For SaaS startups, ranging from early stage to nearly mature, the pressure is on to grow faster. Increased competition and investors’ focus on burn rates are driving the urgency to unlock new markets and larger deals. To help our customers qualify for deals and compete in this new normal, we’re excited to announce support for 10 new security and privacy frameworks, with more to come over the coming months.

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What new frameworks are available?

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• ISO 27701, ISO 27017, ISO 27018
• NIST CSF, NIST 800-171, FedRAMP 
• SOX ITGC, AWS FTR, Microsoft SSPA, MVSP

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Thrive in a more demanding market

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We’ve heard from our customers how headwinds from current markets, paired with an already increasingly complex regulatory environment, require more out-the-box thinking to maintain a competitive edge. With the addition of these new frameworks, we aim to help companies construct a more highly specialized security and compliance program, allowing them to build and deepen trust in their brands, reach new markets, and close deals with even the most demanding customers. Each of these frameworks serve as part of a solution to accelerate the growth of and help mitigate risks to your business.

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Establish best practices to build trust in your brand

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For companies just starting out or still in the early stages of establishing product market fit, the Minimum Viable Secure Product (MVSP) framework serves as a security baseline for B2B software products. By completing MVSP, you establish best practices and commit to building securely from the start.

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Complementing MVSP is ISO 27017, a framework meant to help you establish clear and secure practices for using and operating in cloud environments. These two frameworks provide customers and prospects with the proof they need to move forward in deals knowing that your products meet a generally accepted set of security standards and that you’re using best practices while building in the cloud.

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For companies hoping to participate in AWS partner programs, such as AWS ISV Accelerate, a co-selling program that drives new business and accelerates deals, AWS Foundational Technical Review (FTR) is a requirement. It is a set of best practices, and verification of Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmark configurations, focused on quality, reliability, and safety, and enables you to identify and remediate risks in your software or solution. 

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For those who have built products that require or store a sizable amount of personal identifiable information (PII), a failure to build and maintain trust in your brand has long-tail effects on your ability to grow revenue. This is where establishing a world-class privacy program comes into play. By pursuing ISO 27701 and/or ISO 20018, you’re putting the proper controls in place to build and maintain a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) and protect sensitive PII. 

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Validation to reach new customers

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While SOC 2 and ISO 27001 are the standard-bearers for the commercial market in their respective regions, the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) and FedRAMP offer frameworks required to unlock business with the US Government and federal agencies. 

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• NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) provides a set of best practices for identifying and reducing the risks of cybersecurity threats. 
• NIST 800-171 provides a set of requirements for storing or processing Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) on behalf of the US Government. 
• NIST 800-53 specifies a set of security and privacy controls for managing risks to federal information systems. 
• Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a standardized security assessment and authorization of cloud products and services used by the US federal agencies.

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Pursuing one or all of these government focused frameworks unlocks a market rife with long-term, high value contracts that provide growing companies with one of the most predictable and reliable streams of revenue. While some companies hesitate to take on the long deal cycles associated with selling to the government, early pursuit of these frameworks can greatly streamline entry into this market. 

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Another framework that unlocks new and lucrative markets is Microsoft Supplier Security and Privacy Assurance (SSPA). While specific to, and required for, becoming a supplier or vendor to Microsoft, attesting to this set of exacting standards for handling personal or confidential data signifies to other large, demanding enterprises your ability to safeguard personal information.

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And finally, a top goal for most startups is going public. SOX IT General Controls (ITGC) are required to be compliant with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. ITGC attests to the security and reliability of the data in your financial IT systems and processes. Companies preparing for an IPO need to complete the ITGC audit to comply with SOX, often a year or more in advance of an IPO. 

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Build a comprehensive security, compliance, and privacy program with Vanta

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Companies choose Vanta not only for automating compliance, but also for the partnership and guidance provided to help you establish the right approach to security and compliance required for breaking into new markets across all stages of growth. If you want to learn more about these and other security, compliance, and privacy frameworks, schedule a demo or contact your Customer Success Manager today.