Are you confident in your organisation’s personal data because of the security measures, policies and procedures you have in place? For many organisations, this is a false sense of security. Establishing policies and procedures is not a one and done task. Cybersecurity efforts should involve your entire organisation from the top down and be treated as an ongoing effort.

With the shift to remote work came a drastic increase in data breaches, making cybersecurity more important than ever before. In this article, we will review the importance of data protection and establish how zero-trust architecture will help to better secure your European organisation’s personal information.

Data Protection- The Baseline to Cybersecurity

Data protection concentrates on the data itself, closely tracking who is using it and where it’s being sent, and blocks access based on certain conditions previously set. Establishing these conditions are the baseline steps to help to protect your organization against cybercrime. 

Since hackers can only steal information that is accessible to them once they gain access, one of the most effective ways to mitigate risk is to limit the data collected. For example, you shouldn’t collect any information that is not directly relevant to your business. If you must collect the data, be sure to set a retention time holding policy to direct staff on when to purge the data. This organisational practice applies not only to data stored on premise, but also in the cloud.

Employee education also directly ties into data protection. The majority of employees will trust they are purging data when they simply remove the documents from their desktop, not realising duplicate files are also located within their computer. Learning how to properly dispose of data will drastically minimise the amount of data that can be compromised if hit by malicious threat actors.

Data protection is a common practice for European organizations. We are now seeing the U.S.-driven approach of zero trust gaining traction in the E.U. as an additional layer of cybersecurity. In response to the SolarWinds attack in 2020, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) encouraged the widespread adoption of zero-trust security frameworks.

What is zero trust?

Establishing a zero-trust architecture means that your organization will restrict access to resources to only employees who need them. Every time an employee wants to access data or a resource, they must reauthenticate and prove who they are and that it’s necessary to their job function. Zero trust uses the methodology of least privilege, never trust, always verify.

Adding a zero-trust architecture to your data protection protocols will help to strengthen the security of your European organisation. The zero-trust principles assume that an internal network is already infected with many threats and creates an additional wall of protection to stop the spread and avoid becoming a cybersecurity event.

Driven by the SolarWinds attack, the General Data Privacy Regulations (GDPR) and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, European organisations need extra layers of security to best mitigate the threat environment.

Harden Your Organization’s Cybersecurity

Assuming a European organization has already established data protection standards and a zero-trust architecture, they should identify and highlight threat and risks with penetration testing and vulnerability scans to minimize the attack surface.  

Penetration tests (pen tests) are simulated cyberattacks performed by ethical hackers to assess the cybersecurity posture of your technology and systems. The process is carried out on real systems and data using the same approach a malicious hacker would use. It’s important to note that the data or personal information collected is not sold or distributed in any way.

To add an additional layer of security, consider undergoing a vulnerability scan. This exercise checks an organization’s network and systems against a database of known vulnerabilities. If your organization pairs a vulnerability scan with a pen test, you’ll have a more holistic view of your security posture to remediate any known vulnerabilities.

Prepare for a Cyberattack

It will be no surprise that human error is cited as the number one cause of data breaches and cybersecurity events. Examples of human error include default password usage, lost devices, unlocked devices, incorrect disclosure procedures, failure to manage system patches etc. As you can tell from this list, cybersecurity education for all employees is necessary and can help to prevent data breaches caused by human error.

When it comes to keeping your organization secure, it’s not a matter of if but when a cyberattack will occur. It’s important to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity by establishing your data protection plan and zero-trust architecture, then hardening your security posture with penetration testing and vulnerability scans. Putting all these tools in place now will help your organization avoid a costly cybersecurity attack in the future.

Is your European organization ready to implement zero trust? Our certified experts can help you today.

The HITRUST CSF v11 upgrade comes with a series of changes that are said to both increase effectiveness while reducing certification efforts by 45% from its predecessor CSF v9.6. The reduction in efforts toward HITRUST Certification through greater efficiency is because of improved control mappings and precision of specifications afforded through CSF v11.  

To achieve these added efficiencies, CSF v11 introduces a threat-adaptive portfolio of assessments which moves the r2 baseline to the i1 requirements and includes i1 requirements as ‘Core’ on an r2 assessment. These overlaps in requirements enable organizations to use work completed on lower assessments towards more robust ones in the future.  

CSFv11 also welcomes the addition of a cybersecurity essentials assessment and the i1 Rapid Assessment to the list of HITRUST services. Here is everything you need to know about the new CSF v11, along with its new assessments and guidelines for Third Party Risk Management (TPRM).  

The new essentials, 1-year (e1) assessment  

This new assessment is designed to enable low risk organizations of any size to assess the general cyber hygiene of their operations against new and emerging threats and demonstrate the implementation of any necessary controls. The e1 assessment certification carries 44 Curated Requirements from the HITRUST CSF and is good for one year and annual renewal. Organizations may obtain certification after completing the e1 assessment and necessary conditions are met.  

