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Making compliance easy: How to integrate regulations into software development

Wanda Wallgren Data Management Consultant, Solita

Published 14 Jan 2025

Reading time 7 min

In the current technological environment, regulatory compliance isn’t just a necessity; it is a critical component of successful software development.

With the increasing volume of sensitive data being processed, organisations must adhere to established frameworks to protect this information effectively. Two key standards that guide compliance efforts are ISO 27001, which focuses on creating a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS), and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which safeguards individual privacy rights across the European Union. Integrating these regulations into everyday operations is essential for mitigating risks, enhancing data security, and fostering a culture of accountability within organisations.

This blog describes best practices for managing data in a secure way. The following steps are:

  1. Regulations in SDLC
  2. Training the team
  3. Maintaining the compliance
  4. Regulations a part of routines
  5. Tools and technologies as support

Where should the team start?

Step 1: Incorporating regulations into the software development lifecycle

Integrating regulatory compliance into the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) is essential for protecting sensitive data and meeting standards like ISO 27001 and GDPR. See below how to do it practically:

1. Planning phase: Start with a risk assessment to identify vulnerabilities and compliance requirements specific to your project. Document these requirements as clear data protection guidelines for the development team. Conduct risk assessments; set ISO 27001 & GDPR-aligned data protection requirements.

2. Design phase: Apply privacy by design. Limit data collection to only what’s necessary and build security measures into the system architecture. This includes data encryption, access controls, and data minimisation strategies. Apply privacy by design; embed security features.

3. Development phase: Use secure coding practices. Train Developers to follow secure coding standards and implement encryption, authentication, and authorisation measures within the code. This reduces the chance of data breaches and unauthorised access.

4. Testing phase: Conduct security testing and vulnerability assessments to catch issues before deployment. Regular compliance audits at this stage ensure your application meets regulatory requirements. Conduct security tests, vulnerability assessments, and compliance audits.

5. Deployment phase: Follow secure deployment practices, such as minimising data exposure during rollout. This step is critical for protecting sensitive information as it goes live. Follow secure deployment practices; set up monitoring and updates. Use secure coding (encryption, authentication) to train Developers on security standards.

6. Post-deployment monitoring: Set up continuous monitoring for compliance. Regularly check access logs, update systems, and address any new security threats to keep your application compliant as regulations evolve. Track sensitive data access.

Step 2: How to build a culture of compliance through training?

Developing a comprehensive training program is crucial for fostering a culture of compliance in your organisation. This program should cover regulatory requirements, helping all team members understand the importance of compliance in their daily tasks.

Regular workshops and seminars are excellent ways to educate employees about the latest regulations, best practices, and trends in data protection. Tailoring training to specific roles is essential; for instance, Developers need secure coding training, testers should learn effective compliance checks, and Project Leads must understand how to oversee compliance throughout the project lifecycle.

Ultimately, investing in training not only equips your team with essential skills but also fosters shared responsibility for data security and regulatory compliance across the organisation.

What should the team consider while planning compliance training?

1. Program setup: Cover regulations, best practices, and role-specific skills.

2. Role-specific training:

Developers: Secure coding, data protection.

Testers: Compliance checks.

Project Leads: Project-wide compliance.

3. Foster compliance culture: Encourage open discussion on data security.

4. Recognition: Reward compliance efforts to boost engagement.

5. Ongoing updates: Regularly refresh training for evolving regulations.

Step 3: Gaining and maintaining knowledge

How should the team maintain their compliance knowledge?

To ensure effective data protection and regulatory compliance, organisations must stay informed about updates to regulations such as GDPR and ISO 27001. Regularly monitoring these changes keeps your team aware of new requirements and best practices, helping to mitigate risks associated with non-compliance. Collaboration with legal and compliance teams is essential for translating regulatory requirements into actionable practices. By fostering strong relationships between technical teams and legal experts, organisations can effectively integrate compliance considerations into all operational aspects. 

Additionally, leveraging online resources and courses enhances your team’s expertise. Many platforms offer specialised training on data protection laws, security practices, and compliance management. Promoting continuous learning empowers employees to remain adaptable in a dynamic regulatory environment. This commitment to knowledge not only strengthens compliance efforts but also cultivates a culture of accountability throughout the organisation.

How can we ensure effective knowledge maintenance for compliance?

1. Stay informed: Regularly monitor updates to GDPR, ISO 27001, and related regulations.

2. Collaborate with the legal department: Translate regulations into actionable practices with legal and compliance support.

