In response to the growing number of data breaches that take place across the globe, Governments have been rolling out their own data privacy laws, each being more stringent than the last.
As they say, it’s not a question of if, but when, a data breach will occur. As such, in order to avoid falling out of compliance and shelling out large sums of money on fines, lawsuits, and/or compensation, companies must ensure that they have the right solutions in place that will give them visibility into all security events that take place within their IT environment. However, decision-makers can feel overwhelmed by the acronyms, abbreviations, and buzzwords used to describe the various data security solutions available.
Top 10 Data Security Solutions
To make matters worse, many solutions have overlapping features, which makes it even harder to determine which solution(s) are the best choice. To help with this, below are the 10 most important data security solutions.
1. Data Discovery and Classification
A data classification software will scan your repositories (both on-premise and in-the-cloud) for documents containing sensitive data, and classify the data as it is found. Classifying data will not only make it easier to remove data that is redundant or duplicate, but will also help to assign access controls and increase visibility into where data is located, and how it is being used. Most sophisticated solutions can be configured to classify data according to the relevant compliance requirements.
2. Firewalls
A firewall will prevent unauthorized remote access to your network as well as monitor and analyze network traffic for suspicious packets. While not as relevant as they once were, firewalls still play an important role in keeping your data secure.
3. Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems (IDPS)
Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems solutions analyze network traffic (packets) for signatures that match known threats from a cyber threat database. If the solution finds a match or identifies any activity that is deemed suspicious, it will block/quarantine the traffic, and alert the administrator who will investigate the incident.
4. Anti-Virus/Anti-Phishing
AV/AP solutions will attempt to identify and block malicious inbound emails. An anti-virus solution will scan messages for known viruses, whereas an anti-phishing solution will look for messages that appear to be impersonating a trusted entity. Some advanced solutions can also detect and block suspicious outbound messages, such as attachments that contain sensitive data.
5. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
A Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution provides real-time monitoring and analysis of the security event logs generated by applications, devices, networks, infrastructure, and systems. SIEM solutions are quite advanced compared to other data security solutions, however, they are not cheap, nor are they particularly easy to install or maintain. Likewise, Security Information and Event Management solutions tend to generate a lot of noise. As such, you will need an experienced member of staff to sift through the alerts, disregarding any false positives.
6. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
The purpose of a Data Loss Prevention solution is to prevent sensitive data from leaving the corporate network. Data Loss Prevention solutions use business rules to identify and block suspicious outbound traffic, such as when an email containing sensitive data is sent to a non-company-owned email address. In which case, an alert will be sent to the administrator who will investigate the incident to determine its relevance.
7. Data encryption
There are various data encryption solutions available. Some will request a password each time you try to access data stored on an encrypted drive or partition. Some will encrypt specific files and folders, and some will provide a dedicated folder where you can place the files you want to be encrypted. Some solutions will require a master password to access any files on a given device.
8. Data-Centric Audit and Protection (DCAP)
Data-Centric Audit and Protection solutions are similar to SIEM solutions, only they are more lightweight and generally easier to use. Unlike SIEM, a Data-Centric Audit & Protection solution focuses on the data itself and keeps track of how users interact with the data.
A sophisticated Data-Centric Audit and Protection solution will aggregate event data from multiple sources (both on-premise and cloud-based), and display a summary of relevant events via an intuitive console. You can also receive real-time alerts to your inbox or mobile device.
Most Data-Centric Audit and Protection solutions use machine learning algorithms to detect anomalies, alert on events that match a pre-defined threshold condition, remind users when their password is about to expire, and more. They also provide data classification tools out-of-the-box.
9. Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Multi-factor authentication is where users are required to provide an additional means of verification in order to login. This might include a passcode sent to your mobile device, a hardware dongle, or some form of biometric information, such as a fingerprint scan.
10. Mobile Device Management (MDM)
Mobile Device Management software, also known as Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM), helps companies monitor, manage and secure the mobile devices, tablets, and laptops that connect to their network. Mobile Device Management enables companies to apply security policies across all devices that have access to sensitive data, which includes deciding which apps can be installed. MDM solutions can also locate devices that have been misplaced, and some can remotely delete sensitive data from a device that has been lost or stolen and cannot be retrieved.
In addition to the solutions listed above, there are other technologies that are worth looking into, such as web vulnerability scanners, which crawl through the pages of an application looking for security vulnerabilities, and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which enable users to remotely and securely access their company’s network from a shared or public network.
