How to Make Sure Your Data is ITAR Compliant

If you have been informed that you might need to be ITAR compliant, then you might be wondering what exactly it is you need to do. ITAR compliance applies to any company that has sold a variety of items to the United States’ military over several years, and not making the effort to do so can result in a heavy fine or even jail time. Because you are dealing with such sensitive information, you should take the precautionary steps necessary in order to make sure you won’t have any problems.

Here’s how you can ensure that your data is ITAR compliant.

Encryption

The first step you will want to take when you want to make sure you are following an ITAR compliance checklist is to make sure that all of your emails, storage, and additional information is heavily encrypted.

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Encryption makes it much more difficult for hackers to steal the information you have been trying to keep safe. Make sure your passwords to access this data are secure, and change them often so you know that former employees won’t be able to get online to your systems.

Know which items are included

You might know that selling firearms to the military needs ITAR compliance, but did you know that hazmat suits and blueprints for weapons also fall under this category? You’ll want to take another look to determine whether or not you will need additional security measures and if your data needs to be submitted to anyone. If you aren’t sure, it’s always a good idea to check just in case so you don’t end up finding yourself paying fines on in jail.

Choose cloud storage wisely

Most companies have moved to cloud storage as a way to keep files in one place and to have them easily accessible. The biggest thing to keep in mind when it comes to ITAR compliance is that your data should not be accessed by any foreign enterprise or individual.

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This can help you to look out for those trying to gain access to your information and you can even set up your cloud storage to block foreign IPNs. Just in case, also make sure your cloud storage is heavily protected with complex passwords.

Have an expert take a look

If you are still unsure whether or not you are following protocol correctly, then it might be time to call in someone who can go over your data systems. This person can alert you to any holes in your security and how you can improve it by acting as an individual trying to hack your cloud storage. This way you can know pretty quickly whether or not you need to enact additional security measures and how you can create a more secure environment for your data.

In summary

With such heavy fines and repercussions for not being ITAR compliant, it makes sense that you will want to put extra effort toward making sure your data is safe and sound. With additional security measures in place and feedback on where you can improve, you can make sure that you won’t have any issues when it comes to compliance.