The High Stakes of Compliance: How Training Your Team Can Save You Millions

In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of technology, the role of technical computer developer teams has become increasingly vital. As these teams design, develop, and maintain software and applications that power various industries, ensuring data protection and maintaining robust internal security rules are critical. Training plays a pivotal role in equipping these teams with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet these challenges effectively.

"The average cost of a data breach is 3.86 Million Dollars." NBC News

Other companies and whole industries rely on the fact that their data is being protected and your business doesn't want to lose valuable resources. That's why it's important that technical computer developer teams have proper training, focusing on data protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA, field-specific compliances like HIPAA and PCI, and internal security measures like regular code reviews, managing an API, and adhering to certain code policies.

Data Protection Laws: GDPR and CCPA

Data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States have far-reaching implications for businesses worldwide. Technical computer developer teams handling user data must be well-versed in these regulations to ensure compliance. Training provides an opportunity to educate team members on the principles of data protection, user consent, data storage, data access, and data breach response procedures. Ensuring compliance with GDPR and CCPA not only protects user privacy but also safeguards organizations from potential legal repercussions and reputational damage.

An LMS provides a centralized platform where all training materials, courses, and resources related to GDPR and CCPA can be stored. This ensures that developers have easy access to up-to-date training content in one location. It's important that you make sure these courses are regularly updated as often times new developments in best practice are constantly unfolding. Making sure you have an LMS that can easily integrate newly updated courses and alert learners that they need to complete them is integral to your success. 

Field-specific Compliances: HIPAA and PCI

Certain industries, such as healthcare and finance, are subject to specific compliance requirements. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) governs the handling of sensitive patient data in the healthcare sector, while the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) regulates the handling of credit card information. Technical computer developer teams working in these industries must receive specialized training to understand the nuances of these field-specific compliances.

HIPAA compliance training enables developers to implement robust security measures, ensure encrypted communication, and create audit trails for data access, thereby protecting patient confidentiality. On the other hand, PCI compliance training equips teams with knowledge about secure payment processing, encryption, and tokenization, minimizing the risk of credit card data breaches and fraud.  Like GDPR or CCPA regulations like HIPAA and PCI can change over time.  Having an LMS allows for easy updates to training materials, ensuring that developers are always working with the latest compliance information.

Internal Security Rules: Regular Code Reviews, Managing an API, and Code Policies

In addition to external compliance, technical computer developer teams must enforce robust internal security rules. Regular code reviews are a fundamental practice that fosters collaboration, identifies vulnerabilities, and ensures the implementation of best coding practices. Properly trained developers can conduct thorough code reviews, leading to more secure and efficient software development processes.

Managing an API (Application Programming Interface) is another critical aspect of a developer team's responsibilities. APIs serve as bridges between different software systems, making them a potential target for attackers. Training developers on API security ensures that they design and maintain APIs with strong authentication mechanisms and data access controls.

Furthermore, adherence to certain code policies, such as secure coding standards and version control protocols, helps mitigate security risks and maintain the overall integrity of the software development process. Training team members to comply with these code policies promotes consistency and reduces the likelihood of vulnerabilities.

Making sure your LMS allows you to design comprehensive courses on Regular Code Reviews, Managing an API, and Code Policies can be a huge advantage. These courses can include video tutorials, interactive modules, documentation, and best practices to ensure developers have a thorough understanding of each topic. 

Course Compliance: Information and Data

Besides official compliance standards, make sure your LMS can sufficiently and quickly update courses. One of the most integral pieces of your training is making sure your LMS has custom certificates and tracking. With any of these different trainings, you need to make sure you have a clear and concise record of the compliance and safety training your employees took. This can greatly protect you in the case that there is a data leak as being able to show if an employee completed the required training can free you from liability.

Does your program have all the components necessary to make sure your team is prepared and free from liability? If not, book a meeting today to see how we can improve your training!