Data security is the protection of organizational data and systems against the unauthorized access, modification, and use. This helps to avoid data breaches that could lead to business disruption financial loss as well as compliance penalties and reputational damage. Modern approaches to data security comprise a mix of tools, technologies and best practices that concentrate on the three pillars of data security which are: Confidentiality (preventing information from being exposed or read without authorization), Integrity (ensuring that information is accurate and not altered) and Accessibility (ensuring that information is readily available when needed).
The first step to effective data security is creating 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 essential. It is important to think about physical storage devices like USB sticks and external hard drives and even discarded documents and printed files. They are often ignored however they can contain a wealth confidential data. Cybercriminals will take advantage of this.
Once you’ve gained insight into your data sets The next step is to classify your sensitive information so you are able to better understand the location and how it is stored within your infrastructure. This will enable you to prioritize security efforts, making sure that only the most critical information is protected, and that less critical information is easily accessible. This allows you to comply with the regulations and requirements of your industry like those that apply to the health care, finance and telecommunications industries.