This new assessment includes:  

• A readiness self-assessment   
• Controls and mitigations designed to defend against new and emerging threats  
• Notifications for assessed entities of relevant changes in control guidance and mitigations to evaluate the current effectiveness of specific control implementations  
• A streamlined assurance program that minimizes the burden on assessed organizations   
• The ability to electronically distribute results as opposed to requiring a PDF report   

To maintain an adaptive set of controls for this framework, HITRUST will leverage its Cyber Threat-Adaptive Approach that frequently evaluates current Indicators of Attack (IoA) and Indicators of Compromise (IoC) against the controls currently in place.  

Updates to the i1 assessment CSF v11  

In addition to the new e1 Assessment, HITRUST announced a new version of the i1 Assessment, which includes a new i1 Rapid Assessment.  

The updated i1 Assessment under v11 will replace the existing i1 Assessment under v9.6 and will now include around 170 to 190 required control statements. This comes as a reduction in requirement statements from the existing i1 Assessment, which had 219 requirement statements.   

HITRUST explains the reasoning for this reduction comes from a refreshing of source mappings and from a better understanding of the current threat climate, allowing a more streamlined set of requirements that maintain a high level of security.  

The new i1 Assessment under v11 will have a Rapid Assessment option which provides an accelerated means for recertification by demonstrating your control environment has not materially degraded. Control degradation is defined by HITRUST as issues in the performance of a controlled operation of a control that exists when performing a rapid certification that was not present during the initial i1 assessment a year ago. Should any controls come back as degraded, you have options:  

• For two or fewer below passing scores, you are allowed to renew and not deemed degraded  
• For three or four below passing scores, you may expand your sample of requirement statements to try again or convert your rapid to a full i1 assessment   
• For five or more below passing scores, you will need to convert your rapid assessment into a full i1 assessment.  

This new i1 rapid assessment option can only be used every other year. After being used for one year, the organization will need to complete a full i1 assessment.   

To be eligible for an i1 Rapid Assessment, organizations:  

• Must hold an i1 certification using CSF v11 or later the previous year  
• Must assess the same scope as their last assessment  
• Must have no critical change in any security infrastructure from their last assessment  

New third-party risk management quick-start guidelines in CSF v11  

The latest changes to the HITRUST Third-Party Risk Management guidelines are meant to simplify the assurance process for third parties and those who rely on them. The Quick-Start Guide helps organizations implement the information security-related components of a comprehensive third-party risk management program. It is designed to:  

• Streamline usage of the HITRUST TPRM Methodology  
• Distill the broader methodology into clear actionable steps  
• Provide clear guidance on computing inherent risk, classifying vendors, and selecting the appropriate level of third-party assurance  
• Summarize alternative approaches to satisfy requirements and associated risks   
• Provide links to reference material for continuous education  

You can learn more about the HITRUST TPRM here.  

HITRUST legacy CSF version sunsetting timeline  

HITRUST also plans to sunset older versions of CSF Assessments in the coming years. Here is what to expect.  

For older r2 Assessments:  

• September 30^th, 2023: The ability to create a new v9.1 – v9.4 r2 Assessment will be disabled.   
• December 31st, 2024: The ability to submit v9.1 – v9.4 Assessment objects will be disabled.  
• March 31^st, 2026: CSF v9.1 – v9.4 libraries will be removed from MyCSF. Note that CSF versions 9.5 and 9.6 will remain available in the CSF libraries.  

i1 Assessments will transition to v11 :

• March 31, 2023: The ability to create a new v9.6.2 i1 Assessment objects will be disabled  
• June 30^th, 2023: The ability to submit v9.6.2 and earlier i1 Assessment objects will be disabled.   

Proper planning = HITRUST success  

With the constant changes to the digital threat landscape and the evolving HITRUST CSF updates, A-LIGN knows HITRUST certification better than anyone. As one of the top HITRUST assessors in the world, we’ve helped more than three hundred clients successfully achieve HITRUST certification.  From readiness to certification, A-LIGN can ensure your organization achieves HITRUST success. Get in touch today.   

Download our HITRUST checklist now!

The HITRUST CSF is the only comprehensive, prescriptive security framework that pulls from over 50 authoritative security standards and is proven to reduce risk. HITRUST empowers organizations in highly regulated industries to build and demonstrate a mature cybersecurity and compliance strategy. 

Although the HITRUST CSF has been around for more than a decade, many organizations still struggle with knowing if it’s the right certification for them. Here’s what you need to know before your organization decides to complete a HITRUST assessment.   

What is the HITRUST CSF?  

HITRUST offers a framework of security and privacy controls known as the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF). The CSF is unique because it harmonizes multiple authoritative sources — including HIPAA, ISO, NIST, and PCI DSS — into a single, integrated set of controls. This allows organizations to meet the requirements of many standards at once. 

The primary goal of HITRUST is to provide a prescriptive and consistent approach to risk management. Although it originated in the healthcare industry and is considered the “gold standard” for protecting ePHI, the framework was made industry-agnostic in 2019. While not federally mandated, HITRUST is considered one of the most comprehensive frameworks because of its mapping to numerous other standards. 

What is the HITRUST AI Risk Management (RM) Assessment?

The HITRUST AI Risk Management Assessment is a streamlined self-assessment designed to help organizations evaluate and manage the risks associated with AI.

This framework is built upon the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) AI Risk Management Framework (RMF) and the ISO 23894 standard. HITRUST has consolidated the overlapping controls between these two standards into 51 key controls featured in the AI Risk Management Assessment.

