Security Compliance and Regulations

Table of Contents

  1. Goals
  2. Security
    1. Security Principles for Engineering Leaders
    2. Security Implementation Areas
    3. Security Governance
  3. Compliance
    1. Regulatory Frameworks
    2. Compliance Implementation Strategy
    3. Recommended Compliance Tools

This section how to manage compliance and regulations. This is by far not a complete and exhaustive section but give you a pointer on the important issues you need to know.

Goals

Minimal things you need to do. Procrastination is a good thing but make sure that you have the capability to execute fast when needed: I.e. the strategy of just to it later might back fire on you.

  • Setup the code and team:

Security

Security Principles for Engineering Leaders

  • Security as a Shared Responsibility: Foster a culture where security is everyone’s responsibility, not just the security team’s
  • Security by Design: Incorporate security requirements from the beginning of projects, not as an afterthought
  • Defense in Depth: Implement multiple layers of security controls to protect critical assets
  • Principle of Least Privilege: Grant minimal access rights required for users to perform their job functions
  • Continuous Security Testing: Integrate security testing throughout the development lifecycle

Security Implementation Areas

  • Application Security
    • Regular code reviews with security focus
    • SAST (Static Application Security Testing) in CI/CD pipelines
    • DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) for runtime vulnerability detection
    • SCA (Software Composition Analysis) for dependency vulnerabilities
    • Secure coding guidelines and training
  • Infrastructure Security
    • Network segmentation and firewall configuration
    • Intrusion detection and prevention systems
    • Server hardening procedures
    • Cloud security posture management
    • Container image scanning and runtime security
  • Data Security
    • Data classification framework
    • Encryption for data at rest and in transit
    • Data access controls and logging
    • Database activity monitoring
    • Data loss prevention strategies
  • Identity and Access Management
    • Strong authentication requirements (MFA)
    • Role-based access control
    • Just-in-time access provisioning
    • Regular access reviews
    • API token lifecycle management
  • Security Monitoring
    • Centralized log management
    • Security information and event management (SIEM)
    • Automated alerting for suspicious activities
    • Real-time threat intelligence integration
    • Incident response playbooks

Security Governance

  • Security Champions Program: Embed security-focused engineers within development teams
  • Regular Security Training: Schedule quarterly security awareness training for all team members
  • Security Metrics: Track and report on security KPIs (vulnerability remediation time, security debt, etc.)
  • Bug Bounty Program: Consider establishing a program to incentivize vulnerability reports
  • Penetration Testing: Conduct regular third-party security assessments

Remember: Shift left when you can automate it. Shift right when necessary (i.e., just before you ship, deploy). Monitor continuously and implement intelligent alerting.

Compliance

Regulatory Frameworks

  • SOC2: System and Organization Controls framework for service organizations
    • Type I: Point-in-time assessment of controls
    • Type II: Assessment of controls over a period (usually 6-12 months)
    • Five trust service criteria: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, Privacy
    • Preparation typically takes 3-6 months for first audit
    • Annual reassessment required
  • HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
    • Applies to protected health information (PHI)
    • Key requirements: Privacy Rule, Security Rule, Breach Notification Rule
    • Technical safeguards: Access controls, audit controls, integrity controls, transmission security
    • Annual risk assessments and employee training required
    • Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) needed for vendors
  • GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation
    • Applies to personal data of EU residents
    • Key principles: Lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization
    • Rights for data subjects: Access, rectification, erasure, portability
    • Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk processing
    • 72-hour breach notification requirement
  • PCI DSS: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
    • Applies to organizations handling cardholder data
    • 12 requirements covering network security, data protection, vulnerability management
    • Different compliance levels based on transaction volume
    • Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing
    • Annual assessment or self-assessment questionnaire

Compliance Implementation Strategy

  1. Assess Applicability: Determine which regulations apply to your business
  2. Gap Analysis: Compare current practices against requirements
  3. Remediation Planning: Prioritize gaps based on risk and effort
  4. Policy Development: Create comprehensive policies and procedures
  5. Technical Implementation: Deploy required security controls
  6. Training Program: Educate staff on compliance requirements
  7. Ongoing Monitoring: Establish continuous compliance tracking
  8. Documentation: Maintain evidence of compliance activities
  • Policy Management: Vanta, Drata, TrustCloud
  • Risk Assessment: SimpleRisk, RiskLens, Resolver
  • Compliance Automation: Secureframe, Tugboat Logic, Ostendio
  • Security Monitoring: Datadog, Splunk, Elastic Security
  • Vendor Management: OneTrust VRM, Whistic, SecurityScorecard
  • Training and Awareness: KnowBe4, Proofpoint Security Awareness, SANS