How To Protect Data Using Data Life Cycle

A data lifecycle is difficult to pin downwardly. Depending on your industry or profession, what makes up a data lifecycle can vary widely. For case, Harvard Business School claims there are eight data life cycle stages. Only some count but vii stages, and some but five. When it comes to cybersecurity, a more physical, not to mention secure, and comprehensive approach is necessary to ensure data security.

I of Many Ways to Better Data Security

Before we go further, it'south worth noting that having 100% security in all areas happens about as oftentimes as a blue moon, finding the Holy Grail, or a politician that delivers on campaign promises. Cybersecurity pros know this. So, you focus on reducing take chances as much as possible with the tools you take.

So, how tin knowing your information lifecycle aid better your data security in 2022?

Focus on Threat Management

Back in 2017, The Economist claimed that data is more valuable than oil. Yet, despite its inherent value, companies big and modest mismanage it, or struggle to discover means to protect it. There'south no need to expand on Large Tech'southward many transgressions in this area. Not that they're the only violators. I common thread through the many data breaches and hacks this past yr: the lack of a focus on threat management. But to effectively manage threats, it's cardinal to identify and prepare for the risks unique to your data lifecycle.

Let'south first with a mostly accepted lifecycle.

Identify & Secure the Stages of Your Data Lifecycle

Broadly speaking, most cybersecurity experts ascertain five stages in a usable data lifecycle. These are: creation, storage, usage, archiving and finally, destruction. Each phase has its ain considerations, only ensuring data integrity is a common focus throughout all stages. If you cannot track, access or audit (yes, I know information technology's a dingy discussion) information at every stage of the process, then you have failed. If you tin, then congratulations, you accept a robust data management strategy that fifty-fifty Large Tech fails to match.

Now what happens if you add permission direction (defining who can access specific data to prevent malicious insider attacks) into the mix? Is your data lifecycle still robust across all stages? How near Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)? Does it accept an bear on? How do you lot protect company data outside of corporate-owned machines?

Let's interruption down each lifecycle step a little more in an endeavour to aid futurity brainstorming on your process:

Data Creation

Data is created in many ways, whether by transmission entry, acquired from third parties or captured from devices such as sensors or other connected devices. It goes far beyond traditional file creation. In a product environment, information is created in a database during functional testing, for example. Website forms collect data. And VoIP solutions also create information.

Consider where all your data comes from, whether from audio, video, or documents. Is information technology structured or unstructured? Is it on multiple devices? In an due east-discovery situation, for example, even social media or vehicle data are possible targets nether disclosure. All information, including any generated by a connected device or deject service, requires protection (with permission management/admission command where possible) as soon as information technology's created, but to be safe.

Data Storage

It seems obvious, merely no matter what storage method you use (tape drives, SSD or NAS), securing that storage is a must. Backups prevent data loss, and you lot'll want to ensure your information restoration process works earlier relying on information technology. It's alsoo helpful to regularly verify backup integrity.

Almost jurisdictions hold companies responsible for protecting their information from accidental loss. Blaming hardware failures, or fifty-fifty natural disasters similar flooding, is not an excuse – an offsite solution is a requirement. Most security pros recommend at to the lowest degree 3 backups, with 1 or more offsite.

Information Usage

Data usage includes viewing, processing, modifying and saving processes. This includes big data (making certain to anonymize data where necessary for data privacy compliance). Now, creating anonymous information does not finish at removing a person'south proper noun, address and phone number. It includes any combination of data entries that tin specifically identify a person. The fact that Citizen X is a music teacher from Nashville, drives a Camaro and is addicted of pan pipe renditions of "A boy named Sue" tin be enough to pinpoint a real identity.

Another consideration is data collaboration, or data sharing, for all methods used. Given the myriad of means we share data (email, VoIP, cloud storage and many more than), this is a hurting indicate for many companies, peculiarly when trying to prevent insider threats.

Data Archiving

About organizations use archives to store older and seldom-used data. They are secure but available for use on need. Again, regardless of storage method, backups a must and access control procedures employ.

Data Destruction

A key chemical element of the data lifecycle. When data is destroyed will depend on jurisdiction and governing legislation. For example, some jurisdictions require companies to continue accounting data for 5 years. Due to software licensing restrictions (software licenses do not transfer to new owners in nearly cases) and a broad variety of available information recovery software solutions, companies do not donate their computers anymore. They tin repurpose older hardware by using information technology every bit a print server, or NAS, or more typically arrange secure disposal of hard drives via degaussing or incineration. Professional data recovery can recover burn down or water damaged drives, and then this is a safer approach and protects company data when decommissioning hardware.

Master Your Data Lifecycle to Improve Data Security

If nada else, this general overview of a data lifecycle should assistance yous appreciate the complication and information sprawl caused by our reliance on technology. Everything we connect to creates information. To ensure time to come compliance with industry standards, governing information privacy regulations and/or protection against litigation, the fourth dimension for companies to main data lifecycle management is at present.

No 2 companies have identical processes, since your data lifecycle will complement operational processes for your unique situation. Just understanding your information lifecycle, and all of its complexities, is key to maximizing your cybersecurity efforts. Past identifying all potential risks, and reducing them, you lot tin can increase your data security. Is the attempt involved worth it? Most would say yes.