Cloud hosting maintains GDPR and HIPAA compliance and keeps data secure through the implementation of robust security measures, meticulously engineered infrastructure, and strict policies that ensure adherence to industry regulations. For organizations seeking a hosting solution that prioritizes security and compliance, the follow 10 examples demonstrate how a cloud hosting solution for nonprofits is engineered to meet or exceed an organization’s needs:
Whether your organization’s operational or donor information is at rest or in transit, cloud hosting providers encrypt data both when it’s stored and when it’s being transferred across networks. With the utilization of end-to-end encryption, sensitive data can only be accessed with encryption keys. This advanced security prevents unauthorized access, even if data is intercepted. These advanced measures meet the compliance standards needed to remain in alignment with GDPR's requirement for encryption and HIPAA’s guidelines for safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI).
The implementation of MFA ensures that only authorized users can access your organization’s infrastructure or sensitive data. Furthermore, MFA reduces the risk of compromised credentials being used to breach systems. This user authentication method ensures strict adherence to stringent compliance standards, such as GDPR’s emphasis on strong access controls and HIPAA’s mandated secure access protocols.
The leading providers of cloud hosting conduct internal and third-party audits routinely to ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks. This is supported by the use of real-time monitoring tools to detect threats and respond to anomalies or breaches very quickly. The proactive approach taken by cloud hosting providers aligns with HIPAA’s logging and auditing requirements, as well as GDPR's requirement for accountability.
GDPR mandates that data remains within EU borders, while HIPAA enforces strict rules about where and how health data is stored. To ensure compliance with local data protection laws, cloud hosting providers allow data to be stored in specific geographic regions. Nonprofit organizations can choose data centers in GDPR-compliant regions or HIPAA-certified facilities.
Assigning permissions based on job roles ensures that only authorized personnel are granted access to sensitive data. This advanced control prevents the accidental or malicious exposure of your organization’s data, and in doing so satisfies GDPR and HIPAA requirements for stringent access control.
Both GDPR and HIPAA require nonprofits to maintain the integrity of their data and guarantee availability. To satisfy the demands of HIPAA and GDPR, cloud hosting providers perform automated backups and conduct regular testing of backup and recovery plans to ensure the reliable retrieval of data after a cyberattack, hardware failure, or natural disaster.
Often, cloud hosting providers hold industry recognized certifications, such as:
These certifications demonstrate adherence to global compliance and commitment to security best practices.
To address the emphasis that both GDPR and HIPAA place on staff training for data handling, many cloud hosting providers offer training resources to ensure nonprofit employees and volunteers are aware of, and understand, the organization’s compliance responsibilities and the protocols in place to maintain security.
With the utilization of APIs, nonprofits can safely integrate third-party tools without compromising data security. APIs are secured with authentication tokens and encryption to prevent unauthorized access.
Cloud hosting providers maintain well-documented incident response protocols that include notifying customers promptly of any breach of their data. This swift communication ensures that nonprofits are in alignment with GDPR’s 72-hour breach notification requirement.
The strict adherence to HIPAA and GDPR compliance is among the greatest benefits of cloud hosting for nonprofits. Cloud hosting’s commitment to HIPAA and GDPR compliance ensures nonprofits can securely manage sensitive data, maintain regulatory integrity, and build trust with stakeholders without the burden of managing complex security infrastructures themselves.
