Protecting your company’s information is our top priority. That’s why we believe in preventing problems before they happen. This is illustrated through our stringent compliance and understanding of HIPAA, FISMA, FACTA, and GLBA privacy rules. As the second in a series of four compliance blogs, we’ll explore the importance and meaning of FISMA.
The Federal Information Security Management Act, also known as FISMA, is one of the key regulations for federal data security standards and guidelines. Established in 2003, its main purpose is to protect government information, operations, and assets against natural or man-made threats. FISMA was signed into law as part of the Electronic Government Act of 2002. It outlines standardized regulations for information and data security, which has ultimately led to higher data protection standards across the data storage industry.
FISMA looks at three specific things related to operations, security, and destruction of data and information:
- Adequacy of security – Active data centers must be assessed by external auditors on whether or not the security measures in place are sufficient for the data and assets.
- Compliance – Provisions for the management of each government agency’s physical and information security are set, and each agency must be accountable for compliance and reporting on these provisions.
- Enforcement of security – Government agencies must go beyond simply implementing those security measures. They must also be able to prove to auditors that the security measures are functional and effective in real time.
DataShield serves as an expert, certified, and reliable partner in efforts to pass these areas of review and to maintain these highly audited FISMA standards. It’s these high standards that make our document shredding services second to none. Based in Omaha, NE, DataShield is proud to provide paper shredding, record management, electronic recycling, and data destruction services to companies in Nebraska and Iowa.
What are the implications of FISMA standards on your data and records?
While FISMA is nationally recognized, shockingly there are still many data centers that fail FISMA compliance. Sensitive data continues to be produced at record pace, which means more and more agencies must be qualified to store it securely. That’s why it is imperative that FISMA regulations are enforced and implemented. While FISMA regulations specifically focus on federal information, assets, and data, these regulations ultimately lead to higher standards across the data storage industry for all types of data and information.
DataShield is fully equipped to handle your FISMA needs.
When you trust your important documents and data to DataShield, you have the assurance of compliance and certification for FISMA. Our team of experts is committed to keeping you up-to-date on the ever-evolving regulations and changes for FISMA. Most companies simply aren’t equipped to handle FISMA processes on their own, and that’s where DataShield comes in. As the first company in Omaha to have staff members with the Certified Secure Destruction Specialist accreditation from NAID, you can leave your FISMA concerns to us so you can focus on running your company without distraction. Contact us today to learn more.