One major advantage of the HITRUST AI Risk Management Assessment is its accessibility. Organizations do not need to be HITRUST-certified or even planning certification in the future to take advantage of this assessment.

Additionally, this framework is not restricted to the healthcare industry. Any company, regardless of the sector, can apply the assessment to measure AI-related risks.

What are the benefits of HITRUST?   

Many organizations pursue a HITRUST assessment because of these benefits:

• Meets regulatory requirements established by third-party organizations and legal mandates
• Accelerates revenue and market growth by helping businesses stand out from competitors
• Saves time and resources with a scalable framework that integrates multiple regulatory standards
• Consolidates over 40 different regulatory requirements and recognized frameworks, including ISO 27001, NIST SP 800-53, HIPAA, PCI DSS and more

What are the types of assessments?  

There are three types of HITRUST CSF validated assessments:

1. Validated 1-Year (e1) Assessment

The e1 is the cybersecurity essentials assessment with 44 control requirements and is meant for low-risk organizations that want to ensure they are maintaining good cybersecurity hygiene.

2. Implemented 1-Year (i1) Assessment

The i1 Assessment is suitable for moderate assurance and results in a 1-year certification if requirements are met. There are 219 static controls in an i1 Assessment and only the Implemented maturity is tested. Once your assessment has been submitted to myCSF, we will review, validate and submit the assessment to HITRUST for approval.

3. Risk-Based 2-Year (r2) Assessment

This validated assessment focuses on a comprehensive risk-based specification of controls with a very rigorous approach to evaluation, suitable for high assurance requirements. A minimum of three of five maturities must be addressed during the r2 Assessment, Policy, Process, and Implemented. This certification is issued for two years with an Interim Assessment required during the one-year anniversary of the certification. Similar to the i1 Assessment, we will review and validate your assessment scores and will submit your final assessment to HITRUST for approval.

Learn more about these assessments here.

What is the HITRUST assessment process?   

The HITRUST Assessment process is composed of five steps:  

• Step 1: Define scope. During this stage, an organization either works with a third-party assessor or an internal subject matter expert to define scope and determine what type of HITRUST assessment to undergo.  
• Step 2: Obtain access to MyCSF portal. The organization undergoing the assessment contacts HITRUST to obtain access to the MyCSF portal. Once access is granted, the organization creates its assessment object and engages an approved third-party assessor firm to begin the process.
• Step 3: Complete a readiness assessment/gap-assessment. The assessor performs appropriate tests to understand the organization’s environment and flow of data between systems, and then documents any possible gaps. The gap assessment also ranks organizational gaps by risk level, allowing for the remediation of any issues before the validated assessment.
• Step 4: Validated assessment testing.  During this phase, the assessors review and validate the organization’s scores as part of the selected assessment type (e1, i1, or r2). The final assessment is then submitted to HITRUST for approval. HITRUST’s quality assurance (QA) process, which occurs before certification is issued, typically takes 4 to 10 weeks depending on the assessment type and the assessors’ responsiveness.
• Step 5: Interim assessment testing. If certification is obtained as part of the r2 Assessment, an interim assessment is required to be conducted at the one-year mark to maintain certification. It is important to note that an interim assessment is not required if certification was obtained via the e1 or i1 Assessment.  

For step-by-step guide to the HITRUST CSF Assessment process, download our HITRUST CSF Companion Guide.    

What are the HITRUST policies and procedures?     

The HITRUST CSF is a flexible and scalable security framework that is adapted to each organization’s compliance needs so the policies and procedures required will depend on your scope. 

To achieve HITRUST r2 certification, organizations must establish policies and procedures that address a minimum of 19 HITRUST control domains. Additionally, they must attain a maturity score of at least 3 on a 1-5 scale for each control domain. The HITRUST CSF control domains are: 

Access the full description of the specific policies and procedures for HITRUST CSF certification here.

Can HITRUST certification satisfy other requirements?  

In short, yes. HITRUST CSF Certification draws from several major pre-existing frameworks to provide a complete, certifiable security standard. The nature of this foundation may simplify the steps an organization needs to take to satisfy other requirements.  

Three major requirements HITRUST CSF Certification can help satisfy include SOC 2, ISO 27001/NIST 800-53 and FedRAMP.  

HITRUST and SOC 2 

A SOC 2 report describes the internal controls at a service organization, providing users with management assertions, a description of both the system and the controls, tests and the results of the tests, and the independent service auditor’s report. Service organizations that provide services to other business entities commonly use SOC 2 reports.    

HITRUST and the AICPA have developed a collaborative approach that aligns the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria with the HITRUST CSF criteria. This converged reporting model makes HITRUST and SOC 2 complimentary services.     

HITRUST and ISO 27001/NIST 800-53   

The foundations of HITRUST CSF were actually built upon ISO 27001 and NIST SP 800-53. However, ISO 27001 is not control-compliance based, and is instead a management/process model for the Information Management System that is assessed.   

Unlike HITRUST CSF, NIST 800-53 does not address the specific needs within the healthcare industry. This means that while ISO 27001 and NIST 800-53 are both beneficial frameworks to demonstrate cybersecurity standards, they are not as comprehensive as HITRUST CSF.    

