9 Things Small Business Owners Should Know About IT Compliance

For small to medium-sized businesses, IT compliance is essential to protect sensitive data, maintain customer trust, and avoid legal repercussions. While the specific requirements may vary based on the industry and location, there are some basic protocols that can be implemented by a reputable IT service provider.  These best practices will not only help keep your data secure, but they could help you avoid a legal issue.  In this article, we review some best practices that your technology provider can help you implement for IT compliance, privacy policies, and data security.

1. Identify Applicable Regulations: The first step for IT compliance is to determine which IT compliance regulations apply to your business. This may include GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, or other industry-specific regulations. If you have a privacy policy, you will also want to ensure that your employee devices, network, and data are secured properly. Endpoint security is a must for any business.
2. Conduct Risk Assessments: Your IT provider can perform a thorough risk assessment of your IT infrastructure and processes to identify potential vulnerabilities and areas of non-compliance. It’s important not only to be aware of the risks associated with data handling, storage, transmission, and access, but also to take preventive measures.
3. Develop IT Policies and Procedures: If you are a government contractor, your IT provider can help you develop comprehensive IT policies and procedures that align with the relevant compliance regulations. These policies should cover data privacy, security measures, employee access controls, and incident response protocols.
4. Implement Data Protection Measures: Small businesses should focus on implementing strong data protection measures to safeguard sensitive information. This includes encryption of data, access controls, regular data backups, and secure storage. This is even more important if you are handling sensitive data.
5. Educate Employees: Your IT Service Provider can provide regular training and education to all employees about IT security best practices and the importance of compliance. Employees should be aware of their role in safeguarding data and preventing security breaches. Many organizations even require employee training on a quarterly or annual basis.
6. Ensure Secure Network Infrastructure: Small businesses should consider robust firewall protection, intrusion detection systems, and secure Wi-Fi networks. This is often too much to think about for a small to medium-sized business. Your IT provider can regularly update software and apply security patches to protect against potential vulnerabilities.
7. Establish an Incident Response Plan: You don’t want to develop a plan after a crisis, so work with your trusted IT advisory to develop a clear incident response plan in case of a data breach or security incident. This plan should outline steps to contain the breach, notify affected parties, and work towards remediation. Small to medium sizes businesses are at a high risk for ransomware attacks.  Planning ahead is the key.
8. Document Everything: Maintain detailed records of your IT compliance efforts, including policies, training records, audit results, and incident response logs. Proper documentation demonstrates your commitment to compliance in case of audits or investigations.
9. Don’t Trust the Cloud – While the cloud is a great option that can provide many cost benefits, do not trust the cloud for your backup and recovery strategies. If a major attack were to occur, your cloud provider will likely have plans in place, but your business needs to have its own plan too!  Many businesses benefit from a separate backup and recovery strategy so that, in the event of a crisis, they aren’t waiting days or weeks to have their data recovered.

Small to medium-sized businesses with limited IT resources will often benefit greatly from considering an IT outsourcing partner.  Since IT compliance is an ongoing process, your IT partner should be well-trained, up-to-speed on the latest technology, and able to protect your business from the latest cyber threats.

Are you a small to medium-sized business?  Have you been winging it, when it comes to your data or IT?  Conscious Networks provides enterprise-level service to small and medium-sized organizations.  Get a free assessment today