Data security guards the data of Board software organizations and systems from unauthorised access, use and modification. This helps prevent data breaches that could cause disruption to business operations as well as financial losses or penalties for compliance, as well as reputation damage. Modern approaches to data security include a combination of tools, technologies and best practice that focus on three pillars: Confidentiality and Integrity.
The first step in effective data security is to create and maintaining an inventory and mapping of your data sets. Recording the data in your data centers as well as network-connected devices including desktops, mobiles, cloud services, and software applications is important. It is important to think about physical storage like USB sticks and external hard drives as well as old documents and printed documents. They are often ignored but could contain a wealth of confidential data. Cybercriminals can take advantage of this.
Once you’ve got a clear view of your data sets you will need to classify sensitive data to understand what it is and where it’s situated within your infrastructure. This allows you to prioritize your security efforts by ensuring that the most valuable data is protected, while less critical information is accessible. This allows you to comply to industry and regulatory requirements like those that apply to the finance, health care and telecommunications industries.
