NIST is a valuable resource for helping business owners to protect their vital data by moving it out of the attack surface. Only 8% of all reported security incidents involve stolen hardware. A whopping 12% of cases result from unauthorized physical access, which NIST can help businesses avoid with its guidelines.
Plus, with customer privacy more important than ever before, companies need to be sure that they are only using equipment certified as compliant with NIST standards. Business owners interested in implementing NIST compliance will need to ensure they meet the requirements of NIST, and this blog post will outline how.
What Industries Require NIST Compliance?
The industries that may require NIST compliance own sensitive data that they need to protect. They include healthcare, finance, and government. It is because losing data or corrupt information can lead directly to compromised identity or even physical harm.
The healthcare industry is strict in protecting patient information. HIPAA requires companies to dispose of electronic files specifically to prevent sensitive health information from being recovered. NIST has guidelines for disposed media destruction, covering hard media (CDs, DVDs, tapes, etc.) and electronic files.
The finance industry is also very particular about its data security. Many businesses use mobile self-service applications to check account balances or transfer funds. Because of the sensitive nature of these transactions, you must appropriately encrypt these documents and destroy them afterward to protect sensitive information from being recovered by unauthorized personnel.
Why is the NIST Compliance Important?
NIST compliance will ensure that a company is continually following best practices in data security. Any business that is unwilling to follow the NIST standard is more likely to suffer a breach or a loss of sensitive information.
Because of the need for businesses to protect both physical and virtual assets, some complicated requirements are in place. Following these requirements can be difficult without correct documentation from NIST itself.
NIST compliance support is available to small, mid-sized businesses and large enterprises. Each company measures its compliance on a case-by-case basis depending on its threat level.
What are Some Examples of NIST Compliance?
There are multiple ways that businesses can implement NIST compliance. Each case is distinct, but most options will be the same. Some companies already know what information they want to protect because of government mandates.
There is no requirement for other businesses to follow NIST standards because they do not contain the information to be certified. Still, by implementing these standards, they can protect their data in a compatible way with NIST.
In all cases, the one thing in common is that research has already been done to ensure the processes will work. It makes it easy for businesses of any size to implement these guidelines efficiently and safely for all parties involved.
How can you align your business with the requirements?
Companies that are interested in NIST compliance will need to be very careful in choosing a hardware vendor. It is not recommended to use an OEM or a cloud-based service without ensuring the vendor has NIST certification.
Companies need to use NIST-certified hardware to ensure successful implementation. You can quickly implement NIST compliance with help from an experienced company. A vendor with expertise in NIST cybersecurity framework is the best way for companies to maintain their physical security while staying compliant.
Knowing that the most up-to-date security standards protect your business will help you to sleep at night. Not following NIST directives can be dangerous. You are more likely to lose information if your equipment is not compliant with the standards outlined by NIST. Plus, you are putting yourself at risk of paying out significant financial damages in the event of a breach.
Taking these measures will ensure that your data is safe while also keeping you in compliance with laws that require specific standards for data protection.
