Cyber Compliance 101: Is It Necessary to Take a VAPT?

Short for vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, VAPT is a way to proactively spot your app’s weaknesses. The goal is to unearth its undiscovered flaws before hackers do. It costs money, but it can be a good investment to avoid major financial losses linked to cyber attacks.

Getting your application scanned has a long list of merits, but is it mandatory?

Today, we’ll definitively answer this frequently asked question to help you decide whether you should budget for it.

Is It Necessary to Take a VAPT?

Yes, it is necessary to take a VAPT for compliance purposes. Some companies can afford to meet industry standards without dealing with this expense. But you must get your app regularly checked if you have to abide by the following:

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The GDPR exists to protect the personal data of citizens of the European Union (EU).

The United Kingdom is no longer its member, but the country’s Data Protection Act of 2018 has enacted the regulation’s cybersecurity requirements. So in a way, the GDPR still safeguards the Brits even after Brexit.

Say your business operates outside of the EU and the UK, do you still have to worry about this regulation?

Yes, you may still have to if you allow users in Europe, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to download your app. As a data processor and/or controller, you must observe this piece of legislation, or else you may lose access to the European and British markets.

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)

The PCI DSS spells out the minimum technical and organizational requirements for handling the data of cardholders safely and keeping fraudsters at bay.

If you want to accept and process payments via credit card that bears the Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, or JCB logo, you should make every effort to comply with the PCI DSS.

Otherwise, you may get fined and erode your credibility as a business.

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 27001

Attaining the ISO 27001 certification makes it painless to comply with dozens of legal requirements regarding information security across the world.

Going hand in hand with an information security management system, this international standard teaches you how to dramatically reduce sensitive data leakage by granting only authorized parties the right to access and/or change certain information.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

If you run a medical facility, a health insurance firm, or a clearinghouse in the United States, you’ll have to play by the rules defined by the HIPAA. Signed in 1996 by President Bill Clinton, it’s the most stringent American law for digital medical information security. 

Due to the rising number of ransomware incidents involving healthcare organizations, HIPAA compliance is more important than ever.

Go With SDev Tech to Be and Stay Compliant

VAPT may not be mandatory, but it’s necessary to embrace it to avoid noncompliance with important laws, regulations, and international standards you should observe.

To learn exactly how we, at SDev, can put you in a position to satisfy all of the legal requirements your app must meet, book a consultation today!