Humans have come a long way since the stone age, where we discovered fire and had the bright idea of using a round object to make hauling loads easier. In all the evolutionary exploits, one thing has remained consistent, the need to protect what is important.
Fast forward to the information age, and the need to protect ring true now more than ever. We have personal information stored in almost every device that we own, from our mobile devices, personal computers and even our smart TVs which keep the kids entertained for hours on end.
The need to protect that personal information has become vital. The adoption of privacy protection acts like GDPR and POPIA have made strides in ensuring that the data we have stored is regulated concerning how it’s handled.
The acts and standards are only effective if they are adhered to, and that is made easier by tools that identify where the personal data is stored and managing who has access to that data.
In the workplace, this need, or rather imperativeness to safeguard data is paramount to the continuity of the organisation. One does not have to search very hard to notice the rise of ransomware attacks in the public sector of South Africa. The most recent in this long string of attacks being the Transnet Death Kitty attack.
It is happening… The dreaded thought of “Am I next?” or “Have I done enough?” is a justifiable worry.
Prevention is better than cure, is the old adage. I would like to add to that by saying that continual preventions are better than a cure. Security vigilance is saving paranoia.
ManageEngine DataSecurity Plus makes the process of File Data Analysis and File Audit an easier endeavour, in providing data on what is stored and shared in the organisation. Access to that data is inspected, flagged and remoted. Detection of possible file permission changes and file extension changes in real-time.
To conclude, the more things change the more they stay the same.
Author: Themba Nkosi, Business Development Manager, ITR Technology