Data Security definition

What Are Types Of Data Security?

There are different types of data security. The first data security is data encryption. Data encryption improves data security by using an algorithm. An algorithm makes the data unreadable and can only be decrypted using a key or the proper permissions. Data encryption also makes data useless to anyone when a data breach occurs.

The second type of data security is data masking. Data masking conceals data by disguising letters and numbers with proxy characters. Proxy characters create an alternate version of data that is not easily identifiable or reverse-engineered. This alternate version of data is useless to anyone trying to breach the data.

The next type of data security is data erasure. Data erasure removes data that is no longer needed from all systems. This type of data security is a great way of removing liability since non-existent data is regarded as unbreachable.

Another type of data security is data resilience. Data resilience creates a backup or copies of data. These copies of data minimize the risk of accidental loss or destruction of data. Data storage must have backups or copies safely stored in order to have contingency data in case of data loss or destruction.

The next type of data security is a firewall. A firewall is designed to prevent data access from unwanted and unauthorized sources. These unwanted and unauthorized sources use malware to infiltrate an organization's computer systems, posing a threat to the company’s data. Companies and organizations use firewalls as an initial security layer that inspects all the packets that are entering and exiting their networks.

Another type of data security is authentication and authorization. Authentication and authorization are two processes that make sure that only the allowed users can access company or organization data. Authentication requires identity proofs, such as a password, a PIN, a behavioral scan, or biometric authentication. Authorization identifies whether a user has permission to access and interact with specified data. Examples of authorization are the principle of least privilege access, attribute-based access control, and role-based access control.

The final type of data security is hardware-based security. Hardware-based security is the physical protection of a device aside from software protection. This kind of data security addresses attackers that target every IT layer. Examples of hardware-based security are hardware-based firewalls, proxy servers, and hardware security modules.

What Is A Data Security Risk?

A data security risk is any action that can harm the three core elements of data security. The three core elements of data security are confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Confidentiality ensures that data is only accessed by persons with authorization. Integrity ensures that stored data is reliable, accurate, and not subject to unauthorized and unwarranted changes. Availability ensures that data is readily and safely accessed and available for every business need.

One example of data security risks is accidental exposure. Accidental exposure happens when a company’s or organization’s employees share, grant access, lose or mishandle sensitive data by accident or because of security policy unawareness.

Another data security risk is phishing and social engineering attacks. Social engineering attacks involve the manipulation of victims to provide private information or access to privileged accounts. Phishing is an example of social engineering attack that involves messages containing malicious links which attackers use to gain control or access to sensitive information.

Another data security risk is ransomware. Ransomware is malware that infects corporate devices and encrypts data. This encrypted data is useless without the decryption key that belongs to the attacker in exchange for monetary payment.

One more example of data security risk is the insider threat. Insider threats are company or organization personnel that intentionally threaten the security of the company or organization’s data. There are several types of insider threats, such as non-malicious insiders, malicious insiders, and compromised insiders. Non-malicious and compromised insiders are unaware that they can cause harm or that their accounts were already compromised, while malicious insiders are actively attempting to steal or harm the company or organization’s data.

What Are Data Security Controls?

Data security controls are aimed at reducing security risks that are associated with data through enforcing company or organization policies and having the best data security practices. Data security controls are grouped into internal controls and incident-focused controls.

Internal controls include operational controls, technical security controls, administrative controls, and architectural controls. Operational controls are rules and procedures that protect systems and applications. Technical security controls are designed to enforce internal policies or assist companies and organizations adhere to compliance requirements. Administrative controls involve actions, procedures, and policies for data security standards enforcement. Architectural controls focus on how a company’s or organization’s on-prem and cloud storage, endpoints, devices, services, and other information systems are connected.

Incident-focused controls are aimed at preventing, identifying, and responding to security incidents. These include preventive controls, detective controls, corrective controls, and compensating controls. Preventive controls keep security incidents from occurring. Detective controls assist in spotting active threats across the IT environment by monitoring network access and usage, detecting intrusions, and analyzing unusual behaviors. Corrective controls deal with incident response and disaster recovery. Compensating controls help to make up for security measures that are not implemented at the present time.

Who Is Responsible For Data Security?

The primary person responsible for data security within an organization is usually the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The CISO is the leader and face of data security in a company or an organization. The CISO is responsible for creating policies and strategies to protect data against threats and vulnerabilities. These threats and vulnerabilities are carefully identified through mastery of the location of all sensitive company or organization data by the CISO. The CISO is also tasked to inform and communicate with the executives, stakeholders, and employees about everything concerning cyber security.

Aside from the CISO, an IT director is also a leader in implementing the policies and tools put forth by the CISO for data security management and protection. While these positions oversee the implementation and maintenance of data security protocols, it’s the responsibility of all employees across the organization to practice safe data security practices. Without the responsibility and cooperation of all the employees, protecting the company’s sensitive data is difficult. Employees must undergo thorough training about the security policies, best practices, risks, and potential threats to data security.

How Can We Protect Data?

There are many ways we can protect data. Here are some ways to secure data:

• Encrypting data
• Backing up data
• Making an old computer’s hard drives unreadable
• Securing wireless networks
• Using a firewall
• Encrypting data on our USB drives and SIM cards
• Disabling file and media sharing when not needed
• Creating encrypted volumes of portable and private data files
• Overwriting deleted files
• Deleting old files from cloud backups