Fortunately, HITRUST Certification covers many more factors than ISO 27001 and NIST 800-53, making both assessments easier to attain after being HITRUST CSF Certified.   

HITRUST and FedRAMP   

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a certification that serves to raise confidence in the security of cloud service providers (CSPs) utilized by the Federal government.     

FedRAMP requirements can be easily mapped to the HITRUST CSF framework. Organizations interested in pursuing FedRAMP certification should consider adding it to their HITRUST assessment. This provides a FedRAMP benchmark and reveals areas to mature, but  is not the equivalent of achieving FedRAMP Certification.    

For a complete list of requirements that HITRUST CSF Certification can assist with, read more here.   

How long is HITRUST Certification valid? 

The HITRUST e1 and i1 certifications are valid for one year while the r2 certification is valid for two years if the Interim Assessment is completed successfully and timely.  

Note that the HITRUST certifications should be treated as a continuous improvement and monitoring assessment and not a static once and done type of assessment. And this is because the threat landscape is always evolving and so the HITRUST CSF. 

What’s an example of HITRUST Certification in the real world?  

Below are customer case studies in which the organization earned HITRUST Compliance to drive revenue, build customer trust and better their security posture.  

• Sandata Achieves CMS Certification with HITRUST 
• HealthBridge Boosts Compliance Program with HITRUST Certification
• Welvie Leverages Long-Term Partnership to Maintain HITRUST Compliance and Power Growth 

Getting started with HITRUST certification 

Achieving HITRUST certification begins with a strong foundation. Investing time and resources upfront is essential for a successful assessment. Start by hiring an experienced external assessor firm with a deep understanding of the business and industry, as well as a proven track record of HITRUST Certification success. Collaborate closely with the assessor to thoroughly scope the project and identify all necessary requirements.

When choosing vendors, conducting a risk assessment is a critical first step to ensure that they can protect the data that might be shared with them. Requesting a security compliance report, like a HITRUST Validated Assessment, SOC 2, PCI DSS, or NIST 800-53, is an effective way to verify their compliance and commitment to data security.

For more do’s and don’ts of beginning your HITRUST journey, check out this blog post.    

As one of the top HITRUST assessors in the market and a leader in HITRUST AI certifications, A-LIGN can provide your organization with the experience and guidance needed to achieve certification.  Contact us to get started today.  

Choosing the right security compliance framework is critical for protecting sensitive data, meeting industry standards, and building trust with customers and partners. With a wide range of certifications and regulations, it can be challenging to know where to start. This guide breaks down key compliance frameworks — federal, international, and industry-specific — to help you identify the best fit for your organization. 

SOC compliance: Verifying security and building trust 

System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports, developed by the AICPA, provide independent, third-party verification that a company has the appropriate safeguards in place. These examinations help service organizations build trust and confidence in their processes and controls. 

SOC 1 

A SOC 1 report is tailored for organizations whose services directly impact the financial reporting of their customers. The main goal of SOC 1 is to ensure controls are in place and operate effectively to address the risk of inaccurate financial reporting. While its scope is focused, it plays a vital role in establishing trust between a service organization and its user entities. This report is essential for businesses like payroll processors, cloud service providers handling financial data, and HR technology platforms. 

SOC 2 

SOC 2 is the industry standard for service organizations — especially SaaS companies, data centers, and managed service providers (MSPs) — that need to prove they are protecting customer and partner data. A SOC 2 audit examines an organization’s security posture based on the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria. Providing an independent, reliable source of assurance, a SOC 2 report is often considered a cost of doing business because it establishes trust, drives revenue, and unlocks new opportunities. 

ISO compliance: Global standards for security and technology management 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) sets globally recognized standards that help organizations demonstrate strong security and responsible technology management. For any business seeking to formalize information security, meet regulatory requirements, or compete in international markets, two of the most relevant certifications are ISO 27001 and ISO 42001. 

ISO 27001: Information security management 

ISO 27001 is the leading global standard for establishing and managing an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It guides organizations in safeguarding sensitive information through a structured approach involving people, processes, and technology. Because it is risk-based, organizations must identify their most significant risks and implement tailored security controls. Achieving ISO 27001 certification boosts customer confidence, supports regulatory compliance, and gives a competitive edge in security-focused markets, especially for those working internationally or with clients who require robust assurance.  

ISO 27701: Privacy information management 

ISO 27701 is an international standard for organizations that collect, process, or store personal data and need to demonstrate strong privacy management. It provides a comprehensive framework for establishing a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS), helping companies identify privacy risks, implement effective controls, and build trust with customers and partners. 

In 2025, ISO 27701 was updated to become a standalone certification — previously, it could only be implemented as an extension to ISO 27001. This change means organizations can now certify their privacy management practices independently, making the process more accessible and flexible. The revision also expands coverage to address emerging risks related to biometrics, IoT, and AI, and further clarifies requirements for both data controllers and processors. 

ISO 42001: AI management 

ISO 42001 is the first international standard designed specifically for organizations that design, develop, implement, or use artificial intelligence systems. This framework provides guidance on managing AI responsibly, addressing issues like transparency, fairness, and accountability, and helping companies align with both regulatory requirements and ethical best practices. ISO 42001 certification demonstrates a proactive commitment to trustworthy AI, supporting efforts to manage AI risks, comply with emerging regulations, and helping companies stand out from competitors — making it valuable for organizations of any size aiming to build trust with partners and customers in their AI capabilities.  

