As cyber threats keep evolving and continue to threaten the security of data, continuity of operations, privacy of people, and reputation of organization, regulatory bodies have become more serious about compliance.

It becomes important to understand the different aspects of compliance, what they mean, and how they are applied to organizations to take proactive measures for cybersecurity as per compliance requirements.

Through this blog, we will explore what standards and cybersecurity regulations are, the differences between them, and what they mean for business.

What are cybersecurity regulations?

Cybersecurity regulations are laws made for a particular purpose (for example, protecting citizen’s right to security and privacy). Most cybersecurity regulations are primarily for securing data and/or systems from cyber threats. It is mandatory for subjected entities to adhere to these legally binding sets of requirements.

These regulations are enforced and overseen by the government. Therefore, non-compliance with these regulations can lead to paying penalties.  Some of the most common regulations include GDPR, HIPAA, and FISMA.

What are cybersecurity standards and certifications?

Cybersecurity standards are guidelines/best practices organizations can follow to improve security posture. Standards are voluntary and not mandatory, unlike compliance regulations. They are overseen by professional organizations or international bodies like the International Organization of Standardization. Upon adherence to all the requirements, an organization is awarded a certification stating that they have adhered to the cybersecurity requirements.

Cybersecurity regulations and standards explained with an example

For example, if it is an IT services provider based in India, it would be subjected to all the cybersecurity and data protection laws in the country (like DPDPA 2019), and any non-compliance would lead to consequences like penalties. The organization could get an ISO certification by adhering to all the best practices and requirements for ISMS and other information security and cybersecurity guidelines.  Through the ISO certification, the organization could enhance trust among its clients regarding its commitment to customer data security and privacy.

What are policies, guidelines, standards, controls, processes, and procedures?

Policies talk about the destination an organization intends to reach and why.

Guidelines tell us how to reach the destination, and standards tell us how to reach the destination more effectively.

Controls provide specific things to implement to ensure the achievement of the standard, and processes & procedures tell us the systematic steps that we need to take to reach there.

For example, an organization might have a policy “IT use policy” with a guideline saying “Internet should be accessed securely” but only through standards, controls, processes, and procedures will it be able to ensure that the policy is achieved systematically without missing anything.  

To wrap it up

Knowing the difference between cybersecurity regulations and standards and certification helps ensure a smooth compliance journey for an organization.

It provides clarity and saves an organization from wastage of compliance efforts, ensuring easier prioritization. However, organizations find it challenging to effectively identify and address their compliance gaps. It is where most organizations think about teaming up with a cybersecurity vendor who can provide them with the cybersecurity expertise to help them adhere to regional and global cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy regulations. However, the challenge is that most vendors only offer cybersecurity expertise alone.

SharkStriker solves this challenge by offering dual expertise in cybersecurity and compliance, helping organizations identify and address cybersecurity and compliance gaps with recommendations to boost cyber resilience.

If you are looking to get your cybersecurity posture assessed for security and compliance gaps, get started here.