Cybersecurity regulations such as HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS are designed to protect both your business and your customers from online threats to privacy and data. However, failing to meet these compliance requirements can be as harmful as any cyberattack. For many small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), navigating these complex rules — and the advanced tools often needed to adhere to them — can easily lead to compliance pitfalls.
The good news? With a little preparation and awareness, you can sidestep common IT compliance mistakes and safeguard your business from fines, data breaches, and reputational harm.
Let’s dive into the most common compliance mistakes and ways to steer clear of them.
Not staying in the loop about compliance updates
Compliance regulations are already complex, and regular updates and rule changes only add to the challenge. These changes are often necessary to stay ahead of evolving cyberthreats, but if you’re unaware of the latest updates, your business could unintentionally fall out of compliance. Unfortunately, most regulatory bodies won’t accept ignorance as an excuse, which means you could still face fines for failing to follow a rule you didn’t know had changed.
How to avoid it:
Stay current with all regulations relevant to your business by regularly checking the official websites, press releases, or social media channels of the governing bodies behind them. Assign your internal or outsourced IT team the responsibility of monitoring compliance updates and alerting your organization to any changes that require action.
Failing to perform regular compliance audits
Compliance isn’t a one-time task; you need to manage it continuously and consistently over time. Without regular checks, it’s impossible to be certain your systems remain compliant.
How to avoid it:
Work with your IT team or services provider to establish a consistent schedule for reviewing your compliance status. Such checks can be integrated into your routine IT audits or conducted more frequently if your industry demands it. Regular audits help you stay ahead of changes and avoid costly surprises.
Poor or nonexistent compliance training
Beyond mandating the use of specific IT tools, such as cybersecurity software, compliance regulations also require businesses and their teams to follow defined procedures and protocols. Without proper training, your staff may unknowingly violate these requirements, increasing the risk of costly errors and penalties.
How to avoid it:
Conduct regular compliance training sessions. Ideally, training should be done at least once a year to keep employees informed and reinforce best practices. Make training part of your onboarding process for new hires, and consider bringing in IT compliance experts to deliver more comprehensive instruction and answer industry-specific questions.
Low-quality documentation
Regulatory bodies require clear, accurate documentation to verify that your IT systems comply with standards and that your team is following established protocols. Unfortunately, creating this documentation can be both complex and time-consuming, especially if your organization lacks in-house compliance expertise.
How to avoid it:
Invest in compliance management solutions, such as Vanta or Cflow, that integrate with your IT infrastructure. These tools not only help maintain ongoing compliance but also automate much of the documentation process. Automated reports are typically more thorough, consistent, and faster to produce than manual efforts, reducing the risk of human error and saving your team valuable time.
Vendor noncompliance
Even if your SMB has a pristine compliance record, you can still be penalized for violations by your IT vendors and partners. Cloud hosts, third-party software, and maybe even hardware vendors you work with must follow the same rules as you do.
How to avoid it:
Closely vet your IT vendors and partners, and ask them directly about how they are addressing your compliance needs. Ask your IT department or an outsourced cybersecurity services provider to audit any partner’s systems for compliance before working together.
Trying to handle compliance alone
Cybersecurity IT compliance is complex, and audits are difficult even for large businesses. Many SMBs make the mistake of trying to handle their compliance responsibilities alone without the help of an IT team, typically because of the costs. However, fines and reputational damage are far more expensive.
How to avoid it:
Work with IT compliance experts, either by building an in-house IT team or outsourcing from a reliable third party. Regardless of your SMB’s industry, compliance consultants can help ensure you meet regulatory standards, safeguarding your business from both cybersecurity threats and potential penalties.
Tackle compliance with confidence by partnering with predictiveIT. Contact us today or schedule a compliance and risk management review to get started.
