Data Security

Achieving enterprise-grade data security
The key to applying an effective data security strategy is adopting a risk-based approach to protecting data across the entire enterprise. Early in the strategy development process, taking business goals and regulatory requirements into account, stakeholders should identify one or two data sources containing the most sensitive information, and begin there. After establishing clear and tight policies to protect these limited sources, they can then extend these best practices across the rest of the enterprise’s digital assets in a prioritized fashion. Implemented automated data monitoring and protection capabilities can make best practices far more readily scalable.

Data security and the cloud
Securing cloud-based infrastructures requires a different approach than the traditional model of situating defenses at the network’s perimeter. It demands comprehensive cloud data discovery and classification tools, plus ongoing activity monitoring and risk management. Cloud monitoring tools can sit between a cloud provider’s database-as-a-service (DBaaS) solution and monitor data in transit or redirect traffic to your existing security platform. This allows for policies to be applied uniformly no matter where the data resides.

Data security and BYOD
The use of personal computers, tablets, and mobile devices in enterprise computing environments is on the rise despite security leaders’ well-founded concerns about the risks that this practice can pose. One way of improving bring your own device (BYOD) security is by requiring employees who use personal devices to install security software to access corporate networks, thus enhancing centralized control over and visibility into data access and movement. Another strategy is to build an enterprise-wide, security-first mindset, encouraging employees to utilize strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, regular software updates, and device backups, along with data encryption by teaching them the value of these actions.