Compliance

Simple Definition for Beginners:

Compliance refers to the act of adhering to laws, regulations, policies, and standards relevant to a specific industry, organization, or activity.

Common Use Example:

A company ensures compliance with data protection regulations by implementing security measures, data privacy policies, and regular audits.

Technical Definition for Professionals:

Compliance in the context of cybersecurity and business operations involves meeting legal, regulatory, contractual, and internal requirements relevant to an organization’s activities. This includes compliance with industry standards (e.g., ISO/IEC 27001), government regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), data protection laws, financial regulations (e.g., PCI DSS), and organizational policies. Compliance efforts often include implementing security controls, data protection measures, privacy policies, risk management practices, auditing and reporting mechanisms, and training programs to ensure that the organization operates within legal and ethical boundaries.