Passwords

Strong passwords combining letters, numbers, and other special characters will make them difficult to crack. For increased protection, change your passwords at least once every month.

Use Just One Credit Card

The likelihood that a hacker may use your cards for illegal activity increases with the more cards you use for online purchasing. Reduce this risk by using just one card, this will keep your PII safer and less likely to be stolen.

Browse With Care

Always be on the lookout when you are browsing the web, reading your email, or accessing your social media accounts. Ignore pop-ups and don’t click on dubious links or attachments as they almost certainly contain malware.

PII: What to Do If You Believe You Have Been Hacked

Even if you have taken all the precautions to protect your data, there are some important things that you need to address immediately. We firmly advise that you adhere to our 10-step action plan rather than erupting into a full-blown panic. The advice in our Free ebook will put you on the path to recovery much more quickly and give you a decent chance of recovering your data and restoring total control of your network, even if you might initially feel helpless. Check out the many helpful tools we have by giving us a call, if you want to learn more about securing your network and safeguarding your personally identifiable information.