Regulatory compliance is something all housing associations needs to take seriously
2023 saw the Social Housing (Regulation) Act come into effect, with more focus being placed on respecting tenant rights and their standard of living. These organisations are now obliged to align their practices with heightened resident standards to maintain safety and show their opinions are respected. Simultaneously, housing providers also need to comply with the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) regulatory framework.
Transparency and accountability around internal processes are now a necessity, meaning housing associations must evaluate whether their procedures adhere to these new standards.
Combining network and security functionalities through cloud-based secure access service edge (SASE) can help these organisations stay compliant. Cutting-edge security, when combined with robust networking provided by a reputable managed service provider (MSP), allows housing associations to avoid repercussions around regulatory mistakes.
Data protection and security compliance
For housing associations in the UK, data protection practices must stay in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Cybersecurity threats in the sector are rising, and only 4% of housing associations feel they’re prepared for a ransomware attack.
Failing to safeguard sensitive data can lead to hefty fines, a drastic drop in reputation and that dreaded operational downtime.
SASE architectures are capable of end-to-end encryption, minimising risks of data leaking during transmission. That protection extends across the entire network, shielding communication channels from external threats. It’s key in making sure housing associations stay compliant.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds in an extra step of verification that only authorised users can access. A study from Microsoft shows that over 99.9% of compromised accounts didn’t have MFA implemented. SASE can limit access to data and help maintain privacy.
It’s important for housing associations to work alongside an MSP that holds the necessary accreditations. Gamma, for example, has been ISO27001 certified since 2012, and is part of the government’s G-Cloud 14 framework.
It demonstrates their quality, expertise and reliability in terms of meeting the digital transformation needs of the public sector. In a hybrid cloud-based working environment, no risks can be taken when it comes to data and regulatory compliance.
Remote access
In recent years, 99% of housing associations adopted a hybrid working model. Work can be taken further afield, but it creates a larger attack surface for more sophisticated cyber threats. Secure operations guarantee efficiency and, above all, compliancy.
Bringing software-defined wide access network (SD-WAN) technology and secure service edge (SSE) functionality together creates a reliable and future-proof network infrastructure. An architecture that deploys zero trust network access (ZTNA) treats data traffic as potentially dangerous, with a consistent security policy deployed across all network edges. It’s a critical part in reducing the attack surface and providing network-wide security.
SASE’s cloud-based nature also future-proofs housing associations when it comes to network expansion. While more traditional VPNs are slower to react to more refined cyberattacks, SASE can adapt to accelerating network demands without sacrificing productivity. Its flexibility guarantees that housing associations can keep meeting regulatory standards and stay compliant.
In terms of payments and PCI DSS compliance, sensitive financial information must be protected from all breaches. More network edges mean payment activities are processed remotely and must be monitored effectively. SASE’s integrated encryption and authentication capabilities guarantees that tenant payment data, when connecting remotely, isn’t compromised.
For any organisation using agents to take phone payments, a smart payment solution is crucial. Transactions can be streamlined through a secure payment portal that provides greater security around sensitive payment data. Those solutions uphold compliance with PCI DSS, giving tenants added assurance that their details are safe.
Secure remote access gives housing associations the means to access critical resources while staying compliant and secure. When supported by a reliable network, the threat posed by that expanding attack surface can be minimised. But a key part of compliance rests within housing associations themselves.
The internal machine
The housing sector is facing a shortage in auditors. Auditing is crucial for financial reasons, but it stretches to compliance and building trust with tenants as well. Records need to be kept up to date, but with a backlog of 642 audits to complete, there’s a pressing need for the process to be sped up.
A centralised, holistic approach provided by SASE means housing associations can monitor data and alerts in real-time. Additional security tools mean any unauthorised access attempts can be detected and responded to promptly. Streamlined, cloud-based management is crucial when it comes to meeting auditing requirements for data security.
Updating logs on user activities and data access also contributes to a successful audit. Comprehensive reporting allows housing associations to cover all areas of interest, especially when built into a fully formed incident response plan. SASE’s ability to monitor threats in real-time is a critical part of that process.
Housing associations are responsible for 2.4 million homes in the social rented sector, and all the tenant data that comes with it. From this centralised management platform, organisations can set consistent data retention policies across the network and stay compliant with legal retention periods. That same data can be segmented based on sensitivity and have appropriate measures applied to each class.
A resilient human firewall can be crucial in an organisation’s cybersecurity posture. Conducting regular training on data protection and cloud-based security creates a greater deal of awareness around best practices. Educating staff on both phishing attacks and compliance regulations themselves gives added assurance that this human firewall can withstand more sophisticated cybersecurity attacks.
Leading managed service providers have the capability to create a secure network infrastructure and provide the resources necessary to educate on how cloud-based solutions meet compliance standards.
Compliance through the cloud
Between 2023-24, the Housing Ombudsman Service found that 73% of their decisions resulted in a case of maladministration. As a specific example, 42% of housing associations cite fire risk assessments as the most challenging part of their compliance strategy. Compliance is integral in the housing sector, and housing associations must deploy solutions that guarantee regulatory excellence.
SASE and its combination of networking and security can be that solution. Simplified reporting and strong security features can help housing associations stay compliant and committed to safeguarding the interests of their tenants. Reducing complexity around auditing and regulatory measures is an absolute necessity for housing associations and their long-term goals.
When this cloud-based solution is powered by a secure and reliable network, compliance is guaranteed. There’s limited risk of downtime or breaches, especially when working with an MSP like Gamma that has the appropriate accreditations. Hefty fines and reputational damage can be easily avoided, while securing tenant trust and respect.
Compliance is never an easy task, but Gamma’s always up to the challenge.