What is Compliance? - Explanation & Meaning

Definition

Compliance (regulatory compliance) is the process by which organizations ensure they adhere to laws, regulations, industry standards, and internal policies. In the context of IT and software, this includes information security standards, privacy legislation, and industry-specific regulation.

Technical explanation

Compliance frameworks provide structured guidelines for information security and risk management. ISO 27001 is the international standard for information security management systems (ISMS) and requires a systematic approach to risk management. SOC 2 (Service Organization Control) assesses the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy controls of service organizations. NEN 7510 is the Dutch standard for information security in healthcare. GDPR sets requirements for data protection. NIS2 (Network and Information Security Directive) tightens cybersecurity requirements for essential and important entities. Auditing involves internal and external assessments of controls, processes, and documentation. Continuous compliance monitoring automates checking security configurations against policies. Compliance-as-code integrates compliance checks into CI/CD pipelines. Risk registers document identified risks, assessments, and mitigating measures.

How MG Software applies this

MG Software helps clients technically implement compliance requirements in their software. We build applications that meet GDPR requirements, implement security controls in accordance with ISO 27001 guidelines, and support SOC 2 preparation. Our development processes are designed to incorporate compliance requirements from the start, from automated security scans to comprehensive logging and auditing.

Practical examples

• A SaaS company achieving SOC 2 Type II certification by implementing systematic security controls, from encryption and access management to incident response and monitoring.
• A hospital achieving NEN 7510 compliance by integrating information security into all IT systems, with automated compliance checks and periodic audits.
• A fintech startup applying ISO 27001 principles from day one, enabling them to immediately meet enterprise client security requirements when scaling up.

Related terms