Navigating Information Security Challenges in the Digital Era

In today's digital age, information security is a critical issue that enterprises can no longer ignore. With the increasing number of ransomware attacks, the challenges of managing cross-border data flows, and geopolitical factors, businesses are faced with more and more challenges when it comes to data management and protection. These phenomena have also accelerated the creation of corresponding laws and regulations by governments and relevant organizations worldwide.

Cybersecurity | Ransomware-Attacks 

For instance, companies around the globe are establishing information security management systems and adopt appropriate technologies and measures. Many companies also need to obtain the ISO 27001 certification, which just last year added more control measures. Moreover, if businesses fail to meet regulatory requirements, they may face restrictions, penalties, or even exclusion from the supply chain in various industries. This makes compliance no longer an option but a necessity.

Since this is closely tied to a company's reputation and relationships, Synology expects that information security compliance will become an increasingly important factor in corporate operations.

Lack of clear implementation methods in most regulations leads to confusion for businesses

When helping our clients plan their compliance strategy, we've found that a common struggle is the initial compliance implementation assessment. While the goal of protecting data is clear, most regulations only offer basic directions and require companies to demonstrate compliance without providing specific recommendations.

Here are some common examples of how compliance clauses are usually stated:

1. Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX): A regulation that mainly regulates U.S. listed companies, requiring the protection of financial data and reports and the development of disaster recovery plans for sensitive information.
2. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): A U.S. regulation for the healthcare industry ensures patient medical data confidentiality, specifies how long patient data can be retained, and requires backup and disaster recovery plans for data protection.
3. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): An E.U. regulation that requires companies to protect personal data, allows individuals to request data deletion, and requires backup plans to comply with individual rights.

When faced with numerous complex laws and regulations without clear guidance on how to implement them, it can be difficult for company compliance units to know where to start.

Start with ISO 27001 to meet many security standards at once

To address these challenges, Synology recommends starting with the implementation of the ISO 27001 system. ISO 27001 is an international standard that helps organizations establish Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). Since its security requirements overlap significantly with other standards, such as HIPAA and GDPR, it's one a good way to address several compliance regulations at once.

The following diagram shows one example of ISO 27001's similarities with other standards by highlighting the similarities with HIPAA.