Network compliance is important for both regulatory and safety concerns. Businesses operating IT environments, online stores, and healthcare information must follow the primary three guidelines:
- NIST
- HIPAA
- PCI
Each of these regulatory guidelines encapsulate a different standard, but all are important to follow. Following these regulations avoids penalties and further protects your network from cyber attacks.
What do they mean?
Each standards have different meanings and involved different industries.
NIST
NIST stands for “National Institute of Standards and Technology,” a non-regulatory government agency responsible for establishing key guidelines regarding network strategy and protection. NIST is officially endorsed and sets many founding guidelines for companies. Their policy recommendations also often involve officially held IT network regulations.
HIPAA
HIPAA is part of the healthcare industry, standing for “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.” Ultimately it handles the protection, transmission, and storage of medical data for healthcare practices.
PCI
Shorthand for “Payment Card Industry” standards, PCI goes hand-in-hand with any organization using credit card payment hubs for their services. It’s often right in line with HIPAA, as the two share common ground.
Frequently Asked Questions About Network Compliance
Ensuring that your network is compliant with the relevant standards is essential. In the section below, we answer some of the commonly asked questions about our network compliance management services.
What is network compliance?
Network compliance is a term used to describe the adherence of a network or an organization’s network infrastructure to specific regulations, standards, and best practices. This ensures that your computer network meets certain requirements set by industry regulations, governing bodies, and internal policies.
Why is network configuration compliance important?
The truth is that network security and compliance are important for various reasons. Firstly, it helps businesses protect their sensitive data. If such information gets to the wrong people, it could have dire consequences.
Compliance is also essential to prevent unauthorized access and mitigate the risk of data breaches and cyber-attacks.
Furthermore, many industries, such as the healthcare sector, have regulations that require businesses to maintain network infrastructures that comply with certain standards to safeguard customer data or ensure patient confidentiality and privacy.
Although many companies may not be obliged to achieve compliance, they can use it to enhance their reputation and build trust with stakeholders, partners, and customers.
How can you help with compliance?
At Bytagig, we have many years of experience providing support and ensuring network access control. Here are some of the services we offer to help ensure that your company’s IT system complies with the relevant standards and regulations:
- Network compliance auditing. Knowing your compliance status is the first step to assessing your existing system. We will conduct a comprehensive audit and make a note of any compliance violations.
- Recommendations for improvements. Thereafter, we will make recommendations for improvement and suggest ways to ensure that your network devices are compliant.
- Network policy development and enforcement. Once we have identified potential issues, we will devise suitable solutions and implement them.
- Security solutions. Next, we’ll offer solutions to ensure your data security according to the relevant compliance standards.
- Set up of network compliance monitoring and logging systems. We will install a custom network monitoring solution to help track activity and detect potential threats.
- Network compliance reporting. Maintaining certain records is one of the requirements of compliance. Our team will help you with reporting to ensure that you remain compliant.
Contact us today to learn more about our configuration management solutions!
What is the best way to ensure compliance and prevent compliance violations?
It’s best to talk to us for more industry-specific advice. We may recommend network automation or a number of other solutions to help you remain compliant.
What are some common network compliance challenges?
The truth is that it’s not always smooth sailing when it comes to network compliance. It’s not uncommon to face certain challenges. However, preparing in advance can make the process a little easier. Here are a few typical challenges businesses face:
Balancing Security and Functionality
Striking a balance between network security and the user experience is a common challenge when ensuring network compliance. That’s because stringent security measures, as dictated by certain regulations, can sometimes lower overall productivity.
Ensuring Compliance with Ever-changing Regulations and Standards
The truth is that compliance requirements change over time, and organizations must stay updated, adjusting their network compliance solutions to meet these changes.
Technical Requirements
Implementing and maintaining the necessary technical controls and measures can be complex and resource-intensive.
What are some of the consequences of non-compliance?
Non-compliance with the relevant network regulations can have various consequences, which include financial penalties, legal action, loss of the business’s reputation, loss of customer trust, and potential disruptions in business operations. Depending on which standard was violated, the consequences may vary, but they can be severe and have lasting effects on the company.
How often should network compliance assessments be conducted?
The frequency of these network audits can vary based on factors such as requirements or changes in industry regulations, internal changes, and risk levels. Generally, companies should conduct regular assessments, at least annually, or whenever there are significant changes in the IT infrastructure, systems, or regulatory landscape.
Can cloud services be used while maintaining network compliance?
Yes, cloud services can be utilized while maintaining network compliance. However, it is essential to ensure that the provider you choose meets the necessary compliance standards and offers appropriate security measures. Fortunately, you can count on us for reliable multi-cloud networking solutions with complete peace of mind.
Are you ready to ensure that your business is compliant? Get in touch with us today, and let’s work together to get the job done!