The cyber landscape has become an ideal environment for malicious actors who want to ramp up their cyberattacks. This is why data protection has to be a constant priority for all organizations. When developing or reassessing their data security strategy, organizations should consider the following trends and developments in data protection and what can be done to create a more effective data strategy.
ZERO TRUST IS BECOMING A PRIME FOCUS IN DATA SECURITY
As organizations have been actively researching Zero Trust, the adoption rates for the security approach have steadily risen, from 24 percent in 2019 and 35 percent in 2020 to 46 percent in 2021. One of the main reasons organizations have been gravitating to Zero Trust infrastructures is that they have realized that the implicit trust of the elements within a network that is a feature of many traditional security models is a cybersecurity risk.
The manner in which organizations now have to handle their data is another contributing factor. Data is being stored not only within an organization, but also—and sometimes in a greater degree—on the cloud, in services and platforms that are both on and off premises. This requires users (employees and partners) to access the data through applications using a wide range of devices at any number of locations. The networks this creates have such a high degree of complexity that conventional security models cannot provide adequate protection. Data security models based on Zero Trust principles and the technologies that are used to apply them are more applicable and effective than traditional data security approaches to securing the complex networks.
MORE INDUSTRIES ARE EMBRACING ENCRYPTION
Encryption has become a critical part of data protection because it renders encrypted data useless to malicious actors, and more organizations have taken note. According to one 2021 report on encryption trends, the use of encryption is increasing across all industries, with the exception of the service and communications. The most significant increases in encryption usage are taking place in hospitality, manufacturing and consumer products.
For the industries whose encryption usage is lagging behind the other industries, they may soon be compelled to adopt the technology as data security regulations become even more stringent. For example, according to the Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity, one of the requirements for organizations that provide services or products to federal agencies is the deployment of encryption for data at rest and in transit.
Data protection strategies should factor in the use of encryption technology that can secure critical data and provide scalability without compromising performance. And with the developments occurring in the quantum computing sector, it is also necessary that the encryption technology is quantum-safe as well as extensible and crypto-agile.
THE IMPACT OF MOBILE DEVICES IN THE REMOTE TRANSFORMATION
The rapid increase in the adoption of remote access has spurred a corresponding rise in the incidences of ransomware, malware and phishing attacks. To help facilitate remote access, technologies like IoT are being used, steadily contributing to the already wide proliferation of BOYD or bring-your-own-device mobile devices needed to access data. This “remote transformation” is a data security problem because the devices are rife with security risks that cannot be mitigated using the typical policies and requirements for ensuring company-owned devices receive necessary updates and patches. The devices are attack vectors that malicious actors can leverage to gain access to an organization’s network.
As noted in a NIST draft guidance regarding BOYD policies, some of the cyber risks of such deployments include the use of outdated devices, sensitive data transmissions, credential theft through phishing and malicious applications. When examining their data protection strategies, one of the security capabilities organizations should prioritize is the use of encrypted communication channels between mobile devices and other endpoints.
THIRD-PARTY RISK MANAGEMENT IS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
The involvement of third parties in the development, production and dissemination of services and products is a matter of routine. However, their involvement typically require access to and the use of an organization’s data, something that has proved to be a significant cybersecurity risk to organizations.
According to a 2021 report, 51 percent of organizations are not evaluating the privacy and security practices of third parties before allowing them access to sensitive and private data. So it is not surprising that 74 percent of organizations that have experienced a breach stated that it was the result of providing too much privileged access to third parties.
Data protection strategies have to address the issue of securing data against cyberattacks that target an organization’s partners and suppliers.
XSOC CORP SOLUTIONS ARE CRITICAL TO DATA PROTECTION
Having the right data protection strategy is means using the right technology and expertise. XSOC CORP provides quantum-safe cryptographic and encryption solutions, including the XSOC Cryptosystem, SOCKET, WAN-SOCKET and EBP. Our technology was created on the core principles of Zero Trust architecture and is an essential element in data security. We also offer a number of cybersecurity consulting services that can help you create the data protection infrastructure your organization requires. Let’s discuss how XSOC CORP solutions can make your data safer.
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