Compliance Is Not Optional — It's Your Legal Shield
The FTC Safeguards Rule, PCI-DSS, and state data protection laws now apply to most small businesses. One violation can trigger fines, lawsuits, and loss of customer trust. Bellator makes compliance achievable.
Per-day penalties for non-compliance with the Safeguards Rule
Of small businesses fail basic cybersecurity compliance standards
Per month per merchant for non-compliance after breach
Our typical timeline to bring SMBs into baseline compliance
Frameworks We Support
We translate complex regulatory requirements into practical security controls you can actually implement.
FTC Safeguards Rule
Required for financial service businesses — auto dealers, accountants, mortgage brokers. Covers data security program requirements, written policies, and annual audits.
PCI-DSS Compliance
If you accept credit cards, PCI-DSS applies. We handle vulnerability scanning, network segmentation, access controls, and the annual self-assessment questionnaire.
NIST CSF Alignment
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework is the gold standard for SMB security programs. We build your controls around Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover functions.
State Privacy Laws
CCPA, VCDPA, CTDPA, and 15+ other state laws require data mapping, privacy notices, and breach response procedures. We keep you current.
Employee Training
Compliance requires documented security awareness training. We provide policy templates, training content, and completion tracking.
Risk Assessments & Audits
Annual written risk assessments required by most frameworks. We conduct, document, and remediate findings to keep your compliance program current.
Our Compliance Process
Gap Assessment
We evaluate your current security controls against applicable frameworks and identify specific gaps that need remediation.
Remediation Plan
Prioritized remediation roadmap with timelines and responsibilities. We tackle the highest-risk items first.
Implementation
Our team deploys the technical controls — EDR, MFA, encryption, logging — and creates the written policies and procedures.
Ongoing Monitoring
Compliance is not a one-time project. We monitor controls, update policies annually, and re-assess after material changes.
Compliance FAQs
The Safeguards Rule applies to "financial institutions" under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act — which includes tax preparers, auto dealers, mortgage brokers, and any business that handles consumer financial data. Schedule a call and we can confirm whether it applies to you.
If a breach occurs while you're non-compliant, card brands can fine your acquiring bank up to $500K per incident, and those fines are passed directly to you. You also lose chargeback protections and may lose your ability to accept card payments.
For most SMBs, baseline compliance (FTC Safeguards or PCI-DSS SAQ-A) takes 30-60 days with our help. Complex environments or larger teams may require 90 days. The process is iterative — you don't have to be perfect on day one.
From requirement to defensible practice
Turn the requirement into a security plan people can follow
A useful compliance path makes the obligation clear, identifies the evidence to retain, and connects written policy to the safeguards used every day.
- Know what applies
- Document the evidence
- Make the safeguard operational
A defensible path
- 01
Confirm the requirement
Separate what is required from recommendations and vendor language.
- 02
Map it to your environment
Connect the rule to people, devices, data, vendors, and current procedures.
- 03
Close and document the gaps
Prioritize changes and keep evidence that the process is being followed.
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