The use of big data has been growing exponentially over the last five years, as more and more businesses, government departments, not-for-profits, and other organizations see the benefits of making use of large reams of information.
However, while you’re busy collecting business intelligence, keep in mind that once you have the data, you not only need to analyze and use it effectively but also secure it, too.
As the leader of an organization, you must take every possible step to stop gathered details from falling into the wrong hands or being misplaced or misused. Avoid leaks or weak spots in your big data management systems by following some key strategies today.
Build-In Security from the Start
Build-in security measures right from the get-go. It’s easier to create security procedures and architecture for your big data setup as you’re planning it than it is to reverse engineer things retroactively. As you design systems for collecting, tracking, analyzing, and incorporating data into your operations, consider ways you can limit usage and stop prying eyes from getting access to it.
Put a Formal Strategy in Place
Similarly, before you work with lots of data, put in place a formal business strategy for how you’ll handle all the information that comes in and moves around your organization. Everyone in your team needs to understand the set policies and procedures they must follow regarding how to protect data and what to do if issues arise with its security.
You want a detailed, exhaustive list for employees to read and follow, so you always stay a step ahead when it comes to keeping data safe. Ensure your policy includes details on what has to happen regarding personal devices used at home and elsewhere when handling big data. With increasing numbers of employees and contractors working from home, this is more important than ever.
You could have your workers sign a document acknowledging they’ve understood the instructions you’ve put in place. Have all new personnel do this when they join the team, too. Plus, keep this document up to date as you change procedures over time.
Utilize Security Solutions
A simple yet effective strategy to keep hackers and others with nefarious motives from accessing, damaging, deleting, or stealing your company’s big data files is to utilize comprehensive security solutions. For such sensitive and diverse reams of data, you need to invest in security intelligence tools that provide a multi-pronged approach to protection, such as the latest Tipping Point Threat Protection System. This system and others like it work to secure at the edge of and inside networks, preventing malicious attacks from getting to valuable resources.
They also give you threat intelligence, with real-time detection, enforcement, and remediation, protecting against known, unknown, and undisclosed system vulnerabilities. The best security systems use a combination of technologies to detect and prevent attacks and cover against a variety of threat types, including malware, phishing, ransomware, spyware, and viruses.
Set Limits on Data Access
Another tip is to limit who can access data in your business. Put set limits on what each person can see or work with. Big data systems should have information about which details each user can have access to and also what each recognized user can and can’t do with that data. In particular, take care with access when it comes to financial information.
Limiting user access to just some rows within a data set or for only certain types of data will also help your company satisfy security regulations and meet relevant compliance standards. Also, create separate authorizations for each person, so everyone has their own login details and can’t access business data using someone else’s authorization codes.
Focus on having proper authentication in place. Ensure that all users with access to files are who they say there are. Have at least two-step authentication, where people have to include things such as their email address and password to login. However, consider building more in-depth user profiles that cover more of a checklist when granting or denying access.
Conduct Regular Audits
It pays to conduct regular audits on your security solutions to ensure they’re keeping up with constantly evolving technologies and threats. Schedule periodic audits throughout the year so you can identify new vulnerabilities as soon as possible and re-work your compliance strategies to suit.
As a business owner, you can learn a lot from the big data that’s accessible now. However, you also have a responsibility to keep this information safe and use it responsibly. Follow the steps listed above to ensure your organization is doing the right thing now and into the future.
