Compliance Standards
The webpage from Device42 provides a comprehensive guide to various IT compliance standards, highlighting key frameworks and checklists, including PCI DSS, NIST CSF, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and NIST 800-171. These standards are essential for ensuring that businesses operate securely and within widely accepted guidelines. Adhering to these compliance standards helps safeguard data, privacy, and security, and failure to comply can result in costly breaches and business damage. The guide breaks down the requirements and best practices for each standard.
| Compliance standard | Description | Associated industries |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) | Standardizes the secure handling of credit card information | Retail, finance |
| ISO 27001 (Information Security Management Systems) | A widely used standard for implementing information security controls in an organization | Any industry |
| Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 | Assurance for the implementation of controls for security and privacy | Service providers such as IT vendors, cloud and data center providers, and B2B SaaS companies |
| National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) | A security framework applicable to any business that aims to reduce its cybersecurity risks | Originally for critical infrastructure; applicable to any industry |
| NIST Special Publication 800-53 | A catalog of security and privacy controls | Any industry |
| Center for Internet Security (CIS) Controls / Benchmarks | Recommended practices for securing systems, devices, and networks | Any industry |
https://www.device42.com/compliance-standards
PCI DSS
The PCI DSS Compliance Checklist on Device42 outlines essential security requirements for businesses handling credit card data. It explains the importance of PCI DSS compliance to avoid fines and data breaches, and highlights key concepts such as scope, self-assessment questionnaires (SAQs), and third-party audits. The checklist offers guidance on preparing for a PCI audit, ensuring that organizations meet security standards depending on the volume and nature of transactions.
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Scope and importance | Any organization dealing with credit card data needs to be PCI DSS compliant to avoid steep fines and breaches. |
| Types of organizations | Relevant organizations include merchants, service providers, and financial institutions. |
| Self-assessment vs. third-party audits | Smaller organizations can use self-assessments; larger ones need third-party audits. |
| Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQs) | Types include SAQ A, B, C and C-VT, D and D–Service Provider, tailored to different scenarios. |
| Levels of PCI compliance | There are four levels of compliance based on the volume of credit card transactions; the higher the level, the more rigorous the requirements. |
| High-level PCI DSS requirements | Six groups focus on network security, data protection, vulnerability management, and access control, monitoring, and policy. |
https://www.device42.com/compliance-standards/pci-dss-compliance-checklist
NIST CSF
The page on Device42 outlines the categories of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), a set of guidelines designed to help organizations manage and mitigate cybersecurity risks. It explains the framework’s core categories—Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover—offering examples and best practices for each. The guide also covers updates from NIST CSF v1.1 to v2.0, including enhanced focus on governance and supply chain risk management.
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Identify | This function focuses on understanding and managing cybersecurity risk to systems, assets, data, and capabilities. |
| Protect | The Protect function is oriented toward developing and implementing appropriate safeguards to ensure the delivery of critical services. |
| Detect | This function emphasizes developing and implementing the activities required to identify the occurrence of cybersecurity events. |
| Respond | This part of the model focuses on developing and implementing activities to take action on detected cybersecurity incidents. |
| Recover | Finally, the Recover function describes how to ensure organization resilience by developing and implementing activities to maintain plans and restore capabilities and/or services impaired by cybersecurity incidents. |
https://www.device42.com/compliance-standards/nist-csf-categories
SOC 2
The SOC 2 Compliance Checklist from Device42 provides a detailed guide for ensuring businesses meet trust criteria, which include security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. It outlines the audit requirements and offers examples to help organizations prepare for and pass SOC 2 audits, which are essential for protecting customer data and maintaining regulatory compliance.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the purpose of SOC 2? | SOC 2 provides customers with assurance that their data is processed securely. It increases credibility and customer trust and provides more business opportunities. |
| Is it mandatory? | No, but it is not uncommon for customers to ask for it. |
| What industries are in scope? | Any IT-related solution provider (products/ services), from SaaS tools to cloud platforms and data centers. |
| What are the benefits? | Increased competitiveness: more business opportunities, especially with large customersReduced liability and reputational impact in case of a data breachA true sense of security, which may not be achieved solely with self-assessment |
| What are the evaluation criteria? | Five Trust Services Criteria:Security (also known as “Common Criteria”)ConfidentialityProcessing IntegrityAvailabilityPrivacyOnly the Security criterion is mandatory. You can scope SOC 2 to meet whatever applies to your business’s nature and objectives. |
| What controls are needed? | Controls are based on the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) framework, an internal control framework for corporate governance. The controls are discretionary. |
| Where do I start? | Scope the criteria based on the nature of your business, then build your program as you see fit for the company. Design and implement the chosen controls, test them and close any gaps. |
| What are the SOC 2 types, and which one should I choose? | Type I evaluates the existence of controls at a point in time (on a certain date). This snapshot shows design effectiveness.Type II evaluates the consistency of controls over a period of time (typically 12 months). Samples of controls and tests are assessed for design AND operational effectiveness.Most customers will want to see a Type II report. |
| Who can audit my company? | The third-party auditor needs to be accredited by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) or have a certified public accountant (CPA) license. |
| Is a SOC 2 certification possible? | No. Unlike ISO 27001 compliance, the company does not get certified after the audit, though an assurance report is issued that can be shared externally. |
https://www.device42.com/compliance-standards/soc2-compliance-checklist
ISO 27001
The ISO 27001 Compliance Checklist from Device42 outlines steps for organizations to prepare for a successful ISO 27001 audit. Key actions include establishing an Information Security Management System (ISMS), documenting policies, implementing necessary security controls, and performing risk assessments. The guide helps businesses ensure compliance with ISO 27001’s information security standards to protect sensitive data.
| Checklist item / action | Required evidence |
| Determine the scope of the ISMS | ISMS scope |
| Develop the ISMS framework | Information security policy* |
| Assess information security risks | Information security risk assessment process/procedure;risk assessment results |
| Treat information security risks | Information security risk treatment process/procedure;risk treatment plan* |
| Produce a statement of applicability (SoA) | Statement of applicability* |
| Set ISMS objectives | Documented information on the ISMS objectives |
| Assign information security roles and responsibilities | Records of personnel competence |
| Determine ISMS operational information | Documented information confirming that the ISMS is being applied and controlled |
| Establish security measurements | Security metrics and KPIs |
| Perform an internal audit on information security | Internal audit program;ISMS audit reports |
| Conduct a management review of the ISMS | ISMS management review reports |
| Correct deviations | Records of nonconformities and corrective actions |
https://www.device42.com/compliance-standards/iso-27001-compliance-checklist
NIST 800-171
The NIST 800-171 Compliance Checklist from Device42 provides a detailed guide for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). It highlights key security requirements, such as access control, incident response, and risk assessments. The checklist helps businesses ensure they meet NIST 800-171 standards by offering best practices for maintaining data security and complying with federal regulations, especially for organizations handling government contracts.
https://www.device42.com/compliance-standards/nist-800-171-compliance-checklist