IT compliance refers to adherence to all relevant laws, regulations and internal policies in the area of IT security and privacy. It ensures that organisations operate and protect their IT systems and data processing procedures in accordance with the law.
IT compliance is essential to avoid legal consequences such as fines or penalties. It protects sensitive data from misuse and ensures that organisations can run their business processes securely and efficiently. IT compliance also builds trust with customers and partners.
Key legislation includes the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the NIS2 Directive, the DORA Regulation and the Cyber Resilience Act.
Key steps include inventorying IT systems, assessing risks, defining policies and requirements, implementing technical and organisational measures, and regularly monitoring and reviewing compliance.
The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and the Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) significantly increase the requirements for IT compliance. DORA is particularly relevant to financial institutions, requiring them to make their IT systems resilient to cyber-attacks and technical failures. The NIS2 Directive, on the other hand, extends cyber security requirements to a wide range of industries and requires companies to implement high security standards to better protect network and information systems. Both regulations require companies to adapt their IT security and risk management processes to the new requirements and introduce regular reviews and reporting.