Every business is an uninterrupted source of data that needs to be stored with care. The amount of information generated, whether of interest to the administration or even part of the product created, is large and deserves every respect to keep it safe.
However, doubts are expected to arise regarding the best way to develop an information security policy. After all, are we talking about taking care of equipment, controlling access, or protecting the system against failures? To clarify these issues, we will show here, in a simple way, everything you need to know about it. Check out!
The Main Factors Of Physical Data Security
First of all, it should be noted that data security is divided between physical and logical. The first, which we will deal with here, concerns the physical structure that stores the information and which strategies are applied to prevent it from being accessed by unauthorized people, either locally or in the cloud.
Logical security is ensuring the system is protected by programs blocking access to malicious software. We will talk about this issue later.
Where Is Your Equipment Stored?
Physical security must consider any access that may be given to data storage locations. The first step is to imagine a common situation in the company’s routine. What is needed to access the areas where servers and other equipment are stored? Finally, who should be authorized to access them?
This simple question can help define policies that regulate the movement of people through places with restricted access. Identification of employees using badges, for example, is a primary control measure, but it requires the presence of a security professional to allow or prevent entry to the site.
More advanced technology systems are gaining more and more space in the current market as they ensure an access policy that is more effective and easier to control. Some exciting ways to increase security are installing turnstiles, access doors controlled by password or biometrics (fingerprint), and checking access points to the building’s network.
It is worth remembering that it is essential to document each access, including the person’s name, what equipment they were carrying, date and time, etc. Outsourced employees must, whenever possible, be accompanied by someone from the company. This includes cleaning and building maintenance professionals accessing the premises periodically.
All these questions must be considered taking into account the specific profile of your company: what types of data does it store, what is the relevance of this information, what are the risks of a leak, what damage can be caused by a loss of data, etc.
Remember that the security policy must also consider possible natural disasters. While infrequent, earthquakes, floods, and fires should not be ignored. Keep your physical security system in line with the employee security policy, including the participation of brigade members and CIPA members.
Measures To Enhance Logical Security
An effective enterprise network protection system must be structured around a sound policy. To begin with, you need to keep firewalls, antivirus, and security software up to date and generate periodic reports. Remember to invest in industry-leading programs and professional versions to meet your company’s needs.
These are the basic actions that every manager should take. Below we will list additional points to which you should pay particular attention according to your company’s profile.
Registration Of Users And Passwords
Who should access your company’s system? What roles are available to each employee? How to prevent actions from being taken anonymously? Registering users and passwords for each employee is a simple way to answer these questions. In addition to preventing unauthorized access to the network, it identifies what each user does and facilitates security control.
Use Of Encryption
Certain information is sensitive and cannot be disclosed to anyone. Contracts with customers, confidential company data, and information regarding ongoing projects are some examples of this. Leakage can harm not only financially but also create legal problems for the company.
Therefore, an encryption system on computers makes information incomprehensible to unauthorized persons. The files are only readable by those authorized within your company’s strategy. It is a highly efficient way of ensuring security and is even used by banks and institutions dealing with restricted data access.
Backup System
It doesn’t take physical server damage for your data to be compromised or lost entirely. A network failure can make information unavailable and even corrupt files, causing huge losses.
Implementing a backup system allows your company to have copies of all data in a safer place, avoiding this type of headache. Remember that this system must always be disconnected from the network so that, in a possible malware or ransomware attack, it will not be affected along with the rest of the data.
Periodic Audits
Auditing security systems regularly ensure that they are up to date and offer the protection your company needs. Raise software reports, compare them, perform penetration tests, and assess whether the level of digital protection remains efficient in its functions.
Remember that every company should always have a contingency plan that describes what to do in an emergency: how to restructure IT, who is responsible for each function, what is the estimated time, etc.
Independent Systems
Just as we highlighted the importance of keeping the backup separate from the network, it is essential to be aware of the connections made. Some more delicate networks, such as the DMZ (demilitarized zone), need more attention. Also, the Wi-Fi network must be configured differently for employees, guests, or visitors.
All these actions aim to create a structure of different levels so that a breach in the security of one of them does not compromise the rest. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor network access logs constantly and verify how each user operates in the digital environment.
Also Read: Can A Good Infrastructure Avoid Information Security Problems?