We continue to innovate quickly to help you improve your compliance and security programs. This past month, we launched our own security awareness training video, along with these exciting platform updates: ‍

Attacks targeting the software supply chain are on the rise. Indeed, data from the Mend Open Source Risk Report shows a steady quarterly increase in the number of malicious packages published in 2022, with a significant jump in Q3, which jumped 79 percent from Q2. The European Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA) predicts that supply chain attacks will increase fourfold by 2022.

When talking about big influences on cybersecurity, we tend to think about sweeping trends like digital transformation and the hybrid work revolution. And that makes sense. Cloud adoption, for example, has created complex corporate infrastructures. This is forcing the security industry to rethink how they protect data.

Governments, businesses, and society depend on reliable, functioning information and communication technology. However, increased severity of ransomware attacks and vulnerabilities in computer chips undermine these infrastructures. Further, as people adopt Internet of Things (IoT) devices, their inherent lack of security and ability to be aggregated into large, malicious bot networks increases these risks.

The ISO 27001 is one of the most recognized security standards for private sector organizations across the globe and is often required by prospective enterprise customers, helping organizations unlock new business opportunities. ISO 27001 was recently updated along with its companion guidance standard ISO 27002. The updated title for this standard is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security, Cybersecurity, and Privacy Protection.

As organizations strive for more nimble operations through digital transformation, many are taking a hybrid cloud approach. But ensuring proper security and adhering to compliance regulations can prove difficult - especially at scale. Compliance frameworks may shift annually, making the process of achieving and maintaining compliant procedures intensely laborious, with frequent retraining cycles involving significant time and investment.

The healthcare industry has been plagued by inadequate security measures and common protocol mistakes that result in significant penalties imposed by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Poor security protocols, neglected risk assessment audits, internal human errors, and the lack of employee HIPAA training are just a few factors contributing to lost, compromised, or stolen patient data and sensitive medical records.

Compliance is a fundamental baseline for many organizations but doesn’t guarantee security. While there is some overlap, today’s security leaders must recognize the need to go beyond what compliance frameworks call for to achieve an extra layer of protection and peace of mind against potentially devastating breaches. Compliance may set the foundation, but it should never be viewed as providing total protection or proof of a robust security posture.

Over the years, there have been countless cases of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) violations, which can result in significant financial penalties. Most are directly linked not to accidental employee misconduct or malicious intent but to a lack of understanding of HIPAA standards by healthcare organizations. Most cases involve poor implementation of security controls or lack of risk assessment auditing, to save money and avoid costly auditing.