What Is The Difference Between Compliance And Security?

Compliance & Security

When it comes to protecting your company and dealing with data security, you may be familiar with a couple terms. Both “compliance” and “security” play a role in this. However, these two terms are not interchangeable. In fact, they both mean two very different things while both being very important. With that being said, let us look at the difference between compliance and security and how they play into data security.

Compliance

Compliance sits at the core of data security. Without it, you are already off on the wrong foot. Essentially, compliance deals with the requirements to protect sensitive data. This means two things. First, compliance means you need a secure technical environment. Second, you need the documentation to prove it. You need to comply with HIPAA to meet the requirements outlined in the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rule. You can think of compliance as the starting point for protecting your data. However, it is just one side of the coin.

Security

The second part of data security deals with the actual “security” side of things. Whereas compliance focuses on meeting standards that are set in stone, security is a bit more abstract. In a nutshell, security means giving the best possible protection for data. This includes more common examples such as password protection, but that is only scratching the surface. Having technical safeguards set up, knowing how to handle possible incoming cyber threats, and more all play a major role in data security. Cyber attacks are always evolving, and security means evolving alongside them to stay sharp, smart, and protected.

Why You Need Both

Truthfully, you need both compliance and security to protect your company and its data. Compliance with HIPAA standards is a great start. However, without staying up-to-date on security practices and protocols, your data is never 100% secure. Both compliance and security need to work alongside each other to truly give you guaranteed protection.