3. Leverage training resources: Use online courses for ongoing learning in data protection and compliance.

4. Promote continuous learning: Encourage a culture of accountability and adaptability to stay compliant.

Step 4: Making regulations part of daily work

What strategies can we implement to incorporate regulations into our daily operations?

Integrating regulatory compliance into daily operations is key to fostering a culture of accountability. One effective strategy is to include compliance checks in daily standups, keeping data protection and security top of mind for team members. Utilising compliance-focused code review checklists helps reinforce this commitment by ensuring all code meets regulatory standards and identifying potential issues early. Implementing automated compliance checks in Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines further enhances this process. Automation allows teams to quickly detect and address violations early in development, reducing the risk of non-compliance at deployment. 

Regular internal audits are also essential for maintaining adherence to regulations, providing valuable insights into compliance levels and highlighting areas for improvement. By embedding compliance into daily work, organisations can consistently meet regulatory requirements, safeguarding sensitive data and enhancing their overall security posture.

What should a team do to make regulations and compliance a part of daily work?

1. Daily standups: Include compliance updates and checks in team meetings.

2. Code reviews: Use compliance checklists to ensure code meets regulatory standards.

3. Automated checks: Integrate compliance checks into CI/CD pipelines for early issue detection.

4. Regular audits: Conduct internal audits to assess and improve compliance adherence. Embedding these steps into daily work fosters a culture of accountability and ensures consistent regulatory compliance.

Step 5: Tools and technologies to support compliance

How can organisations boost regulatory compliance with specialised tools?

To effectively support regulatory compliance, organisations can leverage a variety of specialised tools and technologies that enhance their data protection efforts.

Data mapping and inventory tools are essential for tracking the location and flow of sensitive information, ensuring that data handling practices align with regulatory requirements. These tools provide visibility into how data moves within the organisation, making it easier to manage compliance.

Privacy impact assessment tools are also vital. They help organisations evaluate the risks associated with data processing activities, allowing teams to identify potential vulnerabilities before they escalate into larger issues. This proactive approach is key to maintaining compliance.

Security and vulnerability scanning tools are crucial for identifying weaknesses in systems and applications. Regular scans help address security gaps promptly, significantly reducing the risk of data breaches and enhancing overall security.

Compliance management platforms streamline documentation and reporting processes. This makes it easier for organisations to demonstrate adherence to regulations and keep everything organised.

By leveraging these tools, organisations cannot only enhance their compliance efforts but also safeguard sensitive data, maintaining a robust security posture in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

Challenges and solutions

Achieving compliance with ISO27001 and GDPR while maintaining agility is a significant challenge for organisations in fast-paced software development. Teams must navigate complex compliance requirements while ensuring consistent practices throughout the software lifecycle. This challenge is made more difficult by legacy systems, which can hinder compliance efforts and contribute to technical debt. To address these challenges, organisations can adopt strategies such as incremental upgrades to legacy systems, focusing on critical areas like data protection and information security management. This approach allows for gradual improvements without overwhelming existing infrastructure.

Effective communication between compliance experts and development teams is crucial. By collaborating, these teams can share insights about ISO27001 and GDPR requirements, leading to innovative solutions that meet regulatory standards and enhance software functionality. For instance, integrating GDPR’s privacy by design principles becomes easier when teams communicate clearly.

Integrating ISO27001 and GDPR compliance into software development not only helps avoid regulatory issues but also promotes sustainable growth and innovation, ensuring that products meet stringent requirements from the outset.

Conclusion

Aligning software development with regulations is about more than just following rules. It’s about building trust and improving security. By including ISO27001 and GDPR standards in the development process, companies can reduce data breach risks and increase customer confidence. Organisations need to make compliance a key part of their work. This protects sensitive information and shows a commitment to responsible data handling. As a result, companies can build loyalty among customers who value security and transparency. As regulations change, businesses that focus on compliance will be better prepared for new challenges. This approach isn’t just about meeting legal requirements; it’s a way to drive innovation and succeed in a competitive market.

By prioritising compliance from the start, companies show they’re serious about protecting user data. This can lead to new opportunities, as systems that follow regulations are often more reliable and trusted. We can advise on how to integrate security standards and regulations into SDLC process. In the end, good compliance practices can help a company grow.

Want to learn more? Watch our Crash Course on Modern data management.