Navigating Nonprofit Cybersecurity Compliance

Navigating nonprofit cybersecurity compliance can be a daunting task, especially for organizations that lack the resources to hire a dedicated cybersecurity team. Nonprofits are often targeted by cybercriminals because they tend to have less robust security measures in place than their for-profit counterparts. In this article, we will discuss the importance of nonprofit cybersecurity compliance and how Compliance as a Service (CaaS) can help nonprofits stay in compliance with their cybersecurity regulations.

Why is nonprofit cybersecurity compliance important?

Nonprofits are responsible for collecting and storing sensitive information such as donor data, employee information, and financial records. This information is often targeted by cybercriminals who seek to exploit it for financial gain or other malicious purposes. Nonprofits that fail to protect this information risk losing the trust of their donors and stakeholders, as well as facing legal and financial consequences.

What are the different state and federal regulations that require cybersecurity controls?

There are several state and federal regulations that require nonprofits to implement cybersecurity controls. One such regulation is the New York Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security (SHIELD) Act. The SHIELD Act requires any person or business that owns or licenses computerized data which includes private information of a resident of New York to develop, implement and maintain reasonable safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of the private information. Nonprofits that collect private information about New York residents must comply with the SHIELD Act and adopt cybersecurity data safeguards that comply with its provisions.

Another example is the Texas Cybersecurity Framework. The framework provides guidance to organizations on how to manage cybersecurity risk. It is designed to help organizations identify, assess, and manage cybersecurity risk in a way that is consistent with industry best practices and regulatory requirements.

Are there requirements to have cyber liability insurance?

Cyber liability insurers are now starting to require organizations to have a minimum level of cybersecurity controls in place before handing out policies, and oftentimes these aren’t checked until a claim is made. When you filled out your cyber liability insurance forms, you probably received a long list of questions regarding your current cybersecurity controls and how they were implemented. If you didn’t answer these questions with valid information, say you said that your organization had Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all platforms when it didn’t, odds are that if you file a claim and the incident could have been prevented by MFA, your insurer won’t be paying out on that claim.

Insurers are becoming increasingly strict when it comes to what controls those they insure have in place before writing policies, or at minimum increasing premiums if those controls aren’t in place.

By requiring organizations to have a certain level of cybersecurity controls, insurers are trying to reduce the likelihood of successful cyber attacks and minimize their financial losses. 

We find a good rule of thumb for cyber liability insurance requirements are the following “Must-Have Security Controls”.

1. Multi-Factor Authentication on all remote access to your data

2. Multi-Factor Authentication on all network administrator accounts

3. A robust backup solution

4. Next-generation anti-virus protection

5. An email filtering solution that screens for malicious attachments/links

What is Compliance as a Service?

Compliance as a Service (COMPaaS) is an ongoing service that helps organizations stay in compliance with their cybersecurity and other regulations. 

RoundTable Technology’s COMPaaS plan can help organizations meet their compliance requirements for cyber liability insurance as well as other frameworks like HIPAA, NY SHIELD, GDPR, and more. 

By outsourcing your cybersecurity compliance needs, nonprofits can focus on their core mission without having to worry about the complexities of cybersecurity compliance.

Conclusion

Nonprofit cybersecurity compliance is a critical issue that requires the attention of nonprofit technology decision makers. Failure to comply with cybersecurity regulations can result in legal and financial consequences, as well as damage to an organization’s reputation. 

Compliance as a Service can help nonprofits stay in compliance with their cybersecurity regulations by staying up to date with laws and regulations and helping your organization implement appropriate compliance requirements. By outsourcing their cybersecurity compliance needs to a COMPaaS provider, nonprofits can focus on their core mission and leave the complexities of cybersecurity compliance to the experts.

If you’re interested in learning more about Compliance as a Service and how it can help your nonprofit stay in compliance with cybersecurity regulations, click here.