With the implementation of processes and procedures having a direct impact on your daily operations and your team, it can appear overwhelming to achieve and maintain IT compliance without the right partner in place.
Parachute guides our clients through the following questions:
- Where do we start, and what comes next?
- Does IT compliance replace our IT security strategy?
- How do we implement comprehensive security solutions while meeting IT compliance obligations?
- Are our IT security initiatives enough?
- How will IT compliance enable my business to function better?
Parachute will help you navigate all IT Compliance requirements from the following:
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Service Organization Control (SOC 2)
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX)
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI or PCIDSS)
In an unregulated industry, Parachute is HIPAA compliant and SOC 2 certified.
We practice what we recommend to our clients by investing capital, time, and resources into our own internal security infrastructure and training. Learn more about our HIPAA compliance and SOC 2 certification.
Parachute as Your Guide
Step 1: Build the Foundation
The infusion of Parachute’s Managed IT Services into your organization builds the foundation for the processes and procedures that will need to be in place for any industry regulation. By implementing best-practices around network security, IT standardization, multi-factor authentication, on/off-boarding, password management, access, and documentation, we are laying the groundwork to maintain and even exceed IT compliance. As your business continues down the path of IT best practices through Parachute’s Managed IT Services, your company’s Operational Maturity Level (OML) will naturally increase as well.
Step 2: Identify and Collaborate
Once the IT environment is optimized, and the appropriate IT solutions are in place, we can identify the IT compliance framework that needs to be completed. Our team gathers factual information, performs a comprehensive assessment, and presents you with a gap analysis to make informed decisions together. Parachute’s Quarterly Technical Business Review Meetings foster collaboration, communication, and alignment on IT compliance initiatives. The result: both parties are on the same page and rowing in the same direction.
Step 3: Strategy and Impact
In addition to meeting the requirements, Parachute’s IT compliance strategy will be complementary to your company’s growth goals and risk reduction initiatives. When planning the rollout of new processes, procedures, tools, and systems, we implement a phased approach with lots of communication. It is our responsibility to be acutely aware of your company’s culture and the impact on your team members.
Step 4: Phased Implementation and Templates
Parachute has process and procedure templates for all major regulatory requirements, which we customize and develop based on your company needs and goals. These templates dramatically increase the speed in which you can obtain compliance and fulfill your own customers’ data security requirements. Our team conducts beta testing and pilot stages throughout the implementation process in a controlled environment. These additional efforts reduce the impact on your company’s departments and operations.
Step 5: Maintain IT Compliance
Requirements are always changing from the governing body. Meeting new standards will be necessary on an annual basis. Keeping documented processes and procedures current is part of the maintenance plan our team puts in place. Parachute manages vulnerability and penetration testing on a consistent schedule if necessary. Our team helps to build awareness training into your company’s new employee onboarding process. With the appropriate IT tools and preventative measures in place, together, we create and foster a culture that is diligent about upholding the requirements.
Fully Compliant with the SEC
“Our biggest concern used to be network security. Parachute surpassed our expectation with that and has helped us become an institutional quality firm, and fully compliant with the SEC. Clearly, they are one of the best IT consulting firms in the Bay Area. Of my accomplishments here, bringing on Parachute is at the top of the list.”
Bill McCalpin
CEO
IT Compliance and IT Security: Complement or Complicate?
The line between IT Security and IT Compliance can become blurred and may seem like a moving target. While IT compliance is similar to IT security in that it drives a company to implement processes and procedures to protect digital assets, the motive behind IT compliance is different. IT compliance is centered around the requirements of a government, security organization’s framework, or the company’s contractual terms with their own clients and customers. This last point is key. If they are not already, your customers and clients may require multiple layers of protection of confidential data to be in place in order to conduct business with you. Parachute ensures your business is ready to meet or exceed all requirements.
While IT security is practiced for the direct benefits to the company, IT compliance is practiced to facilitate business operations to meet the external requirements of a regulatory organization. IT compliance comes to completion and is usually maintained yearly. In contrast, IT security is driven by the need to continually protect a company’s digital assets against threats and must be consistently reevaluated.
IT compliance and IT security can complement one another. When paired together, they provide comprehensive protections and risk mitigation for the company. IT compliance creates a foundation for an organization’s IT security initiatives, while IT security efforts build on that to create a multi-layered approach. Parachute ensures that there is an equal focus on both IT compliance and IT security. When done successfully, a business will not only meet the standards for its industry but also demonstrate to its customers that it has exceeded expectations in its commitment to secure data.
