Standards Comparison

    J-SOX

    Mandatory
    2008

    Japan's regulation for internal controls over financial reporting

    VS

    23 NYCRR 500

    Mandatory
    2017

    NY regulation for financial services cybersecurity

    Quick Verdict

    J-SOX ensures ICFR reliability for Japanese listed firms via management assessment and audits, while 23 NYCRR 500 mandates cybersecurity controls for NY financial entities with CISO oversight and 72-hour reporting. Companies adopt them for regulatory compliance and risk mitigation.

    Financial Reporting

    J-SOX

    Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA)

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Principles-based ICFR assessment for flexibility
    • Mandatory for 3,800 listed companies and subsidiaries
    • Explicit central focus on IT governance controls
    • Management evaluation with auditor attestation
    • Risk-based scoping using COSO framework
    Financial Services

    23 NYCRR 500

    23 NYCRR Part 500

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    18-24 months

    Key Features

    • Annual CISO/CEO dual-signature compliance certification
    • 72-hour cybersecurity incident notification to NYDFS
    • Phishing-resistant MFA for privileged and remote access
    • Comprehensive third-party service provider oversight
    • Risk-based annual penetration testing and vulnerability management

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    J-SOX Details

    What It Is

    J-SOX refers to the internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) provisions of Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA), promulgated in 2006 and effective April 2008. It is a regulatory framework requiring management assessment of ICFR effectiveness, supported by auditor review. The primary purpose is enhancing financial reporting reliability and transparency for listed companies, using a principles-based, risk-based approach anchored in BAC Implementation Guidance.

    Key Components

    • Five COSO components plus explicit IT response and asset preservation.
    • Entity-level, process-level, and IT general controls (ITGCs) like access, change management.
    • Risk assessment, key control identification, documentation, testing.
    • Annual management report with auditor attestation; no fixed control count, emphasizes evidence.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory for ~3,800 listed firms and subsidiaries to ensure market confidence.
    • Mitigates misstatement risks, reduces audit costs via efficiency.
    • Builds investor trust, operational resilience; aligns with global practices like COSO.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: governance, scoping, design, testing, reporting, monitoring.
    • Applies to listed Japanese companies, multinationals with Japanese listings/subsidiaries.
    • Requires thorough documentation, external auditor review annually.

    23 NYCRR 500 Details

    What It Is

    23 NYCRR Part 500 is the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) cybersecurity regulation for financial entities. It establishes minimum, risk-based cybersecurity standards to protect nonpublic information (NPI) and information systems. Scope covers NY-licensed banks, insurers, and related firms; approach emphasizes governance, evidence-based outcomes, and phased compliance.

    Key Components

    • 14 core requirements: cybersecurity program, policy, CISO appointment, access controls, MFA, encryption, penetration testing, TPSP oversight, incident response.
    • Built on NIST CSF or equivalent; no formal certification but annual CISO/CEO dual attestation by April 15, with 5-year record retention.
    • Class A entities face enhanced audits, EDR, PAM.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory for Covered Entities to avoid multimillion-dollar fines (e.g., Robinhood $30M).
    • Reduces incident risk, strengthens vendor contracts, lowers insurance costs.
    • Builds board-level accountability, stakeholder trust in NY financial markets.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased roadmap: gap analysis, asset inventory, MFA rollout, TPSP contracts.
    • Applies to NY financial services; small exemptions possible.
    • No external cert but DFS exams require evidence repository, annual pen tests.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    J-SOX
    ICFR for financial reporting reliability
    23 NYCRR 500
    Cybersecurity for information systems/NPI protection

    Industry

    J-SOX
    Japanese listed companies and subsidiaries
    23 NYCRR 500
    NYDFS-regulated financial services entities

    Nature

    J-SOX
    Mandatory principles-based FIEA provisions
    23 NYCRR 500
    Mandatory prescriptive cybersecurity regulation

    Testing

    J-SOX
    Management assessment + auditor review
    23 NYCRR 500
    Annual pen testing + vulnerability assessments

    Penalties

    J-SOX
    FSA fines, reputational damage
    23 NYCRR 500
    Multi-million dollar consent orders

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about J-SOX and 23 NYCRR 500

    J-SOX FAQ

    23 NYCRR 500 FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages