List of Data Security Standards – Steps to choose one

Data security is the top concern for all organizations. Businesses are collecting and processing more data than ever before. As a result, data breaches are on the rise as well. 

While 45% of breaches were due to external malicious activities, 22% were credited to casual errors within the organization. That percentage is a lot of sensitive information falling prey to cyberhackers.

Data security isn’t just about securing sensitive information against hackers but also staying compliant as well to protect personal information. Let’s dive deep into different data security standards, as well as which data security standards are a perfect fit for your organization.

What are data security standards?

Data security standards are criteria or guidelines organizations implement to protect sensitive as well as confidential information. These standards can help prevent unauthorized access, disruption, use, modification, disclosure, or destruction of data.

Data security standards and regulations are of prime importance for financial services businesses and e-commerce as they deal with sensitive customer information regularly. Failing to comply with these regulations and standards can lead to grave consequences such as legal action, penalties, and damage to an organization’s reputation. 

These businesses must implement robust data security measures to protect their customers’ information while ensuring compliance.

Why are data security standards important?

Data security standards are important to secure the data that an organization creates, collects, stores, transmits or receives against all forms of threats, internal or external.

All organizations presently deal in data in some way. From the one-man business storing the contact details of his customers on his laptop to banking giants that deal in massive volumes of personal as well as financial information, data is at play in companies both small and large.

The major aim of data security is to secure the data that an organization creates, collects, stores, transmits, or receives. Compliance is also a key consideration. It doesn’t matter which technology, device, or process is utilized to manage, collect, or store data; it must be protected against all forms of threats, internal or external. 

Data breaches can invite litigation cases and huge fines, as well as damage to an organization’s reputation. Shielding data against security threats is a priority today than it has ever been before.

How to choose the right data security standards?

Navigating all the different compliance standards available can be a daunting task. To help, we’ve listed a few things to look into when selecting the right data security standards for your business:

Location and industry

Different countries and regions have different sets of laws and regulations regarding data protection, so it’s important to make sure you’re following the ones in accordance with where your business operates. 

For instance, if your business is in the EU, you are required to abide by the GDPR and industry-specific regulations, such as GLBA or SOX, for financial services.

Nature of your business 

Depending on the kind of information and the nature of your business, specific protection and controls are required. 

If you’re an e-commerce that deals in online payments, you’ll need to comply with the PCI DSS. And if your organization handles sensitive healthcare information, you might need to follow the HIPAA standard.

Other factors 

The complexity and size of your organization, your overall risk profile, and your budget, as well as resources, are also important considerations.

Beyond your walls

Following security standards and frameworks, even if not mandated by law, can help your company to establish trust and confidence with clients and investors.

Check out: A complete guide on data compliance

List of data security standards

There are various kinds of data security standards, each tailored to address specific risks and safeguard different types of information. 

Here’s a complete list of data security standards to aid you in navigating the complex landscape of compliance:

ISO 27000 Series:

A wide range of information security topics is covered under ISO 27001, including risk management, security management systems, and security controls. Some popular standards within the series are:

ISO 27018 

Guidelines for cloud-based companies regarding the protection of personal data.

ISO 27031 

Guidelines for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems on developing and implementing disaster recovery plans.

ISO 27037 

Guidelines implemented during a cyber incident for collecting and protecting digital evidence.

ISO 27040 

Guidelines for protecting stored data, inclusive of data stored in the cloud.

ISO 27799 

Guidelines in the healthcare industry for protecting personal health information (PHI).

Achieve ISO compliance 10x faster with Sprinto’s powerful automation capabilities.

NIST SP 1800 Series: 

A U.S. government agency that constitutes the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is responsible for developing guidelines and standards for various industries, including information security. Within the series, some specific standards include:

NIST SP 800-53,

Guidelines for selecting and implementing security controls for federal information systems.

NIST SP 800-171 

Guidelines for non-federal systems and organizations for protecting controlled unclassified information (CUI).

NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)

Provides a common language as well as guidelines for managing cybersecurity risks. It is designed to be flexible and adaptable to the specific needs of different organizations.

SOC series:

SOC 1

The SOC 1 standard is specific to financial reporting and is designed to help organizations assess their internal controls in this context. It covers controls that are relevant to the financial statements of an organization, including controls at a service organization relevant to user entities, controls over financial reporting (ICFR) as well as internal control over financial reporting (ICFR).

SOC 2

The SOC 2 standard specifically focuses on a business’s non-financial reporting controls with respect to information security, processing integrity, availability, confidentiality, and privacy. It is typically applicable to organizations that provide cloud-based or other outsourced services.

Achieve SOC 2 compliance with Sprinto in a breeze with built in templates for 20+ policies, offering a full-coverage IT security checklist approved by compliance experts.

