No matter what type of business you run or the services you provide to the community, chances are you must adhere to at least some compliance laws and regulatory requirements dictated by state or federal governments. Today, we want to make it abundantly clear that you must protect your business’ data to avoid inadvertently becoming subject to the massive fines associated with these laws.
Customer Personal Data
It’s likely that you collect information from your clients or customers in some capacity, whether it’s something as simple as name, email, phone number, or other information that helps you provide better services or products to them. If you collect personally identifiable information of any kind, like names, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive data, you could find yourself requiring compliance with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Financial Records and Transactions
Naturally, getting paid is part of doing business. It’s one of the most fun and most satisfying parts, actually. If you collect financial records of any kind from your clients—whether it’s tax records, payment card information, or bank account details—you likely need to comply with certain regulations. One of the most common is the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS. You must use a payment portal or system that is adequately protected, regularly audited, and managed in compliance with these regulations.
Healthcare Information and Medical Records
It doesn’t get much more private than healthcare and health-related records, so naturally, any organization that collects this information must be subject to and in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. Medical records of any kind, like patient demographics, medical history, treatment records, and insurance information, are all subject to the highest scrutiny, and they must be protected through encryption, access control, robust security measures, and secure data transmission methods.
Don’t Leave Compliance to Chance
When considering cybersecurity, it’s easy to think that your business is too small to become a target. However, as we hope we have established, certain types of protected data are especially lucrative for hackers. Just like any organization around North Central Massachusetts, your business is a target, whether you want to admit it or not, and we want to help your organization be ready for the attacks that might come your way.
To learn more about cybersecurity solutions and regulatory compliance, be sure to contact North Central Technologies at 978-798-6805.
