The deadline to comply with Massachusetts' new data security regulations -- considered among the strictest in the nation -- has been extended three months, until March 1, 2010, the state announced last week. The provisions also were updated to reflect a risk-based approach for developing a written information security policy, a move meant to assuage small businesses that have expressed concern over meeting the demands. The new language dictates that in implementing safeguards, organizations should take into account their size, the types of records they maintain and the ID theft threat they pose. — DK