Nowadays, data security has become a priority for many organisations and with good reason. The number of successful breaches have been growing because of widespread adoption of cloud services, complex IT environments, and the sophisticated nature of today’s cybercriminals.
Fortunately, most security breaches are actually preventable. While the challenges and goals of organisations vary, there are several mistakes many companies make as they tackle data security. What’s worse is the mistakes are hidden in plain sight and considered common practice and at times, accepted as the norm.
Prevalent Data Protection Mistakes
There are many data security failures that might cause the next data breach or lead to unforced errors when left undetected. Some of the most common data security pitfalls include:
Not moving beyond ‘paper’ compliance
Many security professionals agree that compliance does not always equal security. Most organisations focus their attention and security resources on achieving compliance. However, once they have received their certifications, they become complacent.
Some of the largest data breaches occurred in organisations that have been fully compliant on paper but have not moved into operational compliance.
Not recognising the need for centralised data security
Compliance can be instrumental in helping raise awareness of the importance of data security. However, when there are no broader mandates that cover data security and privacy, there is a tendency for organisations not to move past compliance.
In other words, most organisations don’t get to focus on enterprise-wide and consistent data security. This is especially important if your organisation has a hybrid multi-cloud environment that’s constantly changing and evolving.
Not having anyone responsible for their data
Even if most organisations are already aware of the importance of data security, many still don’t have someone specifically assigned to protect their sensitive data. Similar scenarios become apparent during audit or data security incidents when organisations scramble to find out the responsible parties for the breach.
Not addressing known vulnerabilities
Many high-profile breaches in organisations are from known vulnerabilities that were not addressed even after the patches have been released. When an organisation fails to patch known vulnerabilities right away, the organisation’s data is put at risk because many cybercriminals are actively seeking these points of entry.
Some recent reports also indicate that many organisations struggle to manage data security across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Some studies also indicate that the growing complexity of security solutions has become a challenge for most organisations and has impeded policy enforcement and data governance.
Inability to leverage and prioritise data activity monitoring
Monitoring data access and use is an integral part of any data security strategy. That said, it is important for organisations to know who, when, and how people are accessing data. The monitoring should also encompass if certain individuals should have access, if that access is correct, and if the access will provide an elevated risk for the organisation.
Addressing Data Security Pitfalls
Securing sensitive data especially nowadays is not easy. Fortunately, organisations can now take steps to warrant the right resources are devoted to their data protection strategy. During your data security journey, you need to scope and size your monitoring efforts so you can address the risks and requirements accordingly.
This can also involve adopting an approach that will enable the development and scaling of the best practices across the enterprise. It is also important that you cover everything related to data security. For instance, if you live in Singapore, you need to be aware of the Singapore Personal Data Protection Act or PDPA guidelines.
Knowledge of the PDPA guidelines can help you avoid large fines and reputation damage. It is also crucial to have conversations with key IT and business stakeholders early in the process to have a full understanding of the short and long-term objectives of the business.