Federal compliance: CMMC, FedRAMP & GovRAMP 

Federal compliance frameworks are essential for organizations that work with the U.S. government or handle government data — particularly those aiming to access or retain government contracts and demonstrate a deep commitment to safeguarding sensitive information. 

Three key frameworks dominate most government contracting: CMMC, FedRAMP, and GovRAMP (formerly known as StateRAMP).  

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 

CMMC is designed for defense contractors and subcontractors within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) who manage Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), especially organizations responding to DoD contracts. CMMC 2.0, released in October 2024, streamlines the framework  into three levels of compliance, each tailored to the sensitivity of the information being handled:  

• Level 1 (Foundational): Focuses on basic cybersecurity practices for organizations handling FCI. Compliance is demonstrated through annual self-assessments.  
• Level 2 (Advanced): Designed for organizations managing CUI, this level aligns with the 110 practices outlined in NIST SP 800-171. Critical CUI handlers require third-party assessments every three years.  
• Level 3 (Expert): Reserved for the most sensitive programs, this level incorporates additional requirements from NIST SP 800-172 and mandates direct assessments by the Department of Defense (DoD).  

The rollout of CMMC 2.0, formalized under the 48 CFR rule, establishes a phased approach to mandatory compliance for new DoD contracts. This rule empowers contracting officers to include CMMC requirements in contracts, ensuring that organizations meet the necessary cybersecurity standards to protect sensitive information. 

FedRAMP  

FedRAMP is required for Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) looking to do business with U.S. federal agencies. It’s most relevant for technology vendors who want to offer cloud-based solutions to government clients at the federal level. Achieving FedRAMP authorization is mandatory, as federal agencies may only use cloud systems with a FedRAMP Authorization to Operate (ATO). 

The program’s primary goal is to accelerate the secure adoption of cloud services across the federal government. A key principle of FedRAMP is its “do once, use many” model. This means a single ATO can be used by any federal agency, saving significant time and money for both providers and the government by streamlining the assessment process. The FedRAMP 20x initiative further accelerates authorization for Low and Moderate impact levels by simplifying processes, leveraging automation, and allowing CSPs to pursue authorization without an agency sponsor. 

GovRAMP 

GovRAMP, previously known as StateRAMP, is the go-to framework for cloud vendors, managed service providers, and IT companies seeking to serve U.S. state, local, or educational (SLED) agencies and institutions. It establishes standardized security requirements for non-federal government bodies, drawing on NIST 800-53 as its foundation.  

The objective of GovRAMP is to help state and local governments protect citizen data, save taxpayer and service provider dollars through a “verify once, serve many” approach. Like FedRAMP’s “do once, use many” model, this principle streamlines processes, lessens the administrative burdens on government agencies, and promotes cybersecurity education and best practices in both industry and government communities. 

HITRUST compliance: Comprehensive security for data protection 

HITRUST offers a framework of security and privacy controls known as the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF). The CSF is unique because it harmonizes multiple authoritative sources — including HIPAA, ISO, NIST, and PCI DSS — into a single, integrated set of controls. This allows organizations to meet the requirements of many standards at once. 

The primary goal of HITRUST is to provide a prescriptive and consistent approach to risk management. Although it originated in the healthcare industry and is considered the “gold standard” for protecting ePHI, the framework was made industry-agnostic in 2019. While not federally mandated, HITRUST is considered one of the most comprehensive frameworks because of its mapping to numerous other standards. 

Penetration testing and vulnerability assessments: Strengthening your security posture 

While not a compliance framework itself, security testing in between audit engagements is a foundational component of maintaining nearly every certification.  

Penetration testing 

Pen testing is a simulated cyberattack carried out by ethical hackers to uncover security weaknesses in your systems before real attackers can. Unlike automated scans, pen testing uses human expertise to find and safely exploit vulnerabilities, providing a realistic view of your risk. A well-executed pen test offers insights into weak points and how to remediate them, allowing you to reduce your attack surface and make informed security decisions. 

Vulnerability assessments 

A vulnerability assessment is a means of detection; it scans an organization’s network and systems for known weaknesses, mapping out threat surfaces for your team before malicious actors can take advantage of them. When paired with a pen test — which takes a preventative approach — you increase your visibility into gaps across your network. This combination enables organizations to take a more proactive approach to enhancing their security posture. 

Expert guidance for choosing the right framework 

With so many frameworks and certifications to consider, it’s important to have a clear plan tailored to your unique needs. A-LIGN’s team of experts can help you navigate these complexities, identify the best fit for your organization with our depth of services, and develop a compliance roadmap to guide your efforts. Reach out to us to explore how we can support your compliance journey and strengthen your security posture. 

Pursuing a SOC 2 audit brings value to your organization in a number of ways. The in-depth audit provides you with increased insight into your security posture and gives you a better understanding of your opportunities to improve controls and processes. A SOC 2 audit also provides a competitive advantage and boost to your organization’s reputation — customers and prospects can rest assured knowing your organization takes security seriously. 

