Information is one of the most valuable assets a person or business can have. Nowadays, a large part of our day-to-day lives exist in the virtual environment. That’s why data security is so important, as it safeguards the information chain flowing through computers.

In an increasingly competitive world, protecting corporate data is critical. And we’re not just talking about storing information, but having it securely available for whenever you need access.

Similar to other approaches such as perimeter security, file security, or user behavioral security, data security is a method of assessing and reducing the risk that results from storing any type of data.

Follow along to learn why data security is so important as well as the main trends within the field!

What is data security?

Data security is the process of protecting files, databases, and accounts on a network. The system adopts a set of controls, applications, and techniques that identify the relative importance of different sets of data. It also measures their sensitivity and regulatory compliance requirements, finally applying appropriate safeguards to protect them.

Data security is one of the many ways to structure information security systems. So what makes this process better than other forms of security?

Most other Information Security processes are user focused. Some issues these processes are concerned with are whether the user is allowed to access certain data or whether they are allowed to enter a certain network.

What are the pillars of data security?

Data security and information security are issues that get mixed up. So first, let’s quickly identify the three principles of Information Security:

Confidentiality

Confidentiality guarantees that access to information is only carried out by the owner of the information. In the case of a company, confidential information cannot be disclosed to people outside the organization. 

Integrity

Integrity refers to keeping information in its original format. That is, that there was no data manipulation or alteration without the owner’s knowledge.

In case of changes, integrity is maintained through change management, with a record of what has been changed, date, time, as well as who is responsible for the change. 

Availability

Availability aims to ensure that the information is always available for legitimate access, that is, by the owners of the information or authorized persons.

Okay, but what about data security?

In addition to these, data security considers some other values, such as:

• Compliance: ensures that the system follows the regulations, laws, and standards for this type of process;

• Non-repudiation: makes it impossible to deny authorship of a transaction.
• Authenticity: similar to integrity, authenticity guarantees that the source’s origin is authentic, that is, true and valid.
• Privacy: companies must take a series of precautions to ensure the privacy of users’ personal information.

How important is data security?

Fraud, exchange of confidential customer information between companies, and system downtime are some of the consequences that lack of security can bring. Hackers are ready to attack at the slightest sign of vulnerability.

For reasons like this, it’s important that companies are always prepared to protect their data assets, prevent and even repel attacks.

Below are five data security trends that you might want to implement in your company today!

1. Collect less data

The last decade of IT management has seen a shift in the way data is considered. Previously, having more data was an advantage.

Today, data is a responsibility. The threat of a data security breach can destroy your reputation and result in the loss of millions of dollars or stiff regulatory fines.

These aspects reinforce the idea that collecting any information, beyond the minimal amount of sensitive data required, is extremely dangerous.

To reduce your risks, review all data collection procedures. Document why each data point is necessary from a business perspective.

2. Two-Factor Authentication 

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to the account login process. This technology is widely used by financial institutions as it drastically reduces the risk of a stolen password being used to access confidential information within the organization.

Authentication is not a flawless method, but it is an excellent hurdle to prevent unwanted intrusion into your company’s online accounts. This authentication means that the criminal needs to discover two different passwords in order to gain access.

3. Cloud Security

The increasing demand for business applications to be on the cloud has accentuated the imperative of data security in these environments. New methods have been developed to guarantee backups as well as security.

4. Take care of the ETL process

Data that is not on your network is data that cannot be compromised. To reduce the risk of holding onto data, put systems in place that track access to information so they automatically archive information that hasn’t been accessed in years.

With the current volume of data acquisitions, it is very likely that networks of any significant size will have several dead servers still up and running. Any point of access that is not being continuously updated becomes an open invitation to hackers.