Tag Archives: Personal Identifiable Information (PII)

What Is IT Compliance?

Cybersecurity, Manage Service, , , , , ,

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 10-step guide 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.

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

Personal Identifiable Information (PII)
Cybersecurity, Security, , , , , ,

This month, we focused on a variety of topics regarding personal identifiable information (PII). PII includes an individual’s name, address, phone number, and medical history. In this digital age, PII is increasingly being stolen from unsuspecting individuals and organizations alike. PII allows cybercriminals to easily access financial accounts, and commit identity theft, and other crimes.

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 Breaches in 2022

In one of our recent blogs, we enumerate the top 10 data breaches in 2022 so far. These data breaches have resulted in millions of dollars worth of losses and have affected millions of unsuspecting individuals.

Data Breaches to Steal Money

Cryptocurrency websites have been attacked, with about $33 million stolen from Crypto.com in January and $625 million from Ronin Crypto, also within the first quarter of the year. Microsoft and Twitter have also been victims of massive attacks, which they are fortunately able to catch shortly.

Data Breaches to Steal Personal Identifiable Information

Other massive data breaches in the year have involved stolen credit card information sold on the dark web, insurance, and healthcare records stolen from the Australian healthcare and insurance company called Medibank, and data on missing persons stolen from Red Cross.

How Data Breaches Happen

The hacker used someone’s personal information to break into the company’s highly protected network, causing these data breaches.

identifiable Information

Week 2: Understanding Personal Identifiable Information

Personal identifiable information or PII refers to any data or detail that can be used to unequivocally identify an individual. Some of the more popularly used PII are a person’s full name, social security number, and biometrics. We talk more about PII in another of our recent blogs.

Because of the power that these bits of information wield, hackers aim to collect them by whatever means necessary. Once they get their hands on this critical data, they will be able to easily gain access to restricted areas of companies, both online and offline.

Securing Information with a Data Privacy Framework

The importance of personal identifiable information is very clear. With this in mind, it is just as important to keep this data as safe as possible. One of the best ways to ensure this is to use a reliable data privacy framework.

There are many existing ones that you can use but for the highest level of protection, it is best that you have your own framework, designed and built specifically for your company. With such a security solution in place, you can be more at ease knowing that you are better protected against potential intruders.

pii

Week 3: Protecting Your Personal Identifiable Information

In week three, we talk about specific things you can do to protect your personal identifiable information. Because no matter how much you trust your data privacy strategy, you should still take all the steps you can to be ahead of hackers at all times. Our guide lists some effective ways to protect your PII both online and offline. Read the full blog here.

Recovering from Getting Hacked

So, you have been very careful and you have done everything that you are supposed to do to keep your PII safe. But despite all this, it is still possible for some really ingenious hackers to get into your system. In case that happens, here is our Free Breach Infographic that tells you how to quickly recover from whatever damage has been done. Want to learn more about PII and how to keep your data safe? Call us today and let’s have a talk!