Managing one compliance framework is a juggling act. But what happens when your company needs to handle SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and/or HIPAA?

Breathe. I’ve got you covered.

Managing multiple cybersecurity compliance frameworks doesn’t need to send you into a tailspin. Instead, with a little bit of planning and some tools, you can master multiple frameworks like a pro. Here’s how to do it without feeling like your brain is going to explode.

1. Embrace the Overlap—It’s Not as Bad as It Looks

One thing you might not know (but will be thrilled to learn) is that many compliance frameworks have overlapping requirements. SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and HIPAA all want airtight security policies, governance controls, and technical protections. The key is figuring out which core components of security frameworks meet the requirements across different frameworks. But here’s an additional insight that will save you time and effort: even when frameworks seem different, the controls needed to satisfy their requirements are very often the same!

For example, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 both demand strict access control, while PCI DSS and HIPAA focus heavily on data encryption. Despite slight variations in their wording, what you’re being asked to do is essentially the same. A well-managed access control system or encryption policy can easily satisfy multiple frameworks at once.

By identifying and mapping these common cybersecurity frameworks and standards, you can streamline your efforts and avoid duplicated work. It’s like a form of compliance multitasking—doing one thing and checking multiple boxes at the same time.

2. Spreadsheets? No Thanks.

Managing compliance with spreadsheets is like trying to clean up a flood with a paper towel. Sure, it can absorb a bit, but it’s going to be messy, inefficient, and ultimately, a waste of time (and paper towel). There’s no faster way to lose track of what controls belong where and which team member is responsible for what.

This is where automated risk and compliance platforms come in. These tools allow you to centralize all your frameworks in one place. No more flipping between 20 tabs of Excel while crossing your fingers that you didn’t forget something.

Adopting a cyber security compliance framework management platform allows you to focus on the big picture without getting lost in a sea of cells.

4. Focus on Governance and Policies: Cut Out Repetition

One of the most effective ways to manage multiple compliance frameworks without losing your mind is to create a strong foundation with governance policies. Why? Because policies provide a structured, top-down approach that simplifies the management of various frameworks, allowing you to align your security and compliance goals across the board.

When your governance starts with clear, well-defined policies, you can map those high-level directives to the specific requirements of each framework—whether it’s SOC 2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA. This method ensures that you have a consistent, cohesive strategy across the organization, which not only improves compliance but also reduces redundant work and builds resilience.

Why Policies Matter for Multiple Frameworks:

• Unified Strategy: Policies create a single source of truth for your security and compliance posture, preventing scattered approaches to each framework. Rather than juggling multiple, often overlapping requirements, you can build a policy framework that addresses core security components applicable across the board.
• Simplified Crosswalks: Instead of implementing separate procedures for each compliance standard, policies allow you to address common controls—like access management, data encryption, and incident response—just once. From there, you can crosswalk these controls to meet the specific requirements of multiple frameworks. This reduces busy work and maximizes efficiency.
• Top-Down Governance: Starting from the governance level ensures that compliance initiatives align with broader business goals. This allows for a more agile approach to handling updates and changes in compliance requirements without disrupting day-to-day operations.

The Benefits of Governance-Driven Policies:

1. Reduces Redundancy: Instead of recreating policies from scratch for every framework, governance helps you develop a set of core policies that can be reused and mapped across frameworks like SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001.
2. Consistent Compliance: A strong governance model ensures that all departments are on the same page when it comes to compliance, reducing the risk of gaps and inconsistencies across frameworks.
3. Audit-Ready: Governance-driven policies keep your company audit-ready across multiple standards, streamlining audits by reducing the need to cross-reference siloed policies.
4. Future-Proof: When new compliance frameworks or updates arise, your top-down governance model ensures that only minor tweaks to your policies are needed, as the foundational policies are already robust and aligned with security best practices.

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5. The Magic of Crosswalking Frameworks

Crosswalking is an invaluable tool for companies managing multiple frameworks. The idea is simple: map one framework’s controls to another. This way, when you comply with SOC 2’s encryption requirements, for example, you’ve already ticked off a box for ISO 27001 and PCI DSS.

Think of crosswalking as a compliance cheat sheet—a single control that works across multiple IT security compliance standards. And with platforms like Centraleyes, this process becomes more than just a spreadsheet shuffle—it’s a dynamic, automated workflow.

