Achieving GL20 Certification with ComplyNexus

The Hong Kong Insurance Authority’s Guideline on Cybersecurity (GL20) represents one of the most rigorous cybersecurity frameworks in Asia. With mandatory Inherent Risk Assessments (IRA), Maturity Assessments (MA), and Threat Intelligence-Based Attack Simulations (TIBAS), insurers face unprecedented compliance complexity.

Manual compliance processes are:

• Time-consuming (6+ months for initial certification)
• Error-prone (due to inconsistent documentation)
• Expensive (heavy reliance on consultants)

ComplyNexus changes this. Our AI-powered compliance platform automates 90% of GL20 requirements, cutting preparation time by 70% and ensuring audit-ready compliance from day one.

Understanding GL20’s Three Pillars

1. Inherent Risk Assessment (IRA)

Purpose: Determine your organization’s baseline cyber risk level.
Requirements:

• Evaluate 40 risk indicators across 5 categories (business operations, IT systems, third-party risks, etc.)
• Classify risk as Low, Medium, or High using IA’s scoring model
• Submit detailed documentation on risk tier justification

How ComplyNexus Automates IRA:

• AI-driven risk scoring based on real-time data
• Auto-generated reports formatted for IA submission
• Remediation roadmap for risk-tier alignment

2. Maturity Assessment (MA)

Purpose: Assess cybersecurity controls against GL20’s 222 principles (Baseline: 90, Intermediate: 78, Advanced: 54).
Requirements:

• Test controls via sampling over 6-12 months
• Prove maturity aligns with your risk tier
• Document evidence for validator review

How ComplyNexus Simplifies MA:

• Automated gap analysis against all 222 controls
• Smart sampling strategies for testing efficiency
• Continuous monitoring with real-time alerts

3. Threat Intelligence-Based Attack Simulation (TIBAS)

Purpose: Validate cyber defenses via real-world attack scenarios.
Requirements:

• Conduct 3-5 simulated attacks (based on risk tier)
• Document response effectiveness
• Submit findings within 9 months

How ComplyNexus Supports TIBAS:

• Red team coordination tools
• Automated attack simulation reporting
• IA-ready documentation templates

Why Traditional GL20 Compliance Fails

Most insurers struggle because:

Manual Processes Are Slow

Relying on spreadsheets for tracking creates version confusion and slows down progress. Consultants often take weeks to compile reports, making it hard to stay on schedule.

Control Validation Is Inefficient

Teams spend excessive time manually mapping standards like ISO 27001 or NIST to GL20. This wastes valuable resources and increases the risk of sampling errors, which can lead to audit failures.

Submission Deadlines Are Missed

Around 60% of insurers end up requesting extensions for TIBAS submissions. The lack of automation and last-minute rushes often results in incomplete or error-prone filings.

How ComplyNexus Solves These Challenges

1. AI-Powered Risk Intelligence
   ComplyNexus leverages Nexi AI to automatically calculate IRA (Inherent Risk Assessment) scores using real-time data. This ensures that risk assessments remain current and accurate. The platform also provides tailored recommendations, suggesting risk-tier-specific controls to enhance security and compliance efforts based on the assessed risk level.
2. Automated Evidence Collection
   The platform integrates seamlessly with leading cloud providers like AWS and Azure, as well as SIEM tools, to automate the collection of evidence required for compliance. It generates audit trails automatically for each control, saving time and reducing the risk of human error during the documentation process.
3. Smart Framework Harmonization
   ComplyNexus intelligently maps various regulatory frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST CSF, and internal policies to the GL20 standard. This harmonization eliminates the need for over 40 hours of manual cross-referencing, streamlining compliance management and ensuring consistency across all frameworks.
4. One-Click Reporting
   With just a click, users can generate validator-ready submissions in the IA (Information Assurance) format. The system also tracks version history, making it easier to manage compliance audits and maintain a clear, traceable record of all updates and submissions.

Achieving GL20 Certification in 8 Weeks

Phase 1: Setup (Week 1-2)

• Upload existing policies or let Nexi AI draft GL20-aligned ones
• Connect cloud/SIEM tools for real-time data feeds

Phase 2: IRA & MA (Week 3-5)

1. Run AI gap analysis to identify missing controls
2. Launch automated sampling for MA testing

Phase 3: TIBAS (Week 6-7)

1. Simulate 3-5 attacks using built-in scenarios
2. Document response metrics with AI summaries

Phase 4: Submission (Week 8)

1. Generate final reports with one click
2. Submit to IA ahead of deadline

Pro Tip: ComplyNexus users pass audits 3x faster than manual approaches.

Key Benefits of Automating GL20 Compliance

Metric	Manual Process	With ComplyNexus
Time to Compliance	6-12 months	8-10 weeks
Cost	$150K+ in consulting	60% lower
Audit Findings	5-10 major gaps	Zero critical gaps
Ongoing Maintenance	20+ hours/month	Fully automated

Objections We Hear (And Why They’re Myths)

Myth: “AI can’t understand our unique systems.”
Truth: Our engine adapts to life vs P&C vs health insurer needs

Myth: “We’re already halfway done manually.”
Truth: We import existing work without rework

Myth: “The IA prefers human-made reports.”
Truth: Our submissions use regulator-approved templates

Conclusion

Achieving GL20 certification is no small feat. With the Hong Kong Insurance Authority’s rigorous requirements, including Inherent Risk Assessments, Maturity Assessments, and TIBAS compliance, it can quickly become a complex, time-consuming, and costly endeavor. Traditional methods involving spreadsheets, manual cross-referencing, and consultant-heavy approaches only make matters worse, slowing down progress, increasing the chance of errors, and putting insurers at risk of missed deadlines.

ComplyNexus transforms this challenge into a streamlined, automated experience. By leveraging powerful AI, smart integration tools, and real-time data, our platform automates 90% of GL20 requirements, cutting certification time from 6–12 months to as little as 8 weeks. From AI-driven risk scoring and evidence collection to smart sampling and attack simulation documentation, every feature is designed to eliminate manual friction and accelerate results.

We understand the unique needs of every insurer—whether you’re in life, P&C, or health—and our platform adapts to your environment seamlessly. Already halfway through your compliance journey? No problem. ComplyNexus can import your existing progress without forcing you to start over. And when it’s time to submit, you can rest easy knowing our reports are formatted exactly to the IA’s standards, ensuring smooth and successful audits.

Compliance doesn’t have to be hard. With ComplyNexus, it’s faster, smarter, and future-proof.

Don’t let outdated methods slow you down or put your certification at risk.

Book your free demo with ComplyNexus today and discover how insurers like you are getting GL20-certified in just 8 weeks—with fewer resources, lower costs, and zero audit surprises.

Let’s make compliance your competitive advantage.