We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again — data security compliance just keeps getting more complex. You might have noticed that the list of IT security and privacy certifications your company needs keeps expanding. Here’s why.

The digital landscape is borderless. A company based in one country might store data in another, serve customers across multiple continents, and engage with partners worldwide. Each of these interactions can bring its own set of regulations into play — GDPR for customers in Europe, CCPA for those in California, HIPAA for health-related information in the United States, and the list goes on.

Plus, the type of data handled and the industry sector also dictate specific compliance needs. Ecommerce companies grapple with PCI DSS for payment data and tech companies with SOC 2 for customer data security, for example.

This global operation model, combined with industry-specific regulations and the diverse nature of data being processed, compels companies to juggle multiple data security and privacy frameworks. It's a daunting task, no doubt, but an essential one. The digital economy demands not just compliance for compliance's sake but as a foundational element of business integrity, customer trust, and the smooth operation of international commerce.

So what’s a company to do? Create more spreadsheets? Hire more security professionals? Give up and close the doors? Nothing that drastic. There’s a simple solution — multi-framework security compliance software. 

But before we go into that, let’s take a quick look at what can happen if you don’t get the right tools in place.

A web of data security and privacy frameworks

It’s only recently that multi-framework platform capabilities have become available. What did companies do before that? Spoiler: it wasn’t pretty. From resource shortages to piles of documentation and manual integration of various systems and processes, the challenges were many and varied.

Resource shortages

Without the right tools, data security compliance can become a major resource drain. And even when you try to keep it in check, balancing technology, training, and personnel needs can particularly strain smaller enterprises striving to meet these standards.

Documentation

Each security framework comes with its list of documentation requirements, creating a diverse and complex portfolio of paperwork that companies must navigate and maintain. Without software to do it for you, the spreadsheets become endless.

System and process integration

Linking disparate systems and processes to form a unified defense against data breaches is no small feat, requiring both technical savvy and time – something that many businesses don’t have. 

Ongoing compliance

As the goalposts of data protection laws and standards move, keeping your compliance strategy responsive is a continuous endeavor requiring massive amounts of manual documentation and process management.

A light at the end of the tunnel: Strike Graph’s multi-framework platform

Strike Graph’s all-in-one compliance and certification platform is designed to simplify multiple frameworks. It streamlines the data security compliance process by allowing you to map one control — and its associated evidence — to multiple security frameworks. 

This innovative feature allows companies to leverage a single control and its corresponding evidence across different compliance frameworks, significantly reducing redundancy and streamlining the compliance process. And, by enabling organizations to apply work done for one framework towards the requirements of another, Strike Graph not only simplifies the compliance journey but also ensures a more efficient use of resources. No more starting from scratch for each new compliance framework — a huge savings in time, costs, and the potential for errors.

And, Strike Graph has your future in mind. The platform automatically maps existing controls to new frameworks as they are added, drastically reducing the resource requirements of adding a new framework to your security program. 

Real world scenario: DocuPhase cut their HIPAA work in half using Strike Graph’s multi-framework mapping. Their existing SOC 2 controls had gotten them halfway there before they ever lifted a finger. “If we had used a different firm for HIPAA,” says Paul Gagne, VP of security and compliance, “then we wouldn't see that overlap. We'd have to do it all over again.” 

Data security compliance is stress free with Strike Graph

Data security compliance is the backbone of trust and reputation in the digital world, protecting data while building the trust that’s necessary to win customer loyalty and close deals. And the reality is, it’s not going to get any simpler.

Setting a foundation now with the right tools gives you an edge today and will blast you ahead of competitors who are less prepared for increasing requirements tomorrow. 

Curious to see how Strike Graph can transform your organization's compliance efforts in a multi-framework landscape? Schedule a demo with one of our data security compliance experts today, or take the platform for a spin by opening a free account.