A SOC 2 audit isn’t just a one-time exercise. The audit must be renewed yearly. Consistently renewing your SOC 2 audit builds continuity with your controls and processes and helps to ensure that everything you put in place continues to function as needed.  

The renewal process may sound time consuming at first, given how in-depth the initial SOC 2 audit process can be for an organization. But renewals don’t have to be a burden.   

Here are some tips and tricks to help navigate the renewal process so you can save time and money, and use internal resources strategically.  

1. Work with the same auditor 

If you were happy with your service during the initial SOC 2 audit, work with the same vendor for the renewal process. Working with the same auditor year after year will create efficiencies in the audit process. The vendor will become familiar with your environment and internal processes, and you’ll avoid the time-consuming task of onboarding a new audit firm each year — which can take weeks.  

If the vendor uses audit management software to streamline the evidence collection or audit process (like A-SCEND), you may also benefit from rollover features within that technology. Rollover features automatically collect and update information based on what was collected into the system in past efforts. This speeds up the evidence collection process and can condense your renewal timeline greatly.  

2. Consider a multi-year bundle 

Oftentimes auditors will offer a multi-year bundle package, allowing you to pay upfront for a certain number of SOC 2 renewals. It’s a great way to save money in the long run — and plan your budget ahead of time. With a multi-year bundle, you lock into a certain price per renewal. Otherwise, renewal prices may increase year over year as your business scales and the economy changes. 

At A-LIGN, we offer a three-year bundle package for customers. The bundle includes access to our SOC 2 certified experts, as well as use of our audit management software, A-SCEND, which streamlines the audit process for your team.

3. Allocate internal resources 

Continuity on the auditor side is great — as is continuity within your organization. It’s helpful to utilize the same internal resources each year (when possible) to manage the SOC 2 audit and renewal process.  

The initial SOC 2 review process requires a lot of heavy lifting. But subsequent years tend to be more efficient because your team has a better understanding of what is required based on the prior year. Each year gets easier and the more consistency you can create within your internal SOC 2 leads, the better.  

Renew your SOC 2 with A-LIGN 

A-LIGN is the top issuer of SOC 2 reports in the world. We combine industry expertise and a leading compliance automation software platform to make the SOC 2 audit and renewal process seamless for your team.  

Contact us today to speak to a SOC 2 expert about the SOC 2 renewal process and our multi-year bundle options.  

Our 2022 Compliance Benchmark Report detailed how organizations are navigating the current compliance landscape, as well as how they are preparing for the future. By surveying more than 200 cybersecurity, IT, quality assurance, internal audit, finance, and other professionals, we learned how organizations make their compliance programs run smoothly and efficiently, along with where there may be areas for improvement for businesses of all sizes and across all industries.   

Here are five compliance management key takeaways from the 2022 Compliance Benchmark Report that you can use to improve your organization’s compliance program.   

Key Takeaway #1: Develop a Ransomware Preparedness Plan 

Organizations across all industries have concerns about the increased number of cyberattacks worldwide. In fact, a full 83% of survey respondents said they believe they would be impacted by an attack on critical infrastructure. 

The heightened concern for ransomware attacks has caused many organizations to dedicate more time and effort to create a strategy to prevent attacks and reduce the potential damage if — or more likely, when — an attack does occur. Our 2022 Compliance Benchmark Survey found that 40% of organizations are planning to develop a ransomware preparedness plan this year.   

Key Takeaway #2: Implement a Zero Trust Architecture 

Zero trust is an IT security model that focuses on restricting information access within an organization to only those who need it. The zero-trust approach is to assume that threat actors are present both inside and outside an organization, meaning no users or machines are trusted by default.  

When it comes to zero-trust adoption, our survey found that 73% of organizations with $50M – $1B in annual revenue agree/strongly agree about the need to adopt a zero trust security strategy. That number dropped significantly to 45% for companies with less than $5M in revenue. Larger companies may believe they are a top target for cybersecurity attacks, causing them to take initiative and further protect their systems and information. 

However, it is essential for all organizations to implement a zero trust architecture. As overhauling a business’ network infrastructure is a very disruptive task, it’s important to troubleshoot possible scenarios that may occur during the implementation process before you begin. To learn more about how to implement zero trust at your organization, read our blog post about the recommended steps to take. 

Key Takeaway #3: Simplify Compliance Audits with an Audit Consolidation Strategy 

Completing multiple security audits is one of the most surefire ways to find gaps in protection. However, with so many worthwhile audits to pursue, it can be difficult to manage multiple workstreams and keep track of varying control elements.  

Audit consolidation — or, conducting audits in tandem as a singular annual event — is a simple way for organizations to maximize both cost and time efficiency. 

One of the biggest findings we uncovered during our research is that even though 85% of organizations conduct more than one audit every year, only 15% of the same organizations have consolidated their audits down to a single, annual event.  

A-LIGN’s audit management platform, A-SCEND, allows organizations to gain instant visibility into their compliance standing and view how close they are to completing additional certifications. A-SCEND’s Crosswalk feature demonstrates how easy it is to deduplicate efforts across multiple certifications by using evidence form your current and/or prior audits.  

Read more about audit consolidation strategies, and how you can strategically manage resources within your business, here. 

