Compliance management strategies for protecting data in complex regulatory environments

In this Help Net Security interview, Andrius Buinovskis, Head of Product at NordLayer, discusses how organizations can assess their compliance management and ensure they meet regulatory requirements.

Buinovskis also addresses the challenges of managing multiple frameworks and offers strategies for building a strong security compliance program.

To start things off, how can organizations assess their current compliance management level, and what steps should they take to determine whether they are meeting all regulatory requirements?

Assessing where an organization’s compliance status can seem like a daunting task, but breaking it down into key steps makes it much more manageable. The first step is to conduct internal audits and gap analyses. For an objective perspective, many organizations also bring in third-party assessors for independent evaluations, which can highlight areas that internal teams might miss.

Implementing compliance management software is also highly effective. It allows companies to track requirements, giving them a clearer view of their compliance standing overall. Another useful approach is to look back at past audit results. By reviewing these, companies can address any recurring issues that haven’t been fully resolved yet.

Once you have a good sense of where you are, it’s time to ensure you’re meeting all the necessary regulations. First, create a comprehensive inventory of applicable regulations. Think of it as your compliance checklist—it helps to map out what rules apply and where. Next, map your existing controls and processes to these regulatory requirements to ensure they’re aligned. It’s also important to perform regular self-assessments against these requirements and validate evidence of compliance for each control. Finally, since regulations can change over time, organizations need to set up a process for monitoring new or changing regulations to stay on top of things.

That’s a lot to keep track of! What are the biggest challenges organizations face when dealing with compliance, especially if they’re handling multiple frameworks across different jurisdictions?

Yes, managing compliance can certainly feel like juggling several balls at once—especially when those “balls” are regulations that keep changing! One of the biggest challenges is simply keeping up with rapidly evolving regulations across different regions. What’s compliant in one country may not meet the standards in another, so organizations constantly have to update and adapt.

Another significant hurdle is reconciling overlapping or conflicting requirements. Different frameworks can sometimes contradict one another, making it tricky to ensure compliance with all. This leads to the challenge of managing multiple frameworks simultaneously, which can quickly become overwhelming, especially for global organizations.

Resource allocation is another pain point. Many companies struggle to allocate enough resources—whether budget, personnel, or technology—to maintain compliance across all areas. Additionally, maintaining continuous compliance rather than just meeting requirements at a single point in time takes considerable effort.

Lastly, integrating compliance into everyday business processes and culture is a major challenge. Compliance can’t just be something that’s checked off a list once a year—it needs to be embedded into the company’s DNA. When dealing with multiple regulators or auditors, organizations need to be able to demonstrate compliance clearly and effectively across all areas, which can often feel like spinning plates!

Given all these challenges, what are some key strategies for building a security compliance program that meets regulatory requirements and enhances overall cybersecurity posture?

Great question! A solid security compliance program can act as a sturdy foundation for both regulatory success and a strong cybersecurity posture. The first step is to establish a dedicated compliance function—this means having clear ownership and responsibility. Everyone in the organization should know who’s in charge of compliance.

Many organizations benefit from using a Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platform. This tool helps centralize all compliance efforts, ensuring that no regulatory requirement or control slips through the cracks. Another key strategy is to adopt a risk-based approach—this means focusing your efforts on the areas that present the greatest risks, rather than trying to tackle everything equally.

Automation is your friend here. Wherever possible, automate compliance processes and monitoring. This reduces human error and frees up your team’s time to focus on more strategic tasks. It’s also crucial to integrate compliance into the software development lifecycle. This way, security and compliance are built into products from the start, rather than added on at the end.

Regular training and awareness programs are also essential. Employees need to understand their role in maintaining compliance, whether it’s following security protocols or handling sensitive data correctly. And, of course, you can’t forget about continuous monitoring and testing of controls to ensure everything is working as it should. Lastly, keep thorough documentation and audit trails—this will save you a lot of headaches when auditors come knocking!

Another effective strategy is to hire a Managed Service Provider (MSP) experienced in security compliance. An MSP can help set up the right tools and monitor your systems, keeping you on track with rules and saving your team time. With an MSP, you stay focused on your business while they handle the compliance work.

How do compliance requirements vary in specific industries like healthcare, financial services, and government sectors? What should companies in these industries prioritize when developing their security compliance strategies?

Each industry certainly has its own unique set of rules, but there are also common threads. In healthcare, the focus is squarely on patient data privacy and security. Regulations like HIPAA and HITECH require organizations to protect electronic health records, ensure proper access controls, and maintain audit logs. Healthcare companies should also pay close attention to managing third-party vendors, as they can be a significant source of risk.

For financial services, data protection and fraud prevention take center stage. Regulations like PCI DSS, SOX, and GLBA mandate strict protocols for protecting customer data and ensuring system integrity. Companies in this space need to prioritize strong authentication methods, encryption, and regular vulnerability assessments to stay secure and compliant.

When we look at the government sector, the stakes are often tied to national security. Compliance is about protecting classified data and ensuring robust security protocols, such as those outlined in FISMA and FedRAMP. Government organizations need to focus on strict access controls, securing their supply chains, and conducting thorough background checks on personnel.

No matter the sector, there are some overarching priorities that everyone should focus on—like establishing a robust risk management framework, maintaining strong identity and access management, and developing solid incident response and breach notification procedures. By tailoring these strategies to the specific requirements of their industry, organizations can build compliance programs that not only meet regulatory demands but also significantly strengthen their overall security.

That brings us to NordLayer’s role in all this. How do your solutions contribute to security checks and help mitigate security threats for on-site and remote employees?

NordLayer offers a comprehensive set of tools to help organizations secure both their on-site and remote employees. With NordLayer’s feature set, employees can connect to the internet or internal company resources via encrypted, secure tunnels, ensuring that all data flowing to and from their devices is encrypted and protected from potential attacks. Whether employees are in the office or working remotely, they can safely access protected company resources. These resources stay hidden from actors outside the network as long as users meet the conditions set by admins through zero trust network access policies.

Multi-factor authentication is another layer of protection. By requiring multiple forms of verification, NordLayer ensures that only authorized personnel can access sensitive information, making it much harder for unauthorized users to gain entry.

On top of that, threat prevention is key to mitigating risks. With ThreatBlock, NordLayer blocks access to potentially malicious websites before it can cause harm. Soon, we’ll also introduce download protection, which will scan and remove any potentially harmful files, further protecting companies from malware and data breaches.

Finally, there is also network segmentation. By segmenting the network and having separate access policies for different groups, roles, and organizations, you can limit the spread of breaches and control who can access sensitive data. In short, NordLayer offers robust, scalable solutions that help organizations not only meet regulatory requirements but also stay ahead of evolving security threats.