As the cyber security landscape continues to evolve, achieving and staying compliant with various regulations is more crucial than ever for businesses across all industries. At C-STEM, we work with a range of vendors to offer tailored solutions that not only enhance security posture but also assist organisations in meeting essential compliance standards. In this article, we provide a brief overview of some of the key compliance frameworks, with future editions focusing on each in more detail.
Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus
Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification designed to protect organisations from common cyber threats. It focuses on essential security measures including firewalls, secure configurations, malware protection, and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Cyber Essentials Plus takes this further by adding an internal vulnerability assessment to verify the strength of these controls.
Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT)
The DSPT is a self-assessment tool specifically for the UK’s health and social care sector. It ensures that organisations handling NHS patient data, such as healthcare providers, meet stringent data protection and security standards recognised by regulatory bodies such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
NIS & NIS2 Directive
The NIS directive focuses on protecting critical infrastructure sectors like healthcare, energy, transportation, and digital services by requiring organisations to implement robust cyber security measures. With the introduction of NIS2, which will be fully adopted by October 2024, the directive extends to even more sectors and imposes stricter requirements, especially around supply chain security and incident reporting.
Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA)
DORA is designed to enhance the digital operational resilience of financial institutions operating within the EU. It introduces stringent cyber security standards for banks, insurance companies, pension firms, and investment institutions. Additionally, it imposes requirements on the ICT service providers that support these financial entities, ensuring that they maintain the integrity of their digital systems. Compliance with DORA is crucial for maintaining trust and security within the financial sector.
PCI DSS v4.0
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) ensures the protection of cardholder data for organisations that process, store, or transmit this sensitive information. The updated version, PCI DSS v4.0, introduces enhanced security measures such as stronger multi-factor authentication and malware protection.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is essential for any organisation handling personal data within the EU. It emphasises privacy by design, risk management, and breach reporting, requiring organisations to follow strict protocols when processing personal information.
ISO 27001
ISO 27001 is the international standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), helping organisations protect their information through a systematic and cost-effective approach. This standard applies to any industry, including finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and IT services, as it helps businesses manage risk effectively while ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their information.
Stay tuned for future editions where we’ll dive deeper into each of these frameworks, discussing the specific controls required and how C-STEM can help your organisation achieve and maintain compliance.