Fortify Experts holds CISO Round Tables monthly to discuss the latest trends and topics in security.
Compliance is a persistent challenge for organizations of all sizes, and security executives often find themselves grappling with tight deadlines for meeting new regulatory requirements. At a recent CISO Forum, leaders gathered to discuss how to streamline the compliance process, address the difficulties of rapid implementation, and leverage tools and automation to enhance efficiency. The forum’s discussions illuminated the strategies that can make compliance faster and more manageable while maintaining security standards.
Understanding the Compliance Mandate
The session began by addressing a familiar scenario: an organization is suddenly required to comply with a new regulation under an impossible timeline.
“When faced with a new regulation, the first thing I ask is, ‘Why now?’ Understanding the business driver is crucial to establish the urgency and scope.”
Another executive echoed this sentiment, noting that assessing the risk of non-compliance is essential for prioritization and setting realistic goals.
Some leaders mentioned that their organizations treat compliance as a strategic initiative. For instance, a security executive shared that his team works closely with legal and compliance departments to clarify regulatory mandates and negotiate timelines when possible.
He stated, “In many cases, the requirement isn’t as rigid as initially presented. Engaging with regulators can sometimes result in extended deadlines or acceptance of compensating controls.”
This proactive approach can provide breathing room while still demonstrating a commitment to meeting requirements.
Limiting the Scope of Compliance Efforts
One effective strategy discussed was narrowing the compliance scope.
As one CISO explained, “Instead of trying to ‘boil the ocean,’ we focus on the minimum requirements to satisfy the regulation. This involves defining the smallest possible scope and negotiating with auditors or regulators when necessary.”
By prioritizing critical areas, organizations can target their efforts on the most impactful controls, reducing the time and resources needed to achieve compliance.
Some participants suggested using secure enclaves such as Fortified Desk to isolate systems or data that must meet stringent standards. This approach allows organizations to segment their environments, limiting the extent of the compliance effort to a manageable portion of the infrastructure.
In CMMC 2.0, which was recently approved, if there is no computing at the endpoint, enabled by solutions like Fortified Desk, the endpoint is excluded from compliance. This can dramactically reduce scope.
One executive shared, “We achieved compliance for sensitive data by placing it in a secure enclave, which significantly reduced our audit burden.”
However, as others pointed out, this approach may not cover all regulatory requirements, especially for broader business functions like HR and legal.
The Role of Automation in Compliance
The session delved into how automation can alleviate the burden of compliance by streamlining evidence collection and documentation. Participants discussed using tools such as Vanta, Drata, and ControlMap, which automate aspects of compliance management by continuously monitoring systems and pulling evidence directly from APIs.
A security leader shared his experience, stating, “We used Vanta for our SOC 2 audit, and it helped automate around 70% of our data collection. It wasn’t hands-off, but it definitely saved us time by integrating with our systems to collect evidence and track compliance in real-time.”
Tools like Vanta can monitor assets, track configurations, and generate compliance reports, but they still require manual effort to address complex requirements and manage audits.
Another executive noted, “Automation tools can’t fully replace human judgment. While they help with data collection, you still need someone to interpret that data, ensure it meets the compliance requirements, and prepare for follow-up questions from auditors.”
This highlights the need for a balanced approach, where automation supports compliance efforts but doesn’t entirely replace the manual processes required for thorough verification.
Using AI for Mapping and Cross-Referencing Controls
Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool for compliance management, especially for organizations that need to adhere to multiple regulatory frameworks. Several participants discussed using AI to map existing controls to new regulations, reducing the workload for achieving compliance across different standards.
One executive described leveraging AI to cross-reference controls: “We used AI to map our ISO 27001 controls to CMMC requirements. It identified overlapping areas, allowing us to reuse existing evidence and minimize gaps. This approach saved us months of work.”
However, some participants pointed out the limitations of AI-driven compliance.
A leader shared, “AI can assist with mapping controls, but the nuances of different regulations require expert judgment. For example, PCI DSS and CMMC may have similar control requirements, but their implementation details differ significantly.”
Thus, while AI can accelerate the initial assessment, expert oversight remains essential for interpreting regulatory specifics.
Addressing Small and Medium Business (SMB) Challenges
The discussion also touched on the unique challenges faced by small and medium businesses (SMBs) in achieving compliance, especially with resource-intensive frameworks like CMMC.
One leader noted, “The cost of compliance tools and the need for skilled personnel make it difficult for smaller companies to keep up with complex regulations.”
He suggested that compliance-as-a-service or managed security services could help SMBs achieve compliance without incurring significant overhead.
Another participant emphasized the potential for “compliance-in-a-box” solutions, where vendors provide a turnkey package that includes pre-configured environments, compliance templates, and automated monitoring.
“Small businesses often lack the IT staff to manage complex compliance requirements,” he explained. “Solutions that bundle technology, services, and compliance expertise can bridge that gap.”
While this approach may not fully eliminate manual effort, it can significantly reduce the barrier to entry for SMBs.
Leveraging Continuous Monitoring and Reporting
Continuous monitoring emerged as a key theme for maintaining compliance over time. As regulations evolve, organizations must be able to demonstrate ongoing adherence to standards. Participants shared experiences with continuous compliance tools that automate the collection of evidence and flag potential non-compliance.
“We implemented a continuous monitoring tool that integrates with our existing systems,” one executive explained. “It alerts us if a server falls out of compliance due to a missing patch or configuration change. This proactive approach helps us stay ahead of audit requirements.”
By integrating monitoring tools into daily operations, organizations can ensure that compliance becomes an ongoing process rather than a periodic scramble.
Real-World Limitations of Automation
Despite the benefits of automation, forum participants agreed that there are still significant limitations.
As one CISO noted, “Some audits are easier to automate than others. For more complex standards like FedRAMP or CMMC, the manual review process is unavoidable.”
He highlighted that these audits often require in-depth interviews with staff and a detailed examination of policies, processes, and technical configurations that go beyond automated checks.
Moreover, automation tools still rely on high-quality data and accurate configurations to be effective.
Another participant cautioned, “The tools are only as good as the data they collect. If your configurations aren’t up to date, or if your evidence is incomplete, automation won’t save you.”
Therefore, while automation can expedite compliance tasks, it must be paired with strong data management and manual oversight.
Conclusion
The CISO Forum underscored the importance of a balanced approach to compliance. The four keys to significantly reducing the burden of compliance are:
- Limit the scope of compliance.
- Utilizing secure enclaves like Fortified Desk.
- Employing automation tools for data collection & mapping.
- Outsourcing technology to an MSP that is already compliant.
However, as the forum participants repeatedly emphasized, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Automation tools like Vanta and Drata can help streamline processes, but they cannot replace the nuanced understanding required for high-stakes audits. The future of compliance will likely see a blend of AI-driven insights, automated workflows, and expert human judgment, creating a more resilient and adaptive compliance posture.
For SMBs, the emergence of “compliance-in-a-box” solutions offers hope, potentially democratizing access to compliance resources.
But as one security executive aptly put it, “The best way to achieve compliance is not to chase every requirement, but to build a strong security foundation that naturally aligns with regulatory standards.”
This mindset shift from reactive compliance to proactive risk management will be crucial as organizations continue to face evolving regulatory challenges.
About Tim Howard
Tim Howard is the founder of 5 technology firms including Fortify Experts which helps companies create higher-performing teams through People (Executive Search and vCISO/Advisory consulting), Process (NIST-based 3rd party security assessments and Leadership Coaching), and Technology (security simplifying solutions) such as Fortified Desk.
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