7 Tips for Creating a Robust Data Security Strategy

It’s no surprise that data security strategies have skyrocketed up the priority list for organizations of all sizes in recent years.

Cyberattacks have become seriously advanced, costing companies millions to resolve on top of the reputational damage that comes with losing client data.

Luckily, there is a lot you can do about it— as long as you’re willing to do the work.

At Bitrix24, we take a great interest in our data security and that of our clients. From our experience and what we’ve observed over diverse markets, we’ve collated a list of top tips for creating a robust data security strategy.

These cybersecurity tips will cover the latest technology, techniques, and company culture that combine to provide secure data management. From simple-to-implement best practices to radical changes in how you approach data protection strategies, you’ll put yourself in the best position to avoid potentially destructive cyberattacks.

1. Strengthen access controls with multi-factor authentication (MFA)

If you’re not already using multi-factor authentication, it’s about time you started. All reputable data security strategies use MFA to add an additional layer to your network security by requiring two or more verification steps before granting access.

As a consumer, you’ve probably seen MFA in use by the top email platforms for some time now, as well as many VPN and cloud storage services. However, it is becoming an increasingly commonplace data security strategy among all companies as cyberattacks increase in frequency.

The most basic example is via a smartphone —once you try to log in via your desktop, you’ll receive a code to a verified number that you need to enter to unlock the account. In practice, this means that if anybody has ahold of your password, they still can’t access your account unless they have another trusted device.

As part of a cybersecurity plan, you often need to use a third-party application to act as the second factor in your authentication. However, with Bitrix24’s one-time password (OTP) app, you can authenticate access without the hassle of connecting different tools.

2. Safeguard information with data encryption

Data encryption is one of the first data security strategies that comes to mind when considering secure IT practices. Essentially, it converts your important documents from a readable, plaintext format into an unreadable, encoded format.

If hackers manage to bypass your MFA and access the data, it will be completely worthless to them. As the data owner, you are in possession of a decryption key that turns your data back into its original format for when you need to access it.

Most of the best data encryption services will secure your data both at rest and in transit. This means it is codified both when it is sitting on your server and when you’re transferring it. Wherever your data is intercepted along this pipeline, it will remain encrypted until an authorized user accesses it.

Data encryption puts you in compliance with leading data security standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA. These standards are a seal of approval for your company, both for the workers and potential customers whose data you store.

Customer relationship management systems (CRMs) are the first port of call for data encryption, and the best platforms are compliant with standards such as SAS 70 Type II, which also includes access to the physical storage media.

3. Build a culture of security with continuous education and training

One of the biggest threats to information security isn’t related to the ring of protection you put around your data, it’s the humans that access it. Phishing attacks are the main culprit — emails, text messages, or phone calls that target individuals in a company and try to steal sensitive information like usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, or bank account information.

MFA and data encryption provide no protection when a team member voluntarily hands over information. Therefore, you need to go hard on educating staff on how to recognize and mitigate threats.

But how do you test their knowledge?

Part of the best data security strategies involves simulating phishing attacks within your own company. Use a burner email account to send a fake request for information and monitor the responses you get. This is not an opportunity to berate an individual for failing the test — they’ll already feel bad about it. Instead, the case is a learning opportunity that you can use as an example in your training without revealing the name of the employee.

As hacking efforts evolve, so do data security strategies, meaning you need to keep your finger on the pulse and update the team about the latest threats.

4. Proactively manage vulnerabilities and security updates

When your software is running an update, it’s not just to ruin your morning flow. These updates make sure your systems are up-to-date with the latest security patches. It is exceedingly difficult to predict how hackers will attack next, and as developers become aware of loopholes, they’ll run updates to stop their clients from being hit.

This doesn’t have to be a manual job. There are plenty of data privacy tools that will automatically scan your systems to identify weak points and manage your vulnerabilities. In their reports, they’ll single out the highest-risk issues so you can prioritize your response and mitigate threats before they are exposed.

However, it’s not enough to simply apply these data security strategies to your own systems. Many breaches occur when companies entrust their information to third parties who may not have the same stringent data breach prevention measures in place.

Although it may not directly be your fault that your client's data is missing, failure to run due diligence on third parties is still likely to ruin your reputation. To avoid this, communicate with your collaborators and request proof of secure IT practices before you hand over any sensitive information.

5. Minimize risks with a least-privilege policy

Another of the not-so-technical data security strategies lies in the committed use of access controls. The principle of least privilege essentially restricts each individual’s access to only the data, resources, and apps they need for a given task.

Let’s take HR departments as an example. Human resources handle sensitive personal data about their employees on a daily basis, which the marketing and sales teams have no practical use for. By limiting access to only those responsible for the data, you reduce the possibility that the data will be released, whether by accident or intentionally. Similarly, the closed circle of privileged people is aware that fingers will point at them in case of a breach, so they are more motivated to take their responsibility seriously.

The best data storage drives give you the possibility to tighten up security by restricting access to either individual documents or entire folders. As a case in point, your product team could effectively hide a document announcing new updates from the rest of your team to stop leaks. However, HR’s entire folder full of salaries, contracts, and next-of-kins should be out of reach for anybody without the express authorization to access it.

