At the Intersection of Data Protection and Zero Trust

In today’s business landscape, data is the lifeblood of operations. Everything a business does is described in data, from users and clients to services and products. Even the physical locations of warehouses, manufacturing plants, retail stores, and equipment is represented as data.

With so much riding on it, the mission to protect this data has become increasingly challenging due an often-hostile online environment, pushing technology and security teams to adopt a zero-trust approach. This means assuming all traffic, regardless of type, location, or origin, is untrustworthy. In a world where assumptions about user identity or location can no longer be made, protecting data without halting business operations is crucial.

The Challenge of Zero Trust in a High-Pace Business Environment

Operating with a zero trust mindset involves making real-time decisions about the safety of data access requests. This approach is not a single tool or product but a comprehensive strategy that continuously verifies the integrity of every interaction. The fundamental question is: How do we help ensure that the right data is accessed by the right person at the right time? This question must be asked and answered repeatedly to maintain security without disrupting business operations.

Data as the Ultimate Target

Data is a valuable commodity, and cybercriminals will go to great lengths to get their hands on as much of it as they can. 

Whether it’s an accidental release by an employee or a targeted attack by a malicious actor, data loss can damage a company’s reputation and halt its operations. Traditional security measures, which focused on securing physical locations like offices and networks, are no longer sufficient. Modern businesses operate from various locations, making it essential to inspect each data access request in depth and surround it with robust policies and procedures.

Adapting to a Changing Perimeter

In the cloud-driven world, the technology perimeter has evolved. The focus has shifted from securing pathways to inspecting individual requests for data access. Today’s defenses are built on understanding the user, their recent activities, and the context of their request. This approach forms a new wall of security, helping to ensure that data access is both permissible and reasonable.

Creating a Unified Security Solution

To protect data effectively, a platform approach with comprehensive insights into data loss prevention, insider risk management, and data protection labeling is necessary. This approach enables organizations to answer point-in-time access requests with precision. Labels categorize data into critical, important, confidential, and general information, while data loss prevention controls enforce encryption and other protections. Insider risk management uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to monitor for data exfiltration, often integrating with business context from systems like human resources information systems (HRIS). Retention policies proactively reduce risk by eliminating old, sensitive information.

Building a Foundation of Policies and Procedures

A unified security solution is built on well-documented, shared, and taught policies and procedures. Regular training ensures that end users understand these policies, creating a robust defense mechanism. Interconnected tools and layers of defense enhance the zero-trust framework, making it more difficult for attackers to penetrate and steal data, thus allowing businesses to operate securely.

Assessing Your Zero Trust Adoption

Understanding your organization’s current status in adopting zero trust is crucial. Focusing controls on data and user identity helps create the context needed for quick, risk-informed decisions. BDO, with its security expertise , assists organizations in identifying their position on the zero-trust path and provides cost-effective actions to help minimize data risks.