3. Automation Is Your Best Friend (Really!)

• One Hub to Rule Them All: Automation helps centralize your compliance efforts, taking those different frameworks and magically weaving them into one unified platform. Imagine a platform where checking off a control for SOC 2 also satisfies a similar requirement for ISO 27001. No more duplicating work or jumping between tabs—automation’s got it all covered.
• Streamlined Assessments = Time Saved: Forget doing separate assessments for each framework. Automated workflows let you run a single, standardized assessment across multiple frameworks. Suddenly, what used to take days (or weeks) can be done in a fraction of the time—and with way fewer headaches.
• Real-Time Monitoring, So You’re Always Ahead: Automation never sleeps. It keeps an eagle eye on your compliance status, sending you real-time alerts the moment something drifts out of alignment. So instead of scrambling to fix things right before an audit, you’re always a step ahead, tackling issues before they even become problems.
• Automated Remediation to the Rescue: Uh-oh, a compliance gap? No problem. With automation, the second an issue is flagged, the system jumps into action, assigning tasks to the right people, tracking progress like a hawk, and sending you friendly reminders if anything’s lagging. It’s like having a personal assistant just for your compliance needs—without the coffee breaks.
• No More ‘Oops’ Moments: Humans make mistakes—we get tired, we miss things, we make typos. But automation? It doesn’t. By taking over those repetitive, error-prone tasks like data entry and reporting, automation ensures your compliance efforts are as accurate as they are efficient. No more oopsies!
• Reports That Practically Write Themselves: Need to impress the auditors or stakeholders with a slick compliance report? Automation has you covered. Instead of pulling together data from a thousand different places, it generates consolidated reports with a few clicks, giving you the full compliance picture across all frameworks. And yes, with complete audit trails for bonus points.
• Living in a State of Continuous Compliance: Instead of thinking about compliance as a yearly audit scramble, automation helps you maintain compliance like a well-oiled machine, 24/7. It continuously tracks and tests your controls, so when audit season rolls around, you’re not just ready—you’re already there.
• Keeping Up with Changing Frameworks and Standards: Compliance isn’t static. Frameworks like ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and SOC 2 are regularly updated to keep up with the evolving cyber threat landscape. It’s essential to stay updated with these changes, but tracking them can be daunting—especially if you’re relying on manual methods.

This is where automation shines once again. Compliance platforms not only help you manage your existing frameworks but also alert you to changes and updates in real-time, ensuring you never fall behind on IT security compliance standards.

The Final Word: The Magic is in the Process

Managing multiple compliance frameworks can feel like you’re on an episode of Survivor. But with the right approach—automating workflows, reusing controls, and leveraging a powerful multi-compliance framework platform like Centraleyes—it’s not just manageable, it’s downright conquerable.

In the end, think of compliance as a puzzle. All the pieces fit together—you just need the right tools (and a little strategy) to make it happen. Centraleyes gives you the ultimate toolkit to easily juggle your frameworks, keeping you compliant, secure, and—most importantly—sane.

By following these strategies, you’ll be able to confidently manage multiple frameworks, meet the highest IT security compliance standards, and keep your company safe in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.

The post How to Manage Multi-Framework Compliance appeared first on Centraleyes.

Finding a balance between the need to handle personal information and protecting the privacy of individuals can be challenging. Privacy is a significant element of freedom, “to be secure… against unreasonable searches and seizures” (according to the Fourth Amendment). Privacy laws hold accountable those who steal or misuse data, and are necessary to protect privacy rights. These laws drive stronger industry standards and prioritize privacy over other objectives. 

The familiarity and comfort of tailor-made online experiences and sheer convenience of having our devices anticipate our every move take on a slightly darker twist with the popular belief that “Big Tech” is trying to exploit our personal data and various governments are trying to keep tabs on us. Whether or not this is the case, data protection acts are taking action to help us regain our privacy and control over our information.

NYPA is a comprehensive consumer privacy law that aims to protect the privacy of the citizens of New York by empowering them to exercise greater control over their personal information and by holding businesses accountable.

The New York Privacy Act, advocated by Senator Kevin Thomas (D-Nassau County), passed in the New York State Senate after its third reading on June 8, 2023, and was delivered to the New York State Assembly. 

The 2023 bill is titled Senate Bill 365A and includes some notable provisions. We’ll review some of them below.

Key Takeaways From the New York Privacy Act

The proposed measures aim to empower consumers with greater control over their privacy and enhance accountability in data processing practices. The key provisions include:

1. Mandatory Consent: Companies would be obligated to obtain explicit consent from consumers before processing their personal data. This requirement ensures that individuals have the choice and awareness regarding the use of their information.
2. Transparency and Accountability: The legislation would establish robust transparency and accountability standards for businesses that handle substantial amounts of personal data. This ensures that companies are transparent about their data collection and processing practices, and are accountable for how they handle consumer information.
3. Oversight of Data Brokers: The Office of the Attorney General would be granted authority to conduct oversight of data brokers. These are entities that collect personal information about consumers and sell that data to other controllers or third parties. This oversight ensures that data brokers adhere to privacy regulations and responsibly handle consumers’ personal information.

Who does it apply to?

It is yet to be determined in detail but the NY personal privacy protection law will apply to entities conducting business in New York and possibly those handling personal data of New York residents.

The projected criteria for the application of NYPA are said to be:

• If your yearly gross revenue is over $25,000,000.
• If you control the data of a minimum of 100,000 New Yorkers.
• If you control the data of a minimum of 500,000 people in general, with 10,000 that are New York residents.
• If you derive 50% or more of your gross revenue from the selling of personal data.

Targeted advertising and data sellers are not the only ones who need to take heed of the upcoming laws and regulations to ensure they won’t be in violation and open to penalties. Any business or company that processes, stores, handles or uses personal information of any kind will need to adhere to these laws. 

