Cybersecurity Compliance: Do I Need SOC 2, CMMC or ITAR?
In business, you don’t gain the competitive edge by keeping pace or reacting to the latest industry trends. You need to be proactive and have the data center modernization and IT infrastructure to quickly adjust to any change. The same is true for your security posture and protection. Keeping company data safe and maintaining compliance on all levels is a top priority for any business, but how do you know what compliance standard and type of certification is needed for your business? As a business leader or IT director, it’s important not to rush headlong into obtaining any type of certification before you’ve done your research. Many businesses have lost countless hours and several thousands of dollars to obtain a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), only to learn that what they needed instead was Service Organization Control 2 (SOC 2) compliance (the reverse also holds true). So how do you know if you need SOC 2, CMMC or International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR)?
A managed service provider or team of cybersecurity consultants can help you identify whether you truly need a specific certification. Not only will you know where each of these certifications differ from one another and which will be most suited to your operations, but you’ll also save time and money going after the right one for your business. You don’t want to risk failing audits and noncompliance simply because you received the wrong type of certification.
Do I Need SOC 2 for My Business?
SOC 2 compliance is a must-have for any organization storing customer data or integrating with business partners. If you’re selling software or services, your customers will want to see your SOC 2 report to have confidence that their data will be protected and that there is no risk of system breaches or vulnerabilities. If your customers or business partners are in highly regulated fields or are publicly traded companies, a SOC 2 report is imperative to be considered as a viable vendor.
A SOC 2 report plays an important role in the following for your business:
- Oversight of the organization
- Vendor management programs
- Internal corporate governance and risk management processes
- Regulatory oversight
- Audit risk reduction
A SOC 2 report can significantly help reduce audits from customers and business partners. Developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), a SOC 2 report provides insight into internal controls that exist within an organization to address risks related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy. Much like an ISO 9002 report for a manufacturer, the report is independently validated by an outside agency and uses a specific set of criteria to ensure consistency across organizations.
Before a SOC 2 report is issued, an independent CPA conducts an assessment of the scope, design and (for Type 2 reports) the effectiveness of internal control processes. The scope of a SOC 2 report is determined by your organization and your SOC 2 assessor. While SOC 2 standards aren’t part of a law or regulation, they are just as important to your business if you’re handling proprietary customer information and can be a valuable resource to business partners in the instance of an audit for risk management purposes.
Do I Need CMMC for My Business?
The CMMC framework is required for all businesses that want to do business with the Department of Defense (DoD). But even if you’re not in the defense industry, CMMC compliance is still a good idea. There are a ton of benefits CMMC offers that extend outside of your ability to bid on government contracts (highlighted below).
There are five total levels of CMMC, with Level 1 offering the most basic form and level of security that includes basic security systems, password hygiene and antivirus protection software. More recently, the DoD launched CMMC 2.0, an enhanced comprehensive framework to protect the defense industrial base from increasingly frequent and complex cyberattacks. With its streamlined requirements, CMMC 2.0 helps to accomplish the following:
- Safeguard sensitive national security information
- Cut red tape for small and medium-sized businesses
- Set priorities for protecting DoD information
- Attract and retain top-talent by providing a secure environment
- Reinforce cooperation between industry and the DoD in addressing cyber threats
The enhancements of CMMC 2.0 help ensure accountability for companies to implement cybersecurity standards while minimizing barriers to compliance with DoD requirements. Companies are able to instill a collaborative culture of cybersecurity and cyber resilience and enhance public trust in the CMMC ecosystem, while increasing overall ease of execution.
Do I Need ITAR for My Business?
Do you sell paper clips? For example, if you manufacture and sell a shipment of paper clips overseas to an international organization – that by all standards appears legitimate – but then later comes under scrutiny for possible terrorist activity, your business could be in trouble. Those paper clips may not have even been weaponized. They could have been used as they were designed: to organize documents. But if those documents were part of a plot to attack the United States, then those paper clips were used to aid a terrorist organization. And they were manufactured by your business.In this scenario, there is no little white duck with a lot of personality to waddle in and save you with a famous catchphrase. Being ITAR compliant is your only hope. If your company sells products to the DoD, or simply to a company that sells to the DoD, it doesn’t hurt to be ITAR compliant. ITAR is the control for the export and import of defense-related articles and services found on the United States Munitions List (USML) and the U.S. government mandates that any company that manufactures, exports, brokers defense articles or defense services, or a company that is involved with related technical data, must be ITAR compliant.
SkyTerra Can Help With Your Compliance Needs
With risks and tactics changing quickly, it’s hard to know how to defend your business. SkyTerra provides a full range of cybersecurity services that keep your business safe without weighing it down. Let us help you improve your business in preparation to becoming SOC 2, CMMC and ITAR compliant . Contact us today so your team can focus on growing your business securely and safely.
