Data security strategies
A comprehensive data security strategy incorporates people, processes and technologies. Establishing appropriate controls and policies is as much a question of organizational culture as it is of deploying the right tool set. This means making information security a priority across all areas of the enterprise.
Consider the following facets in your data security strategy:
Physical security of servers and user devices: You might store your data on premises, in a corporate data center or in the public cloud. Regardless, you need to secure your facilities against intruders and have adequate fire suppression measures and climate controls in place. A cloud provider assumes responsibility for these protective measures on your behalf.
Access management and controls: Follow the principle of “least-privilege access” throughout your entire IT environment. This means granting database, network and administrative account access to as few people as possible, and only to individuals who absolutely need it to get their jobs done.
Application security and patching: Update all software to the latest version as soon as possible after patches or the release of new versions.
Backups: Maintaining usable, thoroughly tested backup copies of all critical data is a core component of any robust data security strategy. In addition, all backups should be subject to the same physical and logical security controls that govern access to the primary databases and core systems.
Employee education: Transform your employees into “human firewalls”. Teaching them the importance of good security practices and password hygiene and training them to recognize social engineering attacks can be vital in safeguarding your data.
Network and endpoint security monitoring and controls: Implementing a comprehensive suite of threat management, detection and response tools in both your on-premises and cloud environments can lower risks and reduce the chance of a breach.
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