A Strategic Approach to Choosing the Right Data Security Solution
Before opting for data security solutions in your organization, based on your choice you should understand the utility of each of them. Here’s a strategic breakdown to help you make an informed decision:
| Solution | Best For | Strength | Challenges to Consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Discovery and Classification | Any organization which has a lot of data that is spread out in many places must know what they have to be able to meet compliance standards. | Seeing where your sensitive data is located will help to guide your data protection efforts into the places that matter most. | Data discovery and classification is notoriously difficult to get right. Solutions are often slow, consuming a lot of resources, and are liable to false positives. |
| Firewalls | Companies of any scale that need to protect the perimeter of their spaces and manage traffic on their networks. | It mainly offers basic network security and prepares itself to be the first fortress guarding against outside attacks. | Perimeter security is no longer as relevant today as it used to be. Attack paths more frequently avoid the perimeter in favor of targeted attacks on user accounts. |
| Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems (IDPS) | Companies that need active threat identification and immediate action implemented without human interaction. | Pre-emptive threat identification and fast reaction to incidents that might threaten the security of a given network. | May provide a large number of alerts causing alert flooding; requires frequent recalibration to minimize false alarms. |
| Anti-Virus/Anti-Phishing | Any organization that requires protection from transmission of malware and social engineering tricks. | Offers basic defense against the already identified viruses and the attempts made to defraud you through the Internet. | Must be updated many times; is ineffective against new threats and advanced attacks. |
| Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) | Business organizations that have centralized security monitoring and compliance reporting policies. | Coordinated monitoring and analysis of events that have taken place on several systems. | Difficult to execute and apply; needs professional staff for successful functioning; may be costly |
| Data Loss Prevention (DLP) | Enterprise that needs to manage and process data which its handling is closely regulated by laws and industry standards | Protects data leakage via several means such as mobile devices, removable media, emails and web browsing. | Can affect productivity if they are stringently set; policy configuration must therefore be done well. |
| Data Encryption | Companies that require security for data storage as well as for information exchange in the organization. | Gives very good security for the data and is effective even if other means of security fail. | Increased complexity of key management; the risk of performance depreciation; and the need for recovery procedures. |
| Data-Centric Audit and Protection (DCAP) | Business entities that need records of users accessing and using data within the firm. | A data-centric approach to security focuses on what matters most and can often be the best use of your resources. | Most data-centric solutions are complex, slow and require dedicated teams to get the most from. |
| Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) | Businesses and companies that want to fortify beyond the simple password system for authentication. | Cuts down the danger of illegitimate access even if passwords have been stolen by a third party. | Implementation issues with user resistance; potential lockout situations; and handling of the hardware tokens if applied. |
| Mobile Device Management (MDM) | Companies with large and active bring your own device or mobile personnel. | Properly controls access to corporate data by employees using mobile devices. | Risk of data leakage with personal devices; acceptability among users; compatibility with operating systems. |
How Lepide Helps
The Lepide Data Security Platform allows a company to implement strict data protection, governance, and threat response from a single unified console. Lepide simplifies data security by focusing on what matters most; your privileged users and your sensitive data. By combining identity and data security into a single platform, Lepide eliminates the need for multiple solutions. Using Lepide, customers can reduce their attack surface by identifying and remediating misconfigurations and risky states, including over-permissioned users, inactive users, and data open to all users through open shares. Customers can also implement real time threat detection and response through automated workflows and threat models.
Lepide Data Security Platform also comes with integrated data discovery and classification capabilities to add the crucial context needed to its reporting and alerting, so that you can focus on what matters most and produce detailed, compliance-ready reports. If you’d like to see how the Lepide Data Security Platform can protect your most critical assets, schedule a demo with one of our engineers.
FAQs
What is a data security solution?
Data security solutions are an umbrella term under which a series of techniques, measures, tools, and systems are specifically tailored to prevent the loss or leakage of information.
Why is data security important?
Data protection remains paramount when it comes to maintaining the security of sensitive data and avoiding hefty compliance fines.
What are the key features of a good data security solution?
Key features include data encryption, access control, real-time monitoring, audit trails, and compliance support.
How can small businesses afford data security solutions?
There are a lot of vendors that have attractive offers designed with SMEs in mind, both affordable and flexible in terms of scale. Also, orienting to specific requirements is effective in identifying the right solution without over expenditure.
Can Lepide help with compliance?
Yes, Lepide provides detailed audit reports to help businesses meet regulatory requirements like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.