PCI DSS compliance ensures your customer’s credit card data is protected from hackers and compromise attempts. Though complying with this regulation isn’t easy, it is possible. To simplify this essential effort, we’ve compiled a checklist of the key security metrics that should be addressed to meet the compliance requirements of this critical information security standard.
NIST compliance is mandatory for any entity and service provider processing Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) on behalf of the US Federal Government. Given the substantial risk to national security if this sensitive data is exploited and the high potential of its compromise through supply chain attacks, the range of organizations expected to comply with this cybersecurity regulation is intentionally broad.
In the past, purchasing cybersecurity insurance was considered a luxury rather than a necessity. However, as the number of cyber attacks continues to grow, many educational institutions have started to buy insurance policies to cover the damaging costs of malware and ransomware attacks. The education sector saw the most cyber attacks in 2021 and 2022 compared to every other industry, including healthcare and finance.
While PCI compliance sets an industry benchmark surrounding cybersecurity for the financial sector, organizations shouldn’t rely on it to protect themselves against data breaches. The harsh truth is that cybercriminals will exploit any weakness in an organization’s IT infrastructure to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, not just those covered by PCI DSS compliance requirements.
Managing individual business risks is difficult when silos exist. An enterprise risk management (ERM) framework consolidates risk management strategy across an entire organization, enabling better visibility, measurement, and management of business objectives. With a unified focus on addressing risk, compliance teams can universally improve regulatory compliance, governance, and risk management processes.
Independent school districts (ISDs) are the perfect target for cybercriminals because their networks are typically poorly secured. Many schools have inadequate security practices due to the lack of education, training, or funding. ISDs are publicly funded primary and secondary educational institutions, including elementary, middle, and high schools.
Keeping up with ever-changing regulatory requirements for cybersecurity can prove difficult for many organizations, which may unknowingly become non-compliant if they fail to adapt to new laws and regulations. Healthcare organizations and financial services must be even more vigilant with compliance. Both sectors are subject to even stricter requirements due to the large quantities of personally identifiable information (PII) they manage.
