As a startup founder, security might not be the first thing on your mind. You’re busy building features, finding product-market fit, and growing your customer base. But security isn’t just a nice to have—it’s essential to helping you hit key milestones faster, from winning larger customers to securing your next round of funding.

In the digital age, where cyber threats loom large and data breaches have become all too common, the humble password remains a vital security gatekeeper. Yet, with stolen credentials accounting for 31% of breaches, according to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, it’s clear that organizations often fail to protect passwords.

More than ever, business growth is reliant on proving security and compliance. According to Vanta’s State of Trust Report, nearly two-thirds (65%) of organizations say that customers, investors, and buyers require proof of compliance. ‍ GRC and security teams are on the frontlines managing these requests. Yet these teams are too often under-resourced and burdened with processes and systems that waste their time.

There is an increasing need for traceability and attestation of the actions taken as software moves across the SDLC. Emerging regulations and policies around secure software development are rapidly evolving, and it’s important to stay ahead of the changing landscape. Some organizations have taken a proactive approach with home-grown solutions or manual processes, but despite best efforts, these solutions often lack scale and eventually falter over time.

Government contractors handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) for the Department of Defense must navigate complex compliance requirements. Central to these requirements is the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), which mandates conformance to NIST SP 800-171 and DFARS 252. This framework encompasses 110 security requirements across 14 security domains, including Access Control, Audit and Accountability, Risk Assessment, Incident Response, and several others.

As we advance into 2025, data privacy continues to be a critical area of focus for organizations worldwide. The accelerating pace of technological innovation, coupled with heightened consumer awareness and stricter regulatory frameworks, demands that technology leaders prioritize data protection. This article explores key trends shaping the future of data privacy and offers actionable insights for navigating this complex landscape.

Remote work isn’t just a temporary trend anymore; it has become a permanent fixture. What began as a quick response during the pandemic has evolved into the new normal for businesses worldwide. In America, 20% of people now work from home. While this has its advantages (flexibility for workers and cost savings for businesses), it’s not without its complications, having cracked open a host of issues around cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.

According to a Gartner report, 60% of organizations will rely on third-party vendors for more than half of their critical business operations by 2025. However, Gartner also warns that third-party risk events – such as data breaches or compliance violations – will increase by 30% in the same timeframe. As a technology leader, these figures resonate deeply with the challenges I see organizations facing daily.

The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) comes into full effect on January 17, 2025. This deadline marks a monumental shift in how financial institutions and their technology providers prioritize and maintain operational resilience and cybersecurity standards – and sets in stone real business and regulatory consequences to ensure resilience is achieved. And like any sweeping security regulation, organizations must embark on an uphill journey to earn full compliance.

The full compliance process for CMMC, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, culminates in an audit that validates an organization’s cybersecurity posture and its implementation of the security controls that apply to it. Throughout this process, there is a gatekeeper who performs your audit. You may have heard of them referred to as a CMMC Auditor or a CMMC Assessor. With these two terms in play, you may be wondering what the difference is between them.