As the global market becomes more and more interconnected, businesses around the world will need to take into account the NYPA if they want New York’s residents to use their websites or services. 

Government bodies who are processing or storing data for reasons other than sales are exempt from the NYPA, as is data maintained for employment purposes, protected health information and data collected to research on human subjects. These exemptions will need to be examined in greater detail when the final version of NYPA is released.

The Latest in New York Privacy: Child Data Protection and SAFE for Kids Act

While the NYPA remains stuck in legislative limbo, New York has taken a different route to strengthen privacy protections—this time with a focus on children. Two newly passed bills, the New York Child Data Protection Act (S7695) and the SAFE for Kids Act (S7694), are now awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature. Together, these bills represent a significant push to protect minors online.

Here’s an overview of these developments and what they could mean for businesses and consumers.

The New York Child Data Protection Act (S7695)

This act is aimed squarely at operators of websites, online services, and applications that collect personal data from minors under 18. It introduces strict rules to ensure minors’ data is handled responsibly:

• Operators must obtain parental consent for users under 13 and informed consent for users aged 13-17, unless the data is necessary for limited purposes like fraud prevention or compliance with the law.
• Businesses will be required to delete data of minors within 30 days of learning their age unless specific exceptions apply.
• The sale or purchase of minors’ personal data will be outright prohibited.
• Contracts with third-party vendors must reflect the new rules governing minors’ data.

If signed, this law will take effect one year after its passage. For businesses, that means a ticking clock to overhaul policies and systems to comply with these strict standards.

The SAFE for Kids Act (S7694)

While the Child Data Protection Act focuses on data collection, the SAFE for Kids Act takes aim at the addictive nature of social media platforms. It regulates services that use algorithms to prioritize content based on user data and imposes specific obligations on platforms offering “addictive feeds.”

Under the SAFE for Kids Act:

• Platforms must verify that users are not minors or secure parental consent before delivering addictive feeds.
• Notifications to minors are restricted between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. ET unless parents explicitly allow them.

This act has a faster timeline, taking effect 180 days after the Attorney General establishes the rules for implementation. Businesses that rely on algorithm-driven content delivery will need to make swift adjustments.

Implications for Businesses

If these bills become law, businesses operating in New York will face significant compliance challenges. To prepare, companies should focus on:

1. Implementing Age Verification: Adopting methods to confirm users’ ages accurately.
2. Revising Data Policies: Aligning data collection, processing, and deletion practices with these new requirements.
3. Updating Contracts: Ensuring agreements with third-party vendors handling minors’ data comply with the law.
4. Limiting Notifications: Redesigning notification systems for social media platforms to avoid violations.

Stakeholder Reactions

These bills have received mixed responses. Governor Kathy Hochul has endorsed them as essential to protecting children in an increasingly digital world. On the other hand, groups like NetChoice, an internet trade association, have criticized the bills as unconstitutional. NetChoice has likened these measures to California’s controversial Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, which is already the subject of legal battles.

Unique Aspects of NYPA versus Other Privacy Laws

NYPA has been noted to surpass its contemporaries, like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and Virginia’s Consumer Data Protection Act (CDPA), in its stringencies. It is more specific than the CCPA, which has received criticism for being impractical due to its breadth and very general terms. Yet it is less broad than the GDPR.

There are plenty of common factors between the New York Privacy Act and other more established privacy laws, like Europe’s GDPR, including lawful processing, consent, individual rights to name a few. 

The naming of third parties with whom a company does business is a requirement of NYPA in order to provide full transparency to consumers. The New York Privacy Act also refers to data fiduciary responsibilities. This can be compared to the GDPR’s Data Controller- the one who decides the purpose and process to handle personal data.

Yet unlike most other famous privacy laws, the NYPA does not include a category of “sensitive data” that usually requires many of its own unique controls and handling laws.  

What happens if you don’t comply?

As is the case with the vast majority of privacy laws, failure to comply will lead to fines and penalties that can be financially crippling, or at least significant. Relative to laws like the GDPR, the penalties for non-compliance with NYPA are more modest, namely up to $15,000 per violation. This may at first sound moderate but we will need to establish what constitutes a single violation- it may well add up. 

Steps to The New York Privacy Act Compliance

As with all privacy laws, the best place to start is by knowing where your company touches personal data and evaluating the flow of data from inception through the completion of your service or business. Take into account not only the networks and systems within your organization, but also the vendors with whom you do business. Do they receive personal data from you? Are your compliance demands incorporated into your SLA’s (Service Level Agreements)? Ensure your vendors will not be the downfall of your compliance with vendor risk assessments.

Create a privacy notice for your customers. Scope your organization to know where personal information is to be found and ensure all aspects are covered in the privacy notice- including the rights mentioned above.
Consider using an automated risk and compliance management platform that will prepare your organization for compliance with all of the major privacy laws. Schedule a demo to see how Centraleyes cutting-edge compliance tools will boost your company’s compliance with the upcoming NYPA privacy regulations.

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