What is Information Technology (IT) Compliance?

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FORT LAUDERDALE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / February 19, 2021 / Businesses have adopted new, sophisticated technologies to stay ahead of the competition and serve the needs of their customer. Software as a service (SaaS), cloud-based technology, and other sophisticated IT tools have become commonplace over the last decade. Yet, implementing these tools in a business setting requires oversight and compliance regulations for financial and security purposes.

What is Information Technology Compliance?

Information Technology compliance can mean different things for every company depending on which technologies they implement in their business and their digital security requirements. Health care organizations and banks will have different compliance standards than a computer sales office. The goal of IT compliance is to provide security that is both desired by the customer and required by law in certain situations.

The overlap between security and new IT initiatives in a business is where Managed Services Provider (MSP) WheelHouse IT excels in delivering strategies that ensure company data is kept secure and compliant.

Following Rules and Meeting Standards

Compliance, along with the associated rules and standards, is often mandated by a government organization or a customer's contract, depending on the area of business in which the companies practice. Having these standards in place will compel a business to protect its digital assets reasonably and comprehensively.

Which Compliance Regulations Apply to Your Organization?

A company's IT team is required to examine its systems and software to determine which regulations apply to their specific organization. The compliance required by a company can change greatly depending on the area of business and the information that they handle.

A business may need to meet compliance regulations for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) among others. For example, some businesses deal with healthcare information, and that requires IT compliance for HIPAA. Discovering the applicable regulations for one's business can require intense research and diligence.

Compliance Audits and Reports

An audit of a company's internal systems can reveal its level of compliance. Performing an audit and generating reports is required of the IT department in a business. Once the reports are generated, it is possible to sift through the data to find the security flaws and shore up the defenses of a company before a negative outcome occurs. Using audits to measure your company's success is necessary to maintain an atmosphere dedicated to compliance.

Who is Responsible for Compliance?

In one sense, everyone is responsible for compliance in that they must understand their role in maintaining a secure environment in the business setting. However, the major stakeholders in a business are tasked with ensuring top-to-bottom compliance.

Individuals like the CTO and CCO are largely responsible for developing the company-specific framework for compliance. The C-suite positions' vision for IT compliance will be executed by the teams they form to handle their company's IT needs.

Whether your organization does or does not have a CTO or internal IT department, an MSP like WheelHouse IT can help to guide, educate, train, and implement technologies geared toward compliance, with active monitoring and support that identifies the gaps and helps you to secure them.

IT security is a team effort, and it is important to realize when your company needs to bring in new people to get the best results. Whether you need a fresh set of eyes on an issue or expertise in a specific area of business, MSPs can help guide your company toward compliance.