DEFENDING DATA

DATA, SIMPLY PUT, IS BECOMING THE MOST VALUABLE, YET MOST VULNERABLE ASSET FOR ANY ORGANISATION. SAM EMMANUEL, BUSINESS UNIT MANAGER, GULF IT, SHARES INSIGHTS INTO THE EVOLUTION OF DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY STRATEGIES.

- SAM EMMANUEL

Sam Emmanuel, Gulf IT

What are the most common missteps organisations take when it comes to data privacy?

Data privacy is a multi-facetted approach that organisations need to take to protect their data in corporate environments. A majority of today’s enterprises lack awareness towards this because traditionally they are used to looking at data security as a solution rather than an approach. The primary reason behind this is the change in the way data is being accessed across various data stores. Many organisations are adopting new methods to keep up with growing business needs, many of these procedures are dictated by the transformation in their approach to security as well. They need to understand that unless we keep up with the trends, we will always be catching up with the bad guys. Data security is not a one-off configuration but a constantly evolving strategy.

How can they implement strong data protection measures without sacrificing productivity in the workplace?

The success of any security strategy requires the involvement of all stakeholders within the organisation. Implementing data security in complex customer environments requires an active communication channel and we ensure that our customers understand this to ensure that they yield maximum returns. Implementing workshops around data security will go a long way in helping business and technical stakeholders to understand the critical pain points and in ensuring productivity is not hampered in the process.