Data compliance and regulation should be viewed as standards that establish best practices for handling, storing, and securing data. Yes, there may be consequences for noncompliance or failure to satisfy the specified requirements, but even without those consequences, all organizations, customers or otherwise, should secure and protect data.
Most Customers prefer outsourcing to data centers and cloud computing providers to relying on in-house solutions because they improve security and efficiency. However, it is up to data center providers to deliver on the projected benefits, which should occur more organically rather than simply because compliance requires it.
Compliance, as well as the laws and regulations that govern it, still exist. As a result, it’s vital to understand what those requirements are and how the typical data center should handle them. Here is a quick rundown of data compliance standards that every data center and cloud provider should be aware of.
- ISO 27001
The International Organization for Standardization established 27001 to protect private and sensitive data. ISO 27001 establishes a basic procedure for detecting data risks, addressing access and authentication weaknesses, and securing customer information.
While a data center may be indirectly liable for private consumer data handled and held by one of its high-profile clients, this does not absolve the provider of data privacy and security obligations.
In other words, data centers must take the necessary safeguards to safeguard the digital content housed on their servers. ISO 27001 establishes a precedent and method for doing so, as well as for assessing and maintaining said securities.
- SOC 2 Type II
System and Organizational Controls Type 2 audits are intended to verify and improve information security through direct security evaluations. A SOC Type 2 report can then be submitted to clients or authorities as proof that suitable cybersecurity activities and regulations are in place. It is also intended to assist companies to secure the data and information for which they are responsible, as are many comparable standards.
Since the process is Type II, it is considered the second stage of a much bigger auditing process. The American Institute of CPAs upholds these standards to foster confidence and accountability in the information technology profession.
- PCI DSS 3.2
The PCI SSC, or the PCI Security Criteria Council, publishes the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, which defines tight standards for collecting and managing personal financial data. It applies to any organization that processes credit card payments electronically or stores such content. Of course, it also applies to businesses that collect or analyze financial data.
Data centers must meet the standard’s certification standards, which aim to protect consumer data and financial information, including credit card numbers and more.
- HIPAA/HITECH
While commonly associated with the health care and medical industries, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, paired with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, aims to secure private and sensitive medical details. They are some of the most renowned standards and regulations in the information technology industry.
Safeguarding private medical data is imperative for all parties, from data providers to the companies collecting and utilizing the information directly. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Civil Rights is responsible for enforcing the regulations outlined in these acts.
- ISO 9001
While there are several ISO specifications for software engineering, government, management processes, oil and gas, and medical devices, only ISO 9001 is specific to quality management systems and can be certified. It is made to be used by businesses of any size to evaluate any kind of quality procedure.
The ISO 9001 standard is built upon a set of guiding principles intended to develop a codified quality management system (QMS) that specifies rules, practices, and roles to continuously enhance quality effectiveness. The standard promotes improved quality to increase customer satisfaction through risk management, keeping the consumer in mind throughout the design process.
MDXi Data Centers are Tier III facilities, certified to PCI-DSS, ISO 9001, and ISO 27001 standards and audited to the SOC 2 standard in compliance with all industry regulatory standards.
Are you looking to colocate with a data center or transform your IT infrastructure? You can send us a mail at info@mdx-i.com
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