One doesn’t have to look hard to realize the increasing importance of data center security. With one glance at news reports, you will find the ever-growing number of data breach cases across the globe–compromising the information not just of ordinary individuals, but even huge organizations.
Data Breaches: Growing in Numbers
In August 2016, Yahoo! uncovered a 2014 security data breach that has affected nearly 500 million accounts. Later in the year, another hack was revealed compromising over 3 billion accounts. This number has made the case the largest cyber attack in history.
In the US, data breaches have reached the highest figures to date in 2017. In that year alone, the number of data breaches has reached 1,579 with about 179 million records compromised with business sectors accounting for nearly 91.3 percent of the figure.
Throughout the years, the increasing reliance on digital data has diverted attention to data breaches. As a result, more organizations are turning to data centers that can provide them security solutions to effectively protect their data.
If you want to feel comfortable with outsourcing, you should know the levels of security they can provide you. This security is generally identified by 3 distinct layers:
- Physical Security
Every data center should have physical security at the outermost layer. Although it is often the most neglected form of security, it actually must share the same level of importance as the other layers. It should also include multiple defense levels such as:
- Gated facility
- Security guards
- Surveillance cameras
- Badge access to data centers
- Keycard or biometric admittance to rooms from BiometricCentral.com
Security Policy
If you consider outsourcing your network operations, you should consider the ones that have an established security policy. This document should state how the third party service provider plans to secure your data assets.
- Network Security
After you have your physical security in place, securing your network should come next. There are several factors that add to the security of your network. These should include:
Access Control – Limiting the number of users who have access to your network helps prevent potential data breaches. You can enforce security policies by giving them only limited access and control.
Antimalware Software – When installing an anti-malware program, opt for one that has the ability to scan malware upon entry, track infected files, eliminate malware and fix the damage.
Application Security – The applications that you use to run your business may be vulnerable to hackers. Counter these possible attacks with a security that covers your hardware, software and processes as well.
Data loss prevention – A DLP put up a barrier that prevents users from uploading, forwarding and printing sensitive information in an unsafe manner.
Firewalls – A firewall is another barrier that uses a set of defined rules to keep your trusted internal network from malicious networks. It can be hardware, software or both.
VPN – a virtual private network (VPN) is designed to protect the data you receive or send over the Internet. It also allows you to browse the web anonymously and bypass restrictions as well.
- Systems Security
The last line of defense, a system security is designed to secure sensitive data and implement security measures across various devices and systems. It works by protecting information from theft, corruption and any other damage, while keeping it available to those who have access to it. This layer should include the employment of security countermeasures such as data encryption and passwords.
Encryption – an encryption is one way to keep files safe when being transferred over the Internet. It works by using an encryption key to make the message unreadable and a secret decryption key to decipher the message.
It is important to note that all these play a crucial role in your data security. Talk to your data center partner today to know how capable they are to protect your business.
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Author Bio:
Darrell Smith is a data/cybersecurity news junkie. He spends most of his time surfing the web for the latest data and network operations center trends. He also shares his recent findings through his articles and other blog posts.
