Fast Guide to Regulatory Compliance
General Information about Compliance and IT
Can-Spam Act of 2003
Do Not Call List
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX)
United States Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
California Security Breach Information Act
Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
Enabling Compliance
Glossary-to-Go: Compliance
Quiz
![]() |
Table of Contents |
Although everyone in IT seems to be talking about compliance, few are actually doing much about it. At least part of the problem is that there's a lot of confusion about what the regulations require and what's necessary to be in compliance with them. We've gathered information about some of the most relevant legislation and the current status of industry compliance as well as some expert advice on the fine points.
Compliance management: How to keep the IT auditors away
Software audit painful and costly for the noncompliant
Expert predictions: It's all about compliance, security and outsourcing in 2004
Q&A: How compliance will affect your business
SearchStorage.com crash course: Compliance
A holistic approach to compliance
Compliance: The bottom line for storage
New regulations spur IT spending, headaches
New threats, regulatory woes to cause '04 security headaches
Letter of the law -- more firms hawking compliance tools
Compliance fears exaggerated, report says
![]() |
Table of Contents |
The Can-Spam Act of 2003 is a commonly used name for the United States Federal law more formally known as S. 877 or the "Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003." The law took effect on January 1, 2004. The Can-Spam Act allows courts to set damages of up to $2 million when spammers break the law. Federal district courts are allowed to send spammers to jail and/or triple the damages if the violation is found to be willful. Read the complete definition for Can-Spam Act of 2003 at WhatIs.com.
The Federal Communications Commission provides up-to-date information about the Can-Spam Act of 2003.
Related links:
Is the CAN-SPAM Act a help or a hindrance?
Firms must follow spirit of anti-spam law
Face-off: The Can-Spam Act
Spam causing marketers migraines
National anti-spam law might benefit marketers
![]() |
Table of Contents |
The "Do Not Call" list is a registry of phone numbers in the United States that telemarketers are prohibited from calling in most circumstances. The list is maintained by the National Do Not Call Registry of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and consumers can contact the agency to have their numbers registered. Organizations are prohibited from making calls to sell goods or services to any numbers listed, and are subject to substantial fines if they fail to comply. Read the complete definition for the do not call list.
The Federal Trade Commission provides up-to-date information about the National Do Not Call Registry.
Related Links:
What, me worry? Some marketers in dark on regulations
Study: Execs not ready for 'do not call' revenue loss
'Do not call' list changes game for marketers
MCI signs on partners for 'do not call' compliance
Surviving marketing's dark days
![]() |
Table of Contents |
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (often shortened to SOX) is legislation enacted in response to the high-profile Enron and WorldCom financial scandals to protect shareholders and the general public from accounting errors and fraudulent practices in the enterprise. The act is administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which sets deadlines for compliance and publishes rules on requirements. Sarbanes-Oxley is not a set of business practices and does not specify how a business should store records; rather, it defines which records are to be stored and for how long. Read complete definition.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission provides up-to-date information about the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Related links:
FAQ: What is the impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on IT operations?
Seven steps to Sarbanes-Oxley compliance
Sarbanes-Oxley and your company
Learn SOX compliance from the DoD
Sarbanes-Oxley reading list
Sarbanes-Oxley compliance still a headache for some
Webcast: Make your storage Sarbanes-Oxley compliant
SEC pushes back Sarbanes-Oxley section deadline
Study: Sarbanes-Oxley 'catalyst' for process management
Tapping CRM for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance
Best Web Links for Sarbanes-Oxley
What are some steps to making my storage SOX compliant?
SEC gives nod to some disk-based archive
![]() |
Table of Contents |
HIPAA is the United States Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. HIPAA seeks to establish standardized mechanisms for electronic data interchange (EDI), security, and confidentiality of all healthcare-related data There are two sections to the Act. HIPAA Title I deals with protecting health insurance coverage for people who lose or change jobs. HIPAA Title II includes an administrative simplification section which deals with the standardization of healthcare-related information systems. Read complete definition.
The US Department of Health and Human Services provides up-to-date information about HIPAA.
Related links:
Is a lack of employee privacy a HIPAA violation?
Final HIPAA security rules offer broad guidance
Reading between the HIPAA guidelines
How to get management to accept HIPAA compliance
Protect privacy or jeopardize CRM.
Commentary: HIPAA compliance doesn't come in a box
HIPAA prompts hospitals to reconsider storage
What's the prognosis on HIPPA?
![]() |
Table of Contents |
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act), also known as the Financial Modernization Act of 1999, is a federal law enacted in the United States to control the ways that financial institutions deal with the private information of individuals. Read complete definition.
The Federal Trade Commission provides up-to-date information about the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
Related links:
Insuring compliance: Nationwide tackles GLBA
GLBA risk assessment steps to success
GLBA's focus on data security has helped financial services, say industry observers
Privacy rule puts new burden on businesses
GLB Act: Protecting customers and challenging CIOs
Protecting the privacy of customer information
A proposal for the credit card merchants to achieve compliance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
Gartner: Prioritize privacy management now or pay later
![]() |
Table of Contents |
In the United States, the California Security Breach Information Act (SB-1386) is a California state law requiring organizations that maintain personal information about individuals to inform those individuals if the security of their information is compromised. Read the complete definition for the California Security Breach Information Act.
The California Office of Privacy Protection provides up-to-date information about the California Security Breach Information Act.
Related links:
California Security Breach Information Act (SB-1386)
California screaming: Companies must disclose security breaches
New California privacy law could impede marketing
Security legislation: Where's the breach?
![]() |
Table of Contents |
In the United States, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) is a United States federal statute that prohibits a third party from intercepting or disclosing communications without authorization. The Act, which was originally passed as an amendment to the Wiretap Act of 1968, applies to both government employees and private citizens. It protects communications in storage as well as in transit. Read the complete definition for the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)
USIIA.org provides up-to-date information about the the Electronic Communications Privacy Act
![]() |
Table of Contents |
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is United States federal legislation that promotes accuracy, fairness and privacy for data used by consumer reporting agencies. Consumer reporting agencies include credit bureaus and financial agencies -- such as those that sell information about rental history records. Read the complete definition for Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
For up-to-date information about the FCRA, visit FTC.gov.
![]() |
Table of Contents |
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a law created to protect the privacy of children under 13. The Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1998 and took effect in April 2000. COPPA is managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Read the complete definition for COPPA.
For up-to-date information about the FCRA, visit FTC.gov.
![]() |
Table of Contents |
Has recent legislation affected your IT department? We've asked our experts how you should get started.
Where to put your compliance dollars
Webcast: The best practices for enabling compliance
Compliance chief 'joined at hip' with CIO
Compliance: The effect on information management and the storage industry
Compliance shouldn't limit your choice of technology
How your backup choices impact compliance
Ask our compliance expert your own compliance-related question.
![]() |
Table of Contents |
Bookmark or print out our glossary of compliance-related terms.
![]() |
Table of Contents |
Test your knowledge of compliance vocabulary.