---
title: "Why Cybersecurity Compliance Is Of Utmost Importance When You’re Starting With Your Online Business | DuoCircle"
description: "The sophistication of phishing and hacking has improved with advancements in technology."
image: "https://www.duocircle.com/images/og-default.png"
canonical: "https://www.duocircle.com/blog/email-security/why-cybersecurity-compliance-is-of-utmost-importance-when-youre-starting-with-your-online-business/"
---

Quick Answer

Cybersecurity compliance is the rulebook that keeps an online business out of breach headlines and out of regulatory trouble. Roughly 28% of breaches hit small businesses, 70% are perpetrated by outsiders, 45% involve hacking, 22% use social engineering, and 86% are financially motivated. Compliance frameworks are built on confidentiality, integrity, and availability and cover personal data, PII, health data, financial records, and any data protected by state or national law. To run a program, set up a compliance team that bridges IT and legal, run a full asset inventory and risk assessment, deploy controls (firewalls, password and access policies, vendor risk management, awareness training), then monitor continuously so old vulnerabilities and zero-day attempts get caught early. US contractors also face SP 800-171 and DFARS 252.204-7012 specifically.

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![Cybersecurity Compliance](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/SMTP-email-8776.jpg) 

_The sophistication of phishing and hacking has improved with advancements in technology_. Under such circumstances, online business owners must adhere to cybersecurity compliance without fail. An online business is at a more significant risk than an offline one as online malicious attacks can disrupt its activities anytime. It will require all sorts of protection, such as [email security](/), [phishing protection](/email/phishing-protection), **ransomware protection**, and [anti-phishing services](/advanced-threat-defense) to protect the organization. The below information on data breaches in 2020 is something to ponder about

- Almost **28% of all data breaches** were associated with small businesses.
- Outsiders perpetrated **70% of data breaches**.
- _Hacking was the reason for 45% of all the breaches_.
- Of all the breaches, _Social Engineering was the method used for 22%_.
- _86% of all breaches were due to financial motivation_.
- It took a month or more for 25% of the data breaches to be discovered.

_The data from [Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/273550/data-breaches-recorded-in-the-united-states-by-number-of-breaches-and-records-exposed/) confirms that the gradual rise and the eventual reduction in the number of data breaches in the United States during the period 2005 to 2020_. The reasons for the slight dip may be attributed to better cybersecurity compliance and protective measures.

## What Is Cybersecurity Compliance?

_[Cybersecurity Compliance](https://www.complianceonline.com/resources/cybersecurity-compliance-plan.html) is a set of rules and regulations that will define the risk-based controls that the online business will have to observe strictly_. These controls are based on the three **pillars of cybersecurity**, namely confidentiality, integrity, and availability or CIA. Cybersecurity compliance is, however, not standalone rules and regulations defining controls. They depend on the industry, and different standards are created based on it. There are specific standards that may overlap, and there are checklists that need to be followed.

[![](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/hosted-email-server-6654.jpg)](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/hosted-email-server-6654.jpg)

## What Are The Kinds Of Data That Are Subjected To Cybersecurity Compliance?

The categories of data subject to cybersecurity compliance include:

- Personal information
- Personally identifiable information (PII)
- Personal health information
- Financial information
- Data protected under state or national laws

## Benefits Of Cybersecurity Compliance

There are manifold benefits of adhering to **cybersecurity compliance**, as listed below.

- **Setting Access Privileges:** First, _it defines the roles of each member of the team and the kind of access privilege one gets_. It is essential since illegal entry can turn catastrophic for the entire network.
- **Avoiding Financial And Reputational Losses:** An online business holds an immense amount of customer information. If there is any malicious intrusion or **phishing attempt** on the organization, it will prove disastrous for the stakeholders. _Losing data often has financial and reputational losses associated with it_. Hence, an online business owner must ensure safeguarding all forms of information.
- **Better Customer Trust:** There are many more benefits attached to cybersecurity compliance. _An organization that protects consumer data earns more trust_, based on which one can build a more extensive consumer base.
- **Improving Operational Efficiency:** Cybersecurity compliance also adds to operational efficiency since every part of the internal processes is covered through these controls.
- **Protecting Trade Secrets:** Other than bolstering the [security posture](/email-security/why-it-is-crucial-for-smes-to-have-a-robust-cybersecurity-posture/) of the organization and following the law of the land, cybersecurity compliance is also helpful when it comes to protecting trade secrets such as business models, intellectual property, and backend codes. These are essential to the business’s survival, and losing them would mean certain doom as they are crucial to give the online business a competitive edge over its rivals. It is also the same information that malicious actors want.

## Steps To Create A Cybersecurity Compliance Program

_Maintaining a compliance program for an online business involves much dedication and several significant steps_, as discussed below.

### Step: 1, Establish A Compliance Team

For businesses of all sizes, a compliance team is a necessity. This team will be responsible for all the compliance-related activities. _When organizations begin to move their operations to the cloud, their role becomes all the more critical_. They would have to reconfigure and tweak all the controls and create workflows that will enable departments to communicate with each other. The compliance team works in the area where IT and legal aspects overlap. They will be treading both these departments to keep the business ahead of the curve.

### Step: 2, Risk Analysis Procedure

Establishing a risk analysis process is necessary immediately after the compliance team has been created. It involves the following actions.

- Identification of all assets is vital to risk analysis. Every information system and the network has to be listed as part of the risk analysis plan.
- Assessment of risk is the second step which will evaluate the risk involved with each asset and grade them accordingly.
- After assessing the risk and grading it, every known and unknown risk will be analyzed, and preventive measures are undertaken.
- A risk tolerance level will have to be established, which will act as the threshold beyond which specific response systems have to be built.

### Step: 3, Controls

_The setting of controls is based on the risk analysis_. Risk analysis will determine the kind of controls established to protect the systems and the network from any malicious entry and access.

The controls can be of many forms, such as:

- Firewalls
- Policies that will define entry and access, like passwords
- Risk Management programs for vendors
- [Awareness programs](/phishing-awareness-training) for employees

### Step: 4, Continuous Monitoring

Whether big or small, every organization will need to have IT security and cybersecurity teams that continuously monitor the systems and network. It is necessary from the cybersecurity point of view. Malicious actors always think one step ahead and lookout for ways to disrupt processes. Not all of them indulge in [Zero-Day attacks](https://www.phishprotection.com/content/zero-day-attacks/), but they also watch for old vulnerabilities. With **continuous monitoring**, such attempts can be thwarted. _Any vulnerabilities that may arise can be taken care of through constant surveillance_.

[![ IT security and cybersecurity](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/SMTP-server-mail-5542.jpg)](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/SMTP-server-mail-5542.jpg)

## Final Words

_Cybersecurity compliance is a necessity that must be adhered to by every online business_. The US government has mandated government contractors to adhere to SP 800-171\. And for defense contractors, [it is Defence Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) § 252.204-7012](https://www.uscybersecurity.net/csmag/cybersecurity-compliance-defending-your-small-business/). These are regulatory standards that define the best practices and the risks involved, and their assessments and analysis. It is also necessary for online businesses to [train employees on protecting](/phishing-awareness-training) themselves and the organization from malicious attempts like **spear-phishing** and social engineering.

![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/team/brad-slavin.jpg) 

Brad Slavin 

General Manager

General Manager at DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead across the email security portfolio.

## Secure your email infrastructure

Protect, authenticate, and deliver. Contact our team to find the right solution.

[Contact Sales](/contact/) [Explore Products](/products/) 

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