Data Security - Part 5 - Backups & Back-Ins! - Secure Sensitive & Confidential Data

TECHNOLOGY

July, 2018,Posted by: V

Data Security - Backups & Back-Ins!

This is the fifth of a series of articles on data security. This time we will discuss about data backups and how they can be as vulnerable as your systems.

BACKUPS & BACK-INS!

Everyone understands the need for good and correct regular backups and how crucial these can be for a business. However, when hosting remotely or having remote backups, the business virtually does not have any direct access to their backup data at all.
All data backups and their locations should be known as well the number of copies being retained. The backed-up data should be preferably encrypted at source and then moved off server or servers over a secure channel. The deletion of old copies should follow industry standard or government wiping algorithms. Automating these processes with proper audit logs and alerts ensures smooth and assured functioning.
Any locally stored backup copies of the data itself should be encrypted and should be on encrypted drives. The drives can be reused and when recycled, destroyed physically. The simplest thing to do is to drill several holes in the physical drives and then send to professional services to be properly “shredded” and destroyed. Ideally a government erase algorithm if executed on the data before the physical destruction ensures complete erasure with little or no possibility of recovery. Most businesses do not realize is that it is not only the current production data that is at risk, the backup data is equally in jeopardy of being stolen and misused.
If hosting remotely or having offsite backups, it’s very important and should be a mandatory practice to regularly move the remotely backed up data back to a physical location accessible the by the business. This allows the business to quickly access the data locally if any or all remote data is either lost or just the access to it is disconnected.
Do not ignore the smaller data sets that are copied or backed up for different reasons like testing, issue resolution etc. Most of the time, organizations or small businesses have no clue or records of how many copies of confidential and sensitive data have been made and are floating around all over the place. Any portion of sensitive data if misused can potentially cause grave harm to the business and it’s reputation.