Businesses large and small that deal with Personally Identifiable Information (PII) are usually required to abide by specific standards within the industry in which they operate. These regulations run the gamut from directing how information can be stored and accessed to maintaining security controls. And they are updated regularly.
Using an IT Compliance Service provider is one of the most efficient ways for a business to remain compliant and lessen the chances of an information breach or regulatory fines.
Who needs IT compliance service?
IT compliance service from ImageQuest is available to businesses of all sizes. Organizations in wealth management, banking, accounting, financial planning, education, law, and employee benefits sectors are required to follow security protocols that abide by industry standards. ImageQuest is intimately familiar with compliance regulations of HIPAA, FISMA, FINRA, FERPA, FFIEC, The American Land Title Association, and many others.
Services
ImageQuest offers a comprehensive scope of IT services for businesses that need help maintaining technological requirements. Some of these include:
- Risk assessment. An information technology risk assessment can identify threats and vulnerabilities that directly and indirectly affect PII contained within a company’s database systems. Once known, protective measures are put into place as part of ImageQuest’s IT Compliance service.
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM). A SIEM provides real-time analysis of the security alerts a network generates. Within the industry, this is known as Managed Detection and Response. Typically a combination of an on-network appliance plus software, a SIEM reviews the alerts – or logs – and focus on alerts of deviations from the normal accessing or transfer of information.
- Penetration testing. Penetration testing is important when assessing a business’s current level of security. It is an authorized attempted cybersecurity attack. At its most basic, penetration testing looks for security weakness that might present opportunities for hackers to access files, steal data, or run a ransomware attack that shuts down business operations.
- Documentation writing. Documenting security measures and procedures is imperative for businesses that are required to adhere to industry standards. Each governing body has different standards and failure to comply may result in regulatory fines.
- Employee security training. Technology can only go so far. A company’s security is also in the hands of its employees. ImageQuest can train employees at all levels on security best practices including how to identify fraudulent communications such as phishing emails and what to do if they suspect a problem.
- Technology disaster recovery planning. No matter how many security measures are put in place, all companies that deal with online information should implement a disaster recovery plan. This is a series of procedures to follow in response to an IT emergency and to maintain business continuity.
- Help desk. When any issues arise, ImageQuest is there with a team of professionals providing live technical assistance.
More than internal
A hot topic this year is vendor management. Businesses subject to regulatory scrutiny must also ensure that their downstream vendors maintain the same high standards. Vendors, and especially those that handle PII, must protect this information and follow security best practices. How this is done must be carefully documented. IT compliance service from ImageQuest can conduct a vendor review to identify any potential weak points and then make recommendations on processes and procedures to strengthen security at all levels.
IT Compliance services provide an additional layer of protection, even for companies with a functional IT department. Having an expert organization that understands ever-changing regulations and advances in technology can help prevent a data disaster.
For more information on managed IT, IT compliance, or cybersecurity, contact ImageQuest at 888.979.2679 or visit www.imagequest.com.