Protect Your Clients’ Data and Stay on the Right Side of the Law with IT Compliance in Kenosha, WI

First order of business: You want your clients and employees to know their personal data is secure. It’s good for business. It’s called customer trust. And it’s the right thing to do.

But there’s more. If you work in an industry like healthcare, insurance, banking, law, financial services, or education—for starters—and if you choose not to abide by IT security compliance regulations, you could be in big trouble with the law.

In fact, the consequences of not following IT compliance security requirements can be severe, ranging from legal sanctions and criminal charges to financial penalties, reputational damage, and loss of consumer trust. There is a risk of data breaches, which can lead to direct economic losses from fines, litigation, remediation costs, and reputational damage. Want more? Noncompliance can lead to business operation disruptions, loss of company reputation, loss of customer confidence, and potential compliance-related legal action.

If that doesn’t make you sick to the stomach, then nothing will.
IT compliance regulations require that your network be continuously monitored so that customer data like credit card information, social security numbers, and sensitive health information is secure. It requires security practices that are documented and can be proven by a security team at a moment’s notice.

If you’re in any of the following industries (or a related industry), chances are you’re subject to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) safeguard rules and regulations for consumer data protection:

What does that mean?

It means you must comply with the FTC safeguards rule checklist related to IT compliance, among others, at all times:

• Monitor internal compliance with security policies and procedures.
• Encode data in an acceptable format.
• Encrypt data to ensure confidential information is kept secure during transit and storage.
• Conduct periodic vulnerability assessments and penetration tests to identify weaknesses and potential security threats.
• Implement security software, such as firewalls and antivirus protection, on all computers and servers.
• Use strong passwords to protect access to sensitive data.
• Provide necessary employee training and education to teach data security basics.
• Take physical security measures such as locks and procedures for access control.
• Log activities on network servers.
• Integrate identity and access management systems.
• Create a system to detect and/or respond to intrusions.
• Develop a backup and retrieval plan in case of data loss or corruption.
• Employ a thorough incident response plan to address any security breaches.

Here’s a HIPAA Compliance Checklist we have to follow:

• Establish physical, network, and process security measures to protect patient data.
• Ensure patient data is only used or disclosed for authorized purposes.
• Have appropriate administrative, physical, and technical safeguards in place to protect patient data.
• Identify and authenticate the identity of users authorized to access patient data.
• Provide patients with access to and/or copies of their health information as necessary.
• Monitor and audit systems for unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or modification of patient data.
• Ensure data integrity and confidentiality.
• Disclose protected health information to third parties, such as contractors or business associates, in compliance with the Privacy Rule.
• Provide employee training to ensure compliance with the Privacy and Security Rules.
• Notify patients in the event of a data breach.
• Provide appropriate sanctions for employees who violate the Privacy Rule.
• Ensure that appropriate corrective actions are taken if violations are discovered.
• Submit reports to the Department of Health and Human Services and state attorneys general as required.

This list is certainly not exhaustive, and federal agencies’ regulations can change. That’s why it helps to have a partner who’s equipped with the latest information—someone who has completed HIPAA compliance training and certification and knows how to implement procedures that cover IT compliance regulatory requirements as they relate to HIPAA.

Let’s start a conversation today—before it’s too late.

Here’s a PCI compliance checklist you’ll need to take in order to stay PCI-compliant:

• Update and regularly patch your server’s operating system and other software.
• Encrypt all customer data in transit and at rest.
• Use only approved service providers to process credit card data.
• Perform regular security checks, tests, and scans.
• Install and maintain a firewall to protect customer data.
• Maintain up-to-date inventories of hardware, software, and networks.
• Use strong access control measures and multi-factor authentication.
• Regularly train your employees in security awareness and best practices.
• Enact strict security policies for all employees with access to customer data.
• Develop, test, and implement data security incident response processes.
• Monitor systems for unauthorized access.

Would the Payment Card Industry be happy with the way your business stores and protects data? In the event of a data breach, credit card information is some of the most valuable information a hacker can steal. Make sure you’re aware of the PCI compliance requirements to get the PCI compliance certification.

Let’s find out if the data you’re storing is protected with a consultation.