Compliance Guide

A practical, code-focused deep dive into how real-world compliance works inside software systems.

Instead of reading regulations in isolation, this guide demonstrates compliance patterns—showing how GDPR deletion works in mock code, how PCI DSS enforces payment security, how audit trails are structured, and how businesses actually achieve compliance.

Warning

Educational Purpose - Not Legal Advice. This repository uses mock code examples to teach compliance concepts.
For real implementations, consult certified compliance professionals and legal counsel. DO NOT deploy educational code to production without professional security review.

⭐ Why This Exists

Reading PDFs wasn’t enough. I wanted to build compliance:

• Working code for GDPR rights, PCI DSS tokenization, logging controls, and retention automation.
• Case studies with realistic timelines, effort, and cost.
• Economic analysis showing ROI, security impact, and risk reduction.
• Cross-framework mapping (GDPR, SOC 2, PCI, ISO 27001, DPDP, FSSAI).

Project at a Glance

• 15 compliance domains
• 6 regulatory frameworks
• 4 detailed case studies
• Multi-language code (Python, JavaScript, SQL)

💻 Implementation Examples

→ IMPLEMENTATION_EXAMPLES/

Educational mock code showing compliance patterns in practice:

• GDPR Data Handling (Mock)
  gdpr_data_handling.py
  Demonstrates Articles 15, 17, 20 patterns (Access, Erasure, Portability)

• PCI DSS Payment Security (Mock)
  pci_dss_payment_security.js
  Demonstrates tokenization, TLS enforcement, secure audit logging patterns

• Automated Retention (Mock)
  data_retention_automation.sql
  Demonstrates scheduled purges and deletion workflow patterns

• Security Controls Automation (Mock)
  security_compliance_checks.py
  Demonstrates SOC 2 & ISO 27001 validation patterns

⚠️ All code examples are educational mock implementations. See IMPLEMENTATION_EXAMPLES/README.md for what needs to be replaced for production use.

📚 Case Studies

→ CASE_STUDIES/

Four realistic scenarios based on GrocerDel, a fictional grocery-delivery startup:

• Data Breach Response — GDPR 72-hour requirement, ₹26L loss, €20M fine avoided
• PCI DSS Compliance Roadmap — ₹12L investment → ₹2Cr revenue gain
• Scaling to Enterprise — 5-year roadmap (₹57K → ₹4.26Cr)
• Indian E-Commerce Landscape — DPDP, FSSAI, RBI, GST overview

Note

Although GrocerDel is fictional, every regulation and workflow is real.

Contents — 15 Compliance Domains

Each chapter blends regulatory requirements with practical cybersecurity implementation.

1. Consumer Data Protection
2. Data Security and Cybersecurity Standards
3. Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance
4. Cybersecurity Operations (CyberSecOps)
5. IT Department Compliance and Best Practices
6. Internal Audits and Compliance Monitoring
7. Record-Keeping and Documentation
8. Business Formation and Legal Compliance
9. Local, State, and Federal Regulations
10. Employee Data Protection and Privacy
11. Workplace Health and Safety
12. Product and Service Quality Compliance
13. Environmental and Sustainability Policies
14. Risk Management and Crisis Response
15. Employee Training and Awareness

📄 Full Guide PDF → Compliance Guide
📄 Indian E-commerce Trends → Trends Report

What I Learned

Compliance isn’t "boring legal stuff." Building this taught me:

• Security must be designed into systems, not added later.
• Compliance creates revenue—frequently more than it costs.
• Security ≠ Compliance, but they’re deeply connected.
• Conflicting laws (e.g., GDPR deletion vs tax retention) create real engineering challenges.

Tip

If you’re new, start with GDPR + PCI—they form the backbone of most modern compliance programs.

Who This Helps

• Cybersecurity students exploring frameworks
• Developers learning practical compliance engineering
• Founders evaluating cost, risk & ROI
• Anyone curious about real-world regulatory systems

Why I Focus on Compliance

Compliance strengthens:

• Security architecture
• Data governance
• Risk management
• Operational integrity

It forces you to think in terms of systems, processes, and accountability—not just code.

Important

Regulations differ drastically by region.
Always check local legal requirements before implementation.

Roadmap & Future Updates

This guide will continue evolving with:

• New laws & amendments
• Better implementation patterns
• Industry-specific guidance
• Community contributions

Contributing

Contributions are welcome!

1. Fork the repo
2. Create a branch
3. Commit improvements
4. Open a PR

Whether it’s corrections, additions, or real-world experience—every insight helps.

📬 Contact

If you'd like to reach out, discuss ideas, or share feedback, you can contact me through my Blog.

Acknowledgments

This project comes from many late nights reading GDPR, PCI DSS, DPDP Act, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and more.
Regulations evolve—if you find something outdated, please open an issue.

Last Updated: November 2025

Happy exploring! 🚀