The Role of Compliance in Cybersecurity

The overall technology landscape is evolving at a breakneck pace. While these changes are meant to improve the quality of life, the unfortunate flip side is an increase in cyber threats. This is why global cybersecurity spending increased from nearly $40 billion in 2019 to $54 billion in 2021.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of spending on personnel or technology, small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) are most likely to be targeted by threat actors. The role of compliance for your business is to set baselines for trust that customer data is being protected, levels of security to protect customer data, and helps control IT infrastructure against data loss.

Many organizations fall victim to cyber crime because compliance and security are not a high priority for them. For your organization to run smoothly, both compliance and security are critical. While the role of compliance ensures that your organization stays within the bounds of industry or government laws/regulations, the role of security ensures that your organization’s integrity and vital data are safeguarded.

Know These Benefits

The following are the reasons why adhering to industry compliance regulations is so important from a cybersecurity perspective:

Encourages trust
Customers usually put their trust in an organization while sharing their personal information, but unfortunately, personally identifiable information (PII) gets exposed in around 80% of security breaches. Following regulatory standards demonstrates that the organization cares about its customers and wants to protect sensitive data.

Improves security posture
Regulatory compliance helps improve an organization’s overall security posture by establishing a consistent baseline of minimum security requirements.

Reduces loss
Data breaches are less likely to take place when security is improved. This lowers the cost of data loss, which can skyrocket when you factor in lost revenue, restoration costs, legal penalties, and compensation.

Increases control
Improved security leads to increased control over the IT infrastructure. This can help prevent data loss/corruption and reduce the amount of time spent fighting cyber attacks.

Industries and Regulations

While each industry has its own set of cybersecurity issues, some overlap. Phishing, for example, is a threat that almost all industries face. To combat these challenges, each sector has its own set of compliance and regulatory standards with specific provisions for security and privacy.

Some regulations apply to multiple industries as well. Note that compliance regulations change from one country to the next and sometimes even within the same country. Let’s take a look at some of the industries and their associated regulations:

Healthcare

In the healthcare industry, shared data is highly sensitive. Cyber criminals who steal protected health information (PHI) usually fetch a high price for it on the dark web. Therefore, there are regulations in place, like the ones mentioned below, to ensure the secure handling of data:

• In the United States, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) prohibits the disclosure of PHI without the patient’s consent.
• In the European Union (EU), generic data protection laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA), regulate the handling of health-related data.

Finance

Finance is often the most regulated sector because a big chunk of data revolves around payments and financial transfers. Some of the most popular regulations in this industry are listed below.

• The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) is an information security standard aimed at reducing payment card fraud for organizations that deal with branded payment cards. The scope of this regulation goes beyond the financial industry.
• In Japan, the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI) regulates the commercial usage of personal data.
• The EU’s Payment Services Directive (PSD2) governs data transfer during end-to-end payments.

Defense

There are strict regulations in the defense sector since a breach could result in the disclosure of national secrets.

• The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) governs the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) in the United States.
• In Australia, the Defense Industry Security Program (DISP) assists organizations in understanding and meeting their security duties when working on defense projects, contracts, and tenders.

Compliance Strengthens Cybersecurity When Done Correctly

Compliance should never be viewed as a paperwork exercise or a regulatory burden. At its best, compliance provides a structured framework for identifying risk, implementing security controls, protecting sensitive information, and improving accountability across the organization.

Many of the practices required by today’s regulatory frameworks align directly with cybersecurity best practices. Risk assessments, access controls, employee training, incident response planning, vendor oversight, and ongoing monitoring all contribute to a stronger security posture while supporting compliance objectives.

Organizations that treat compliance and cybersecurity as complementary disciplines are often better positioned to reduce risk, improve resilience, demonstrate accountability, and build trust with customers, partners, auditors, and regulators.

The goal is not simply meeting requirements. It is creating a stronger, more secure organization that is prepared for the challenges of an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Is Your Compliance Program Strengthening Your Cybersecurity Posture?

Many organizations invest in compliance initiatives without fully understanding whether those efforts are improving their overall security posture. If you’d like help evaluating your current cybersecurity and compliance efforts, schedule a free consultation with ITNS Consulting.

We’ll help identify gaps, evaluate your current maturity level, and develop a practical roadmap that aligns compliance requirements with meaningful cybersecurity improvements.

How Mature Is Your Compliance and Cybersecurity Program?

Strong cybersecurity programs are built on governance, accountability, risk management, and continuous improvement.

Download our Compliance Program Maturity Scorecard to evaluate your organization’s current compliance efforts, identify opportunities for improvement, and gain a clearer understanding of your overall governance, risk management, and compliance maturity.