Key Takeaway #4: Move from Tactical to Strategic Compliance 

Even with frequent economic turmoil, organizations will continue to prioritize their dedication to cybersecurity, investing in measures that prove an organization’s commitment to cybersecurity.   

Our team found that SOC 2 is the report or certification that helped close the most deals, as it is the most requested report or certification by clients. That may be the reason why 67% of our survey respondents said they were either currently completing a SOC 2 audit or had one scheduled within the next year.  

Compliance audits and attestations continue to be valuable differentiators for organizations looking to attract new customers. Read more about how organizations are using audits and attestations to increase revenue, garner new business, and stand out from the competition.  Key Takeaway #5: Streamline Compliance with Auditor-Assisted Software 

One of the most significant changes we saw in this year’s report was the large increase in the number of organizations using technology to assist compliance efforts. In 2021, only 25% of organizations we surveyed used software to prepare for their audits and assessments. But in 2022, that number skyrocketed to 72%.  

The two main reasons for this dramatic increase are: 

• Increased awareness of compliance-related software. 
• A rise in auditor adoption and advocacy of compliance software. 

Compliance software allows companies to do more with less, streamlining the audit process and helping organizations overcome stressful resource deficits. Get up to speed on how companies are using this technology to assist compliance efforts, and how you can implement auditor-assisted software in future assessments.  

Start the New Year with Proactive Compliance Management 

Our annual compliance benchmark report provides a pulse on compliance and cybersecurity trends across industries and organizations. To see how your organization’s compliance protocols compare to others, fill out our 2023 Compliance Benchmark Survey and keep an eye out for our 2023 report coming in Spring 2023. 

Looking to learn more about how audit consolidation and compliance software will save your organization time, resources and budget? Complete the form below to speak with one of our compliance experts. 

With the cost of cybercrime skyrocketing, now is the time for organizations to enhance their cybersecurity programs. The best way to find gaps in protection comes from completing multiple security audits but it can be cumbersome for organizations to manage multiple audit processes. Enter, audit consolidation!  

By consolidating multiple audits into a single process, organizations save time and resources while increasing efficiency. In our graphic below, our experts breakdown how organizations can best streamline the multiple audit process. 

In 2020, hackers broke into the networks of the Treasury and Commerce departments as part of a months long global cyberespionage campaign. It happened after malware was slipped into a SolarWinds software update — a popular piece of software used by multiple U.S. federal agencies. 

As expected, the incident prompted the Federal government to update its software security requirements. In this blog post, we’ll review the new federal compliance requirements — “Enhancing the Security of the Software Supply Chain through Secure Software Development Practices” — and discuss the impact of this change. 

An explanation of changes 

The updated guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) represents a commitment to furthering the maturity of the Federal government’s approach to supply chain risk management. It builds on other recent initiatives from the Biden administration, including the federal zero trust strategy.  

The guidance represents an attempt to ensure security in open-source software to protect federal data. The OMB memo requires agencies to ensure their software is developed in line with two documents published earlier this year by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):  

• Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF) 
• Software Supply Chain Security Guidance 

Currently, instead of a third-party audit, agencies only need to obtain a self-attestation from the software producer that the vendor follows the NIST practices. If software vendors don’t meet all of the NIST practices, agencies may accept a “plan of action and milestones” from the vendor outlining how they will update their cybersecurity practices to meet the NIST practices. 

The impact of federal compliance updates 

This guidance impacts software producers who service the Federal government. The guidance must be applied to all software developed in the future, as well as any updates to existing software used by the Federal government.  

As such, we will see a trickle-down effect into federal contracts that procure or use vendor software solutions — especially in the cloud. Contracts will include more stringent cybersecurity protocols to meet the requirements within the memo.  

Areas of concern 

While we applaud the evolution of federal compliance standards and government cybersecurity protocols, we do see two main areas of concern with the new guidance: the software bill of materials, and the acceptance of a self-attestation. 

Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) 

As part of the new requirements, federal agencies have 90 days to inventory all third-party software. After that, agencies must communicate relevant requirements to vendors and collect attestation letters.  

This is easier said than done. Maintaining an accurate and current inventory of software and hardware has always been an issue, especially for enterprise-level organizations. Now, there will be greater scrutiny of this inventory management. We anticipate logistical issues getting this off the ground that could delay the implementation of these new software security requirements.   

Self-Attestation 

The memo allows agencies to accept a self-attestation from software vendors, attesting to the vendor’s adherence to NIST frameworks. Unfortunately, that hasn’t always worked well in the past. 

You may recall that the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) allowed DoD contractors and subcontractors to self-attest to their adherence to NIST SP 800-171. After auditing a handful of contractors, the DoD realized too many deficiencies within these organizations that self-attested to their NIST compliance. To mitigate this issue, the DoD updated DFARS to introduce the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). This included a certification process via CMMC Third Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) that replaced the self-attestations.  

We anticipate similar issues will arise with this new OMB guidance. It’s likely that self-attestation is just an initial step to help get this program off the ground. In the future, these new compliance requirements may eventually roll into an existing federal cybersecurity framework that requires independent validation.  

