Protecting your sensitive business data should be a top priority. However, crafting an effective security plan from scratch can overwhelm even the most seasoned administrators. Where do you even start? This article will guide you through 8 clear steps to build a tailored data and IT security system for your organization.
First Phase: Getting Ready to Create Your Data Security Strategy
The beginning phase of creating your data security policies begins before you’ve even considered any data protection tools.
Step 1: Understand Your Unique Risk Landscape
The first step to building a data security strategy is to get a clear picture of potential threats. Conduct a thorough vulnerability assessment of your entire network infrastructure and devices to uncover any weaknesses that attackers may look to exploit.
Are there sensitive client records, confidential financial reports, important intellectual property, or other proprietary business information that cybercriminals might consider valuable?
Taking the time to understand these critical aspects now will help you most accurately define risk priorities and allocate security resources where they are needed most going forward. Knowing your audiences and assets is the first step toward constructing an adaptive defense tailored exclusively to your organization’s requirements.
Second Phase: Putting Your Data Security Strategy In Place
The second phase of a data security policy is the implementation of the tools and techniques you identified that were needed in the first phase.
Step 2: Shore Up Data Security With Strict User Access Policies
Clarifying who can access what types of data within your business is a critical component of any data security program. Be sure to create well-defined and clearly communicated policies that outline the appropriate and authorized usage of company-owned systems and resources in simple and easy-to-understand language.
Always require using strong, complex passwords for all employee accounts — and change them every now and then. Also, look to enable multi-factor authentication options wherever it’s practical, reasonable, and supported. This is especially important for any employees who might be working from home, accessing company systems while traveling, or using personal devices to perform work-related tasks.
Step 3: Secure Your Network Perimeter
With internal access protocols now better governed, it’s time to bolster your outer security shell. Install robust commercial-grade firewall appliances to track and filter inbound and outbound traffic according to configuration rules. Also, it’s advisable to implement network segmentation where it makes sense.
This involves separating systems handling highly confidential operations, transactional processing, and general users based on sensitivity and need-to-know access levels. Also, keep internet-facing applications separate from internal operations wherever possible.
Additionally, make routine reviews of network equipment configurations part of your standard schedule to ensure all devices have received the latest firmware and software security updates from vendors. Finally, consider establishing an encrypted virtual private network (VPN) for authorized remote users.
Step 4: Enhance Data Security With Encryption
While enforcing stringent access controls and fortifying your perimeter is undoubtedly important in a data security strategy, it’s equally crucial to protect your most sensitive organizational data at the source.
And the way to do that is by implementing robust data encryption schemes at the whole disk, file, folder or even individual file column level as classification warrants. Encryption will render any stolen or compromising data entirely unintelligible and useless, even if a bad actor was somehow able to extract the information from your servers or endpoints.
This additional layer of built-in resilience is invaluable against both outsider and insider threats. If needed, partner with an expert encryption firm that can help in establishing an industry-compliant, enterprise-wide solution suited for your unique operating systems, use cases and long-term data protection strategy requirements.
Step 5: Apply Least Privilege Principles
Least privilege principles, also known as “Zero Trust Strategies,” mean only granting users and systems the exact permissions required for their roles – nothing more. Review administrator accounts and ensure appropriate separation of duties.
Additionally, remember to audit network services and protocols to disable or remove anything unnecessary, such as unneeded ports, protocols, and default or guest accounts that expand your attack surface. With proper implementation of least-privilege concepts, you’ll cut whole classes of risk that over-permissioned systems create.
Third Phase: After Your Security Strategy Is Implemented
Building a data security strategy doesn’t end once you’ve implemented it because it will need to be updated and refined as long as you have data that needs protecting.
Step 6: Prepare for the Worst
No matter how robust your data security solutions are, security incidents are inevitable. So, you need to have advanced backup and recovery strategies in place. Develop incident response guidelines outlining communication protocols, disaster recovery procedures, and contingency strategies based on a variety of attack scenarios.
Create and routinely test backups and have an alternate site prepared for relocating IT operations if needed. Additionally, cyber insurance should be considered to hedge against unexpected costs or data liability claims post-breach. With forethought, your business will be more resilient and able to withstand the consequences of a cyberattack.
Step 7: Monitor for Signs of Trouble
Once your data security strategies are solidified, it’s important to constantly check your systems for signs of intrusion. So, integrate appropriate security monitoring solutions integrated into your network infrastructure. Learn to spot the warning signs of malicious activity inside your systems so you can address the issues as quickly as possible.
Develop good metrics and dashboards to track efficacy over time. Security controls are only effective if threats can be noticed before severe damage occurs. Continuous monitoring completes the security lifecycle.
Step 8: Evolve Your Strategy Regularly
New risks and attack techniques are constantly emerging while your business needs are ever-changing. Review your policy effectiveness periodically by conducting fresh vulnerability assessments or simulated “penetration tests” against production environments. Improve your data security strategy based on what you learn.
Technology alone doesn’t suffice – your data security plan must evolve intelligently based on emerging realities. By refining your strategy dynamically, you’ll stay one step ahead of more sophisticated threats down the road.
Get Your Data Security Strategy in Place Today
Never lose sight that security is a journey, not a destination. The more multi-layered your perimeter is, the harder attackers will have to work to overcome your data security. Although each recommendation requires dedicated work, following these steps establishes a solid foundation for ongoing protection.
Should you need assistance implementing tactical controls for your Tulsa business, the experts at JD Young are here to help. Together, you’ll establish the holistic security program your business needs to thrive with confidence in the digital era. The rewards of safeguarding sensitive assets are simply too great to delay getting started.