Protecting sensitive data is crucial for individuals, businesses, and organizations. Data breaches can lead to severe consequences, including financial losses, damaged reputation, and legal repercussions. To mitigate these risks, having strong prevention methods is essential. Below are some of the common sensitive data exposure prevention methods.
1. Encryption
Encryption is a common form of data security. In encryption, data is rendered into an unreadable format that can only be accessed by authorized people. There are two broad categories of encryption techniques, namely symmetric and asymmetric encryption. In symmetric encryption, a single key is used to both encrypt and decrypt data. This is suitable for efficiently securing large volumes of data. In asymmetric encryption, a pair of keys (public and private) are used for encryption and decryption.
2. Access Control
Access control is another form of data security where access to data can be restricted by defining a set of policies. There are different types of access control mechanisms, including discretionary access control (DAC), role-based access control (RBAC), mandatory access control (MAC), and attribute-based access control (ABAC). DAC allows resource owners to determine access rights, while MAC enforces strict policies set by a central authority. RBAC assigns permissions based on roles within an organization. ABAC grants access based on attributes such as user roles, resource types, etc.
3. Data Masking and Anonymization
Data masking and anonymization are other common methods of securing sensitive data.
Data Masking
Data masking is the process of hiding original data with modified content. For example, credit card information can be masked, as shown below.
- Credit card number: 1234 5678 0987 9023
- Masked card number: 1234 **** **** 9023
Different types of data masking include substitution, shuffling, and tokenization. Substitution is the process of hiding data by replacing sensitive data with fictitious values, while shuffling is the process of randomly reordering data records.
Data Anonymization
In data anonymization, some parts of the original content will be altered with random numbers. Below is an example.
- Phone number: 555-123-4567
- Modified with data anonymization: 555-000-0001
There are different data anonymization methods, including generalization (replacing specific data with broader categories), suppression (removing certain data fields entirely), and perturbation (adding noise or randomizing data points)
4. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Data loss prevention (DLP) is another common method of preventing sensitive data exposure. It refers to implementing policies and strategies to ensure unauthorized users do not lose, misuse, or access sensitive data. DLP strategies monitor all data flows and ensure data breaches do not occur. DLP can be achieved by data classification, encryption, and configuring the right DLP policies to fit the organization.
5. Employee Training and Awareness
To prevent sensitive data from being exposed, it is crucial to have proper employee training and awareness. This can be achieved by having regular training sessions on data security policies and standards and conducting security awareness campaigns. Furthermore, it is essential to conduct frequent social engineering campaigns like phishing simulations where fake emails can be sent to a large number of people in an attempt to trick them into disclosing their company credentials. It is also essential to have proper incident reporting mechanisms, compliance training, and visitor protocols.
6. Regular Security Assessments and Audits
Regular security assessments and audits will help identify vulnerabilities, ensure compliance with security policies and regulations, and enhance overall security posture. There are several types of security assessments of audits. They are vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, compliance audits, risk assessments, and security posture assessments. Companies must prepare for these assessments and audits. A separate team and a schedule should be prepared for these audits. All security-related documents should be updated regularly to facilitate these audits. Furthermore, follow-up and remediation actions need to be taken after the audit. It is essential to promptly address identified vulnerabilities and weaknesses and implement recommended security measures and controls.
By properly integrating the above methods, organizations can significantly mitigate the risks associated with sensitive data exposure, ensuring a strong security posture that aligns with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.