How to approach federal compliance 

If you are a software vendor servicing the Federal government, you should expect to see more stringent cybersecurity requirements trickle into your government contracts. To prepare — and eliminate the risk of losing your existing government contracts — it’s best to pursue federal assessments and compliance initiatives that attest to your cybersecurity maturity. These may include: 

• NIST 800-171 assessment to evaluate your company’s controls against the published controls of NIST 800-171.  
• FISMA certification to help your company to develop, document, and implement an information security and protection program. 
• CMMC certification (relevant for DoD contracts). 
• FedRAMP authorization. 

A-LIGN can help meet all of your federal compliance needs. Contact our experts today to learn more.

The ongoing increase in cyberattacks has emphasized the importance of cybersecurity and compliance management, especially for startups still gaining market share. As startups work to win new customers, they may have to overcome a prospect’s fears that as an organization so new, they may not have strict security protocols in place to keep their information and data secure. 

Compliance certifications and reports help startups earn customer trust so that customers feel more secure working with small businesses. Bonus- Third-party attestation to the security of your systems makes your startup look much more mature to investors, which means more opportunities for money in your pocket! 

However, compliance authorization and attestation programs can seem overwhelming because of all the pieces organizations need to consider — especially the strain it can place on startups with already-limited resources.  

Compliance for startups doesn’t have to mean spending all of your time and money on compliance initiatives immediately. Take a layered approach to compliance, treating the process like a marathon instead of a sprint, to ensure your organization does not act outside of its means. Here are four important compliance management tasks to complete in order to begin your cybersecurity journey on the best foot: 

1. Determine your risk areas. 

2. Invest in technology, including internal education and security tools. 

3. Establish and test an incident response and business continuity plan. 

4. Select an auditing firm. 

1. Determine Your Risk Areas 

All startups must first take inventory of what they are trying to protect to understand where to focus their compliance and cybersecurity efforts. To determine a company’s most valuable assets, startups should ask themselves:  

• ​​What are the risks across my infrastructure? 
• What’s the likelihood of the risk occurring? 
• What are the implications of that risk?  
• What’s the cost of NOT doing something to address the risk? 

Once these risks are assessed, it’s important to communicate the findings to the entire company. Making sure everyone is on the same page ensures resources are responsibility divided amongst priorities.       

After determining their risk areas, startups can begin pursuing compliance for various standards. Many startups choose to become SOC 2 compliant first, as its strict protocols provide reassurance to potential customers. But there are also other relevant compliance standards for specific individual industries, such as HIPAA for healthcare startups or PCI DSS for startups processing financial/credit card data. 

2. Invest in Technology, Including Internal Education and Security Tools 

Organizations are only as secure as their weakest link, which usually tends to be their people. Educating and training employees should be considered just as important as implementing technical controls to protect information. Internal team members must understand how they can help avoid — or at least reduce — the risk of a cyberattack. 

For startups to establish a secure environment at the most basic level, they should:  

• Ensure each department follows existing policies and is properly using the most updated version of relevant security controls.  
• Ensure all employees are using a VPN if they are not working from a secure office location. 
• Provide security awareness training for employees to ensure they are knowledgeable about current threats and best practices to prevent an event from occurring.  
• Establish a process of multi-factor authentication for all log-ins. 

3. Establish and Test an Incident Response and Business Continuity Plan 

There is no way to completely eliminate the possibility of a cyberattack. This is why it’s so essential for startups to have an incident response plan in place well ahead of time.  

When creating an incident response or a business continuity plan, startups should consider including each of the following steps to maximize the plan’s efficiency:  

• How to assess the technical impact of a breach or incident  
• How to identify compromised data 
• How to determine the organizational impact of a cyberattack 
• Best practices for notifying relevant parties 
• Plans to execute a PR strategy after an incident has occurred 
• Plans to implement third-party monitoring 

There are third-party organizations that can audit your startup’s response plan. Some organizations, like A-LIGN, even offer assessments to see how your response plan would withstand a ransomware attack or major cybersecurity event. These assessments can help you find holes in your frameworks in a non-emergency situation, allowing you time to make revisions. 

4. Select an Auditing Firm 

Once your startup reaches a certain level of compliance and cybersecurity maturity, it’s time to bring in an auditing firm to help you continue on your journey. A firm should be able to act as a trusted partner who can help you navigate the intricacies of the compliance management and security landscape. They can also guide you on which compliance tasks/frameworks make the most sense for your industry. 

Certain federal agencies require the organizations they do business with to obtain specific authorizations, like FedRAMP or StateRAMP. These two authorizations have lengthy auditing processes that can be time consuming for well-established organizations to manage on their own. Startups may have even fewer internal resources. 

A-LIGN will work with you to acquire the proper certifications as needed and will partner with you to ensure your organization continues to properly mitigate risk as it grows.   

Prioritize Compliance Today 

When it comes to compliance management for startups, your organization can start taking a proactive approach to security today — even if you only have limited financial resources.  

A-LIGN is well-versed in meeting the requirements of a broad range of compliance standards and security frameworks including SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, GDPR, FISMA, FedRAMP, and NIST-based frameworks. Our advisors and auditors can help guide your startup on its compliance journey and partner with your team to help you meet all compliance needs. 

With the right partner in place, you can start scaling your business. Begin your compliance journey with A-LIGN today.