You run a business that handles sensitive customer data. To ensure you’re following industry standards, you diligently work to achieve compliance with relevant laws and regulations, such as HIPAA, SOC 2, or GDPR. You invest in the necessary tools, train your staff, and implement the required security policies. After an exhaustive process, you proudly receive your compliance certification.
However, one evening, you discover that your system has been breached. Hackers have infiltrated your network and stolen customer data by obtaining access to systems using stolen credentials. How could this happen when you were compliant with all the regulations?
Here’s where the difference between compliance and security becomes starkly apparent.
Compliance means adhering to a set of rules and standards set by regulatory bodies. It ensures you meet the minimum requirements to protect data and maintain privacy. While compliance is essential, it often focuses on documentation, procedural requirements, and periodic audits.
Security, on the other hand, is an ongoing, dynamic process. It involves actively protecting your identities, devices, systems, data, and networks from threats, which are constantly evolving. It requires a proactive approach to identify and mitigate risks, continuously monitor devices and applications for vulnerabilities, and respond swiftly to incidents.
At 1Password, we recognize the importance of compliance as a core pillar of security. We understand that achieving compliance is necessary, but we also know that true security goes beyond merely meeting regulatory requirements. It involves a deeper, more comprehensive approach, especially in today’s complex business landscape.
To truly secure your business, we focus on meeting you where you are with security tools that enhance both your productivity and security. This includes a strong emphasis on identity and device security, integrated in seamless and user-friendly ways.
Learn how XAM simplifies compliance.
Go beyond compliance with strong identity security
Ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to your data and systems is paramount. Identity security involves:
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Mandating MFA adds an extra layer of security, requiring users to provide multiple forms of verification before gaining access.
- Contextual access management: Continuously verifying the identities of users and their use of various (managed and unmanaged) devices for login against defined policies, such as location, device health, and configurations.
- Least privilege access: Limiting access rights for users to the bare minimum they need to perform their job functions reduces risks.
Complement strong identity security with device security
With the increasing use of mobile and remote work environments, securing the devices that access your assets is crucial. Device security involves:
- Device Trust: Identifying all devices (managed and unmanaged) accessing your resources and ensuring they are properly secured, including up-to-date software and security patches.
- Self-remediation: Guide end users with clear instructions on how to self-remediate their devices so they are empowered to become compliant without engaging IT.
- Device protection: Implementing advanced endpoint protection to collect telemetry from endpoints and alert when there is suspected threats on devices.
Additional comprehensive security measures
In addition to identity and device security, a holistic approach includes:
- Continuous monitoring: Regularly monitoring your systems for unusual activities or potential threats.
- Threat intelligence: Staying informed about the latest threats and attack vectors that could target your industry.
- Incident response: Having a robust incident response plan to quickly address and mitigate any security incidents.
- Employee training: Ensuring your team is continuously educated on the latest security best practices and they have the tools needed to implement good security hygiene with the right security tools.
Meeting regulatory compliance standards like GDPR, ISO27001, SOC2, or HIPAA can be overwhelming. Join our upcoming webinar on December 5th at 9am PT/ 12pm ET to learn how 1Password simplifies compliance with seamless, secure access controls and auditing.
At 1Password, we believe in not just achieving compliance but in empowering you with security tools that make you more productive and secure. By prioritizing identity and device security, you create a robust defense against evolving threats.
Marc von Mandel and Dave Lewis
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