SOC 3

SOC 3 provides a summary of the results of the SOC 2 assessment and is intended for a general audience to demonstrate their commitment to information security as well as win the trustworthiness of their customers.

SOC for Cybersecurity

Established in 2020, it is designed to aid organizations in assessing their cybersecurity risk management practices as well as controls.

SOC for Supply Chain

Established in 2020, it aids organizations in assessing the internal controls of their supply chain partners while ensuring that they are meeting the necessary controls as well as requirements.

Also, read: Data Privacy Week in 2025

Other compliance series

COBIT

The Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT), established by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA),  is a framework that provides a set of best practices for the management and governance of information and technology (IT). It covers many IT-related topics, including risk management, compliance and security.

CIS Controls: 

A nonprofit organization, CIS or the Center for Internet Security, develops best practices for securing IT networks and systems. The CIS Controls are 20 cybersecurity best practices designed to be implemented and prioritized based on an organization’s risk profile.

HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF)

A nonprofit organization, the Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST), develops a set of best security practices for safeguarding sensitive health information. The HITRUST CSF framework secures electronically protected health information (ePHI) with a set of guidelines and requirements.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The GDPR is a data protection law that is applicable to organizations operating in the European Economic Area (EEA) and European Union (EU). It lays out specific requirements for using, collecting, and protecting the personal data of EU citizens and gives them the right to control their data.

COSO

A collective initiative of five private sector organizations, the COSO or Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, aims to provide guidance on risk management and improve corporate governance. 

PCI DSS

The PCI DSS is a compilation of security standards applicable to organizations that accept, store, process, or transmit payment card data. It is tailored to reduce the risk of data breaches while ensuring that sensitive payment card information is handled securely. The PCI DSS is particularly relevant for businesses that process online payments, especially e-commerce businesses.

Automate your compliance across the thirteen pillars of PCI-DSS compliance with Sprinto.

SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) 

SSL and TLS constitute cryptographic protocols that are utilized to secure communication over the internet. They are often used to secure online payment transactions and are particularly relevant for e-commerce businesses, as SSL and TLS work by encrypting the data transmitted between a server and a client.

SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) 

Enacted in 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) is a U.S. law in response to a series of corporate accounting scandals. It lays out specific requirements for publicly traded companies’  internal controls and financial reporting and requires them to perform independent audits of their financial statements.

GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act): 

Enacted in 1999, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) is a U.S. law that requires financial institutions to disclose their information-sharing practices to their customers as well as lays out specific requirements for protecting personal financial information.

The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) 

Enacted in 2002, FISMA is a U.S. law that lays out specific requirements for protecting federal government systems and information and directs federal agencies to implement as well as maintain information security programs. 

FISMA also requires agencies to certify and accredit their information systems while periodically reporting on their information security posture and is particularly relevant for financial services companies that engage in business with the federal government.

Data security standards vs IT security Framework

The key differences between Data security standards and IT security frameworks are:

Data security standards	IT security framework
Security standards are a certain set of criteria organizations implement to protect confidential and sensitive information.	IT security frameworks come under a broader category. These encompass sets of policies, guidelines, and procedures that organizations can utilize to secure their information systems and secure systems against cyber threats.
Some of these standards are voluntary, while others are mandatory and recommended as best practices.	They tend to be developed and maintained by third-party vendors or organizations and are usually not required by law.
Security standards are very specific, focusing on certain aspects of data protection.	Security frameworks offer a more holistic approach to information security and consider a wider range of security issues while providing a structure for addressing them.

While different, IT security frameworks and security standards can overlap. The common goal is to aid organizations in protecting their information systems as well as data against threats while ensuring their information’s integrity, confidentiality, and availability.

Navigate the complex compliance space easily with Sprinto

Getting compliant in the complex and ever-changing landscape of compliance can be a daunting task for organizations. Harness the powerful automation capabilities of Sprinto to get compliant 10x faster with minimum effort, expenditure, and resources. 

Sprinto strengthens your cybersecurity posture by monitoring entity-level risks as well as implementing security controls, all from a single dashboard. Recognized as a Leader by G2 in Security Compliance, Sprinto helps organizations in achieving security compliances such as SOC 2, ISO27001, GDPR,  and HIPAA certifications, among others.

Looking to get started? Speak to our experts here. 

FAQs

What are the 3 key issues in data security?

There are various data security threats that organizations face on a daily basis. Some of these threats include malware, phishing attacks, ransomware, and social engineering. Malware is a kind of software that is designed to damage or harm a computer system.

What are the four 4 big data security approaches?

The following four critical criteria should be met – perimeter security and authentication framework, audit and reporting, authorization and access, and data privacy. Authentication – Required for safeguarding access to the system, its services, and data.

What are the 4 aspects of security?

The technical steps are:

• Physical security.
• Operational security.
• Digital security.
• Administrative security.