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Securing Your Company’s Data Assets Depends on Both Tech and Humans

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Read more about author Gaurav Belani.

It is obvious how essential data security has become in the face of sophisticated cyber attacks. Companies need to continue to improve their processes and systems to protect sensitive information.

While advanced cybersecurity technologies help massively, they can’t do it alone. Ensuring all-around safety requires the humans in the loop to work in tandem with machines.

Both technology and humans have their unique strengths and weaknesses. Software can automate defenses and enable teams to respond swiftly to breaches but fail to protect against oversights and eliminate insider threats. Similarly, trained employees are the most effective at recognizing phishing attempts and flagging suspicious activities, but they lack the agility and consistency of machines.

In this blog post, let’s look at how companies can incorporate cutting-edge technological safeguards while optimizing the human factors to bolster their data security.

Technological Safeguards

Technological safeguards in companies refer to tools and systems that protect the sensitive data of the organization and its stakeholders. Here are three key tech-based digital security measures.

1. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), as the name signifies, requires each user and device to continuously verify itself to have access to organizational data.

This framework treats each interaction as a potential threat until proven otherwise. Whether it is a mobile device owned by the organization or a legacy team member, they will have to provide verification each time they log in.

It strengthens the company-wide data by ensuring that users and devices get access to resources or controls that they genuinely need. ZTNA also minimizes exposure to cyberattacks and insider threats. Moreover, it can be easily implemented in any kind of work setting, including distributed teams working remotely.

Keep in mind that it needs to be incorporated with the right solutions. Employees should find it seamless to verify their identity to retain productivity.

2. Updates and Patches

The software and systems used by teams should continuously improve in terms of data security. Updates address improvements such as bug fixes and new features that ensure you have the latest technology.

Patches are enhancements that close security loopholes, aiming to address security flaws before they become entry points for data breaches. Teams need to monitor vendor-released updates, automate patch deployments, and prioritize critical fixes. Continuous vigilance is essential to keep all technology up to the mark.

Furthermore, companies need to conduct audits of all the software and systems used periodically. This can be crucial for being proactive in identifying and addressing security issues.

Sometimes these updates and patches are more than deploying a piece of code into your existing digital infrastructure. It could also mean replacing older devices, adopting more compliant tools, and modifying existing software integrations.

The right course forward can be determined collaboratively by teams through audits and reviews.

3. Advanced Security Technologies

Apart from ZTNA and timely updates, teams should implement other security measures such as encryption, permission management, and real-time threat detection.

Moreover, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies can bolster cyber defenses further. These technologies can analyze vast datasets to recognize anomalies that are indicative of potential breaches.

ML continuously adapts to ensure its efficacy in the face of rapidly evolving threats.

Additional security technologies include biometrics, virtual private networks (VPNs), and single sign-on (SSO) solutions.

Human Factors

Human factors refer to the people and their workflows in the organization that utilize the aforementioned technologies while performing their daily tasks.

There are three ways companies can strengthen the human factors to complement their existing safe digital infrastructure.

1. Employee Vigilance as a Human Firewall

Oversights and mistakes are natural. Teams handling complex and time-sensitive tasks on a regular basis can occasionally make errors which, unknowingly, can expose the organizational data. Hence, companies must help their employees learn the best practices and follow them.

The training modules can also educate human resources to identify threats such as phishing attempts, create strong passwords, and avoid risky behavior online.

This collective effort to empower your employees to provide an additional layer of defense can transform your team into a human firewall. A well-trained workforce can proactively recognize threats, report them, and follow protocols to reduce vulnerabilities.

Companies can build strong human firewalls by providing support resources in a knowledge base, simulation exercises, live sessions, and interactive workshops.

2. Incident Response Preparedness

No security measures are perfect. Even for teams that use the best security software and get adequate training, incidents can still occur. Having a well-defined action plan to tackle these incidents quickly and restore normalcy.

An incident response plan, typically, is a playbook that details roles, responsibilities, and step-by-step actions during breaches. These can be practiced through regular tabletop exercises and simulations.

Moreover, these drills can help employees remain calm during the event of an actual breach and improve team coordination. They also reveal areas of improvement for these playbooks.

Another crucial part of remaining prepared for potential cybersecurity mishaps is maintaining an up-to-date contact list for key stakeholders. Whether it is IT teams or legal advisors, they need to know how to report issues correctly and quickly.

3. Collaborative Security Efforts

As teams are becoming more and more cross-functional and agile, data security has become a shared responsibility. It is crucial for companies to align team efforts with security practices to make it a reality.

For example, IT and HR departments can work together to secure employee onboarding processes. Similarly, marketing and sales professionals can ensure that customer data remains protected.

Additionally, organizations should cultivate an open and honest culture where employees can come forward freely to report issues and provide suggestions to bolster data safety.

This might be the most essential component of the equation, as everything else depends on how well teams work with each other and the alignment between safety protocols and company goals.

Integrating Technology and Human Safeguards

While technology provides robust tools to prevent and detect threats, human vigilance remains indispensable. Integrating these two aspects creates a cohesive defense system that defends against modern security threats.

Organizations can achieve this by embedding security awareness into day-to-day operations. For instance, regular communication about potential threats, recognition of employees who identify risks, and gamified training sessions can encourage participation and accountability.

Evolving security strategies is equally important. Cyber threats are constantly changing, and both human and technological safeguards must stay ahead. Regular audits, system upgrades, and training sessions ensure that organizations remain prepared. Leveraging AI-driven tools while educating employees creates an adaptable, resilient system.

Finally, it’s crucial to understand that achieving data security through the integration of technology and best practices is a continuous process. Aim to fix one problem at a time or bring one improvement at a time.

This will help you gauge whether your approach is working and also give time to the employees to adjust to the changes in tech stack and operational procedures.

Wrapping Up

Securing company data assets requires a balanced approach, leveraging both advanced technology and human vigilance. 

Technology provides essential tools like ZTNA, regular updates, encryption, and AI-driven threat detection. Meanwhile, employees act as a human firewall, identifying and mitigating security threats through training, awareness, and collaboration.

Going forward, you can start by assessing your current cybersecurity framework and find the areas for upgrades. Then, collaborate with stakeholders to approach them sequentially based on priority and impact.