Of course, it’s easy to lose track of who has access to what, especially when you lose some employees and onboard others. Therefore, you need to schedule periodic reviews of access permissions in a strategic way to avoid information security oversights.

6. Enhance data breach identification with advanced detection and response tools

In addition to your scheduled vulnerability scans, a range of real-time monitoring tools have appeared in response to an ever-increasing rate of cyber attacks on companies. Security information and event management (SIEM) software acts like a radar, keeping a watchful eyeon your systems to detect threats and spot gaps in your compliance and security.

Many of these systems use data protection strategies that go beyond simple detection. When configured to do so, they’ll automatically alert your security team and take action to mitigate attacks. This prevents the need for your team to be on the clock 24/7 while still offering excellent protection.

Furthermore, you can now integrate machine learning into the mix to learn from past attacks and improve your cybersecurity plan going forward. Spotting patterns and trends, machine learning integration can predict how and when threats will happen and update its responses accordingly.

Past data and artificial intelligence will then help you draw up reliable incident response plans. In these documents, you should pinpoint responsible people and their roles to help limit the extent of an attack and professionally communicate the incident to your stakeholders.

7. Test your security with regular audits and penetration testing

Although we wish it wasn’t the case, data security strategies are an ongoing mission, not a one-and-done project. Data breach prevention is always one step behind hackers, so you need to audit your approach regularly to maintain secure data management.

Security experts make a living from analyzing your architecture and pointing out flaws. If you’re big enough to have an in-house team, that’s great. However, most small businesses will hire external teams to check their defenses.

Penetration testing is one of the best approaches to testing your network security. The idea is that friendly security teams take on the role of a seasoned hacker and probe your vulnerabilities. This could be through simple phishing efforts, as we mentioned earlier. However, experts can go deeper, attacking your servers to expose weaknesses.

At the end of every audit, it’s important to keep a record of what you attempted and what vulnerabilities were exposed. All of this data will then inform the latest updates to your data privacy policy and strategies so you can stay one step ahead of bad actors.

In addition, industry compliance standards are in a constant state of flux which means you’ll need to keep an eye on the latest requirements to stay up to date. Set alerts for changes in Systems and Organization Controls (SOC) and other security criteria to repel as many future threats as possible.

Bitrix24: An all-in-one business platform with data privacy at its core

With all of these cybersecurity tips at hand, you might be wondering about the next step: How to implement effective data security strategies in your business.

Bitrix24 was designed with security in mind and helps companies from all over the world to get on with their business without the constant fear of hacking or data loss. With project management, document management, CRM, HR, marketing, and customer service tools all under one roof, you don’t have to worry about data breaches coming from third parties or integrations with them.

As part of our security efforts, Bitrix24 offers seven layers of protection:

• Secure data hosting on HIPAA and GDPR-compliant servers

• Multi-factor authentication to keep your data safe even if your password is stolen

• SSL encryption to protect data during transfer with SSL connections

• Proactive protection including a web application firewall

• Office security with keycard access and video monitoring

• 24/7 availability via redundant data centers for constant uptime

• Daily backups to keep reserve copies of your data for recovery

So if you want to implement data security strategies and avoid sleepless nights, sign up for Bitrix24 today.

FAQs

What are the essential elements of a data security strategy?

Essential elements of a data security strategy include:

• Multi-factor authentication

• Data encryption

• Continuous employee training

• Regular vulnerability management

• Least-privilege policies

• Advanced detection tools

• Regular audits and penetration testing

How can businesses protect sensitive data?

Businesses can protect sensitive data by implementing robust encryption methods to secure data both in transit and at rest, ensuring only authorized individuals have access. They should enforce strong access controls and authentication measures, regularly updating security policies and conducting employee training to mitigate human error. Additionally, businesses must maintain an up-to-date incident response plan to quickly address any breaches or security incidents.

What are the common challenges in implementing a data security strategy?

Common challenges in implementing a data security strategy can present several challenges, including:

• Resource Constraints: Limited budgets and staffing can make it difficult to implement and maintain comprehensive security measures.

• Complexity of IT Environments: Diverse and complex IT environments, including legacy systems, cloud services, and mobile devices, can complicate data security efforts.

• Evolving Threat Landscape: The rapid evolution of cyber threats requires constant vigilance and adaptation of security strategies.

• Employee Awareness and Behavior: Ensuring that all employees understand and adhere to security policies can be challenging, particularly in large organizations.

• Balancing Security and Usability: Implementing strong security measures without compromising the usability and efficiency of systems can be difficult.

• Data Privacy Regulations: Navigating and complying with various data privacy regulations across different jurisdictions can be complex and time-consuming.

• Third-Party Risks: Managing security risks associated with third-party vendors and partners can be challenging, especially when their security practices are beyond the organization's control.

• Incident Response and Recovery: Developing and maintaining effective incident response and recovery plans can be resource-intensive and require regular testing and updates.