Preparing for Information Security: 5 Steps You Can Take Right Now
Is the dependence on American technology companies (too) great? NMajor Dutch banks* such as ING, Rabobank, and ABN Amro, are how they thethey can reduce. The same applies to governments. For example, the City of Amsterdam wants to** be less dependent on technology companies outside the EU by 2035 at the latest, because otherwise crucial digital services could be subject to foreign legislation or political decisions.
Want to join our organization?
That’s a question worth considering early on from an information security and risk management perspective. This blog isn’t about whom you choose to trust. Given the current topic, it’s important that you be able to take the right measures in advance, no matter what decision you make. Because no matter where you store and process your data, it must always be done as securely as possible. That’s why we want to address this practical question: what can you do yourself to lay a solid foundation for information security?
Review the policies and processes related to data usage
In this first tip, we assume that policies have been established and processes are well-known. Nevertheless, a major cyberattack recently occurred at a telecommunications organization, resulting in the theft of customer data that should have been deleted long ago. This example illustrates that information can remain stored in various systems for extended periods of time, even when it is not permitted or not intended for that purpose.
Explore the possibilities of anonymization
No matter where you store your data, you don’t want anyone looking over your shoulder—especially when it comes to privacy-sensitive data. So, have you anonymized the data wherever necessary to ensure there’s nothing to see? Consider, for example, customer information in analyses or test environments, where personal data must not be traceable. Keep in mind that you can anonymize not only text but also images.
Make sure you have the correct permissions and authorizations
It’s important that only the people who truly need access can access sensitive data. This reduces the risk of potential data breaches. Are you certain that no colleagues have access to information that isn’t intended for their eyes? Here, too, it’s important to check regularly. Moreover, this also prevents data from ending up in (decentralized) locations where it doesn’t belong.
Set up data deletion processes - data cleansing
Data you no longer need is at risk. Retaining it unnecessarily can even result in fines or invalidate important certifications, such as ISO. In how many of your information processes do you automatically purge data after a predefined date? These days, such deletion processes are easy to automate. Deletion processes do not have to involve manual steps that might be overlooked.
Centralize data whenever possible
The following makes sense: data that is scattered across multiple locations is harder to secure and control. In practice, however, this proves to be more challenging, partly because of the large number of places where data can be stored. When the same type of information is stored decentralized across multiple systems, the risk of conflicting versions—as well as unauthorized access—increases. By centralizing data as much as possible, you create a clear overview and can consistently apply security measures, access controls, and data deletion processes. Finally, it is both more cost-effective and more sustainable to store data when there is only one version of the truth.
In conclusion
Whether you choose to be “digitally autonomous,” “digitally dependent,” or a mix of the two, there are many steps you can take right now to help your customers gain even more confidence in how you handle data and information security. We’d be happy to help you get a head start. Source: NOS