In today’s world, it seems like there is a new threat around every corner. There are many cyber-attacks happening, and they can pose a big risk for your business. And while some of these threats can be mitigated with a little common sense and luck, others require a more proactive approach-like implementing security standards for your business. But what exactly does that entail? Well, you’re about to find out! In this article, we’ll go over four security standards that every business ought to follow in order to protect themselves from all types of threats.
1. PSI-DSS
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) has been developed to encourage and enhance cardholder data security and facilitate the broad adoption of consistent data security measures globally. The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council manages the PCI-DSS, which was created through a joint effort from American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard, and Visa Inc.
Every business that accepts credit cards as a form of payment is required to be PCI-compliant. This security standard for organization procedures has been designed to ensure that all of the necessary steps are being taken in order to protect cardholders’ sensitive data. If you don’t adhere to PCI-DSS, your business can be held liable for any damages caused by a security breach-and if this occurs, there’s no telling how much it could end up costing your company.
2. GDPR
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new privacy regulation that was developed by the European Union. It was implemented in 2018, and it gives consumers control over how their data is used. This security standard applies to all EU countries, some other countries in Europe, and to organizations outside the EU collecting data about their citizens. So if your business is not in Europe, but you do collect data from EU citizens, you are required to follow this privacy regulation.
Businesses are now required to obtain explicit consent from customers about their right for processing any personal data related to them, which includes their online behavior and preferences. Consent must be clear and distinguishable from other matters, and it must be given through an affirmative action such as checking a box.
GDPR also includes several other important provisions which include the right to access, the right to rectification, prohibition of unlawful processing, data portability, restriction on automated decision-making and profiling, and accountability.
3. ISO/IEC 27001
ISO/IEC 27001 is a security standard that’s used for information technology systems, mainly concerned with the protection of sensitive data. This security standard is composed of more than 700 pages that cover areas like risk management, security management, and procedures.
If you follow ISO/IEC 27001, it means that your business has implemented an Information Security Management System (ISMS). An ISMS is a set of processes and procedures that allow your business to identify, manage, and reduce the risks regarding information security.
An ISMS can help you identify threats such as malware attacks and data breaches, but it doesn’t just stop there. It also helps you protect against these threats by providing guidance on how to maintain awareness of information security, implementing safeguards, and ensuring that your staff is appropriately trained.
4. CIS
Critical Security Controls (CIS) is a set of 20 prioritized actions for improving the security posture of an organization. They help businesses determine which areas need the most attention when it comes to cyber threat protection.
CIS is developed by The Center for Internet Security, which is a non-profit organization that provides resources to help businesses better protect themselves against cyberattacks. This security standard has been endorsed by companies like IBM, HP Enterprise, and Cisco.
These critical controls are broken down into six categories, namely: Defend in Depth, Network Security, Application Security, Identity and Access Management (IAM), Malware Defenses, and Secure Configurations.
CIS is a great starting point for implementing security in your organization because it allows businesses to gain full visibility of their security postures, understand where the biggest security risks are, prioritize actions based on severity, and then establish an incident response process.
In this blog post, you have learned about the different security standards that your business needs. PCI-DSS is a standard for businesses accepting credit cards as a form of payment, while GDPR applies to European Union countries and organizations outside of Europe collecting data from EU citizens. ISO/IEC 27001 helps protect sensitive data on information technology systems, while CIS is a set of 20 critical controls broken down into six categories ranging from network security to malware defenses. Which one(s) do you feel your company should be compliant with? We hope you found this article helpful!
Main Photo by Mati Mango
