Standards Comparison

    MAS TRM

    Mandatory
    2021

    Singapore guidelines for financial technology risk management

    VS

    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules

    Mandatory
    2023

    U.S. SEC regulation for cybersecurity incident disclosures

    Quick Verdict

    MAS TRM provides comprehensive tech risk guidelines for Singapore FIs, emphasizing proportional controls and resilience. U.S. SEC rules mandate rapid incident disclosures and governance reporting for public companies. FIs adopt MAS TRM for supervision; issuers use SEC for investor transparency.

    Technology Risk Management

    MAS TRM

    Technology Risk Management Guidelines (January 2021)

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

    Key Features

    • Board approves technology risk appetite statement
    • Proportional implementation by FI risk profile
    • End-to-end controls from governance to audit
    • Third-party risk management beyond outsourcing
    • Annual pentests for internet-facing systems required
    Capital Markets

    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules

    Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, Incident Disclosure

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Four-business-day material incident disclosure on Form 8-K
    • Annual risk management and governance in Item 106
    • Board oversight and management role disclosures
    • Inline XBRL tagging for structured data
    • Third-party incident inclusion in scope

    Detailed Analysis

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

    MAS TRM Details

    What It Is

    MAS Technology Risk Management (TRM) Guidelines (January 2021) are supervisory guidance issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore for financial institutions. They provide a principles-based framework for governance, cyber resilience, and technology risk controls, emphasizing proportional implementation based on risk profile, service complexity, and technologies used.

    Key Components

    • 15 sections covering governance, risk frameworks, SDLC, IT service management, resilience, access control, cryptography, data security, cyber operations, assessments, and audit.
    • Synthesized 12 core principles including board accountability, asset inventories, third-party oversight, secure engineering, and layered defenses.
    • No fixed control count; focuses on outcomes like CIA triad preservation.
    • Compliance via MAS supervision, no formal certification.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Financial institutions adopt TRM for regulatory alignment, as MAS considers observance in supervision. Benefits include robust governance, reduced cyber incidents, resilient operations, and third-party risk mitigation. Enhances customer trust, avoids fines, and supports digital transformation.

    Implementation Overview

    Risk-based rollout starts with board-approved appetite, asset inventories, and control mapping. Applies to all MAS-supervised FIs proportionally by size/complexity. Key activities: policy development, training, testing regimes. MAS examines via inspections; internal audit required.

    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules Details

    What It Is

    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules (Release No. 33-11216) is a federal regulation mandating standardized cybersecurity disclosures for public companies. It requires timely reporting of material incidents and annual descriptions of risk management and governance, applying a materiality-based approach under securities law principles.

    Key Components

    • **Incident disclosureForm 8-K Item 1.05 within four business days of materiality determination.
    • **Annual disclosuresRegulation S-K Item 106 covering risk processes, strategy impacts, board oversight, and management roles.
    • **Structured dataInline XBRL tagging for comparability.
    • Built on existing securities materiality (e.g., TSC Industries test); no fixed controls.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Public companies comply to meet legal obligations, protect investors, enhance market efficiency, and reduce enforcement risks like fines or penalties seen in cases such as Yahoo or Ashford. It builds trust, integrates cyber into ERM, and signals mature governance to stakeholders.

    Implementation Overview

    Involves cross-functional playbooks, materiality frameworks, incident workflows, and governance documentation. Applies to all Exchange Act registrants; phased compliance (Dec 2023 onward). No certification, but SEC exams and enforcement apply; typical for large enterprises with DCP integration.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    MAS TRM
    Comprehensive tech risk governance, controls, resilience across FI lifecycle
    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules
    Public disclosure of material incidents, risk management, governance

    Industry

    MAS TRM
    Singapore financial institutions (banks, insurers, payments)
    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules
    U.S. public companies, FPIs (all sectors, broad registrants)

    Nature

    MAS TRM
    Supervisory principles-and-practices guidance, proportional implementation
    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules
    Mandatory SEC reporting rules with enforcement penalties

    Testing

    MAS TRM
    Annual pen testing (internet-facing), DR tests, vulnerability assessments
    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules
    No specific testing mandates; disclosure of processes only

    Penalties

    MAS TRM
    Supervisory actions, fines via other MAS notices/inspections
    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules
    SEC enforcement, civil penalties, injunctions for non-disclosure

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about MAS TRM and U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules

    MAS TRM FAQ

    U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules FAQ

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