Why Data Security is Important for Big Data-Driven Businesses

Importance of data security and data security tools for safeguarding big data-driven businesses.

The way businesses operate and compete is continuously changing because of digital transformation. There is an increase in the volume of data that companies are creating, controlling, collecting, and storing, therefore entails a greater need for data security and governance. Additionally, computing technologies are rising and becoming more critical than they were before giving birth to numerous edge devices like IoT sensors, remote servers, robots, and big data.

Big data is the center of digitized scenarios and to manage and control big data, data security is significant. Because of the increasing number of cyber-attacks that are taking place mainly in the age of advanced digital technology, data security has gained more importance mainly for critical industries dealing with big data. If big data of an industry is attacked then it will result in the shutdown of the whole business system.

Zhou Hongyi, founder and chairman of 360 Security Group, says "data breach and data leaking are something which is more serious than that of cyber attacks and that data security concerns national security".

In the age of digital transformation, big data will be the center of all types of businesses. Data security law that was enacted in June has shown how people have realized the importance of data security and cybersecurity.

With the advent of IoT, everything has become connected and the whole business process is driven by big data. This means the whole cybersecurity environment has become more vulnerable because of digitization.

Seeing this Zhou Hongyi calls for developing an integrated cybersecurity defense system at the national level, industrial level, and regional level when facing new cybersecurity challenges.

Wu Hequan, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said more efforts are needed to strengthen data security and protect the privacy and interests of users.

According to a cybersecurity report released by the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team and Coordination Centre of China, more than 42 million malware attacks were identified in China in 2020. The number of malware attacks from the United States counted for 53.1 percent of the total foreign attacks, and 7.2 percent of the foreign attacks were from India, said the report.

Data security tools and technologies should focus on the growing challenges inherent in securing today's complex, distributed, hybrid, and multi-cloud computing environments. These include understanding where data resides, keeping track of who has access to it, and blocking high-risk activities and potentially dangerous file movements. Comprehensive data protection solutions that allow enterprises to embrace a centralized approach to monitoring can simplify the task.

Following are the data security tools that can prevent big data-driven businesses

Data Discovery and Classification Tools

Sensitive information can inhabit structured and unstructured data repositories including databases, data warehouses, big data platforms, and cloud environments. Data discovery and classification solutions automate the process of determining sensitive information, as well as evaluating and remediating vulnerabilities.

Monitoring Data and File Activity

File activity monitoring tools analyze data usage patterns that allow security teams to see who is acquiring data, spot abnormalities, and determine risks. Dynamic blocking and alerting can also be executed for abnormal activity patterns.

Risk Analysis Tools

This solution makes the process effortless in identifying and alleviating vulnerabilities such as out-of-date software, misconfigurations, or weak passwords, and can also detect data sources at considerable risk of exposure.

Automated Compliance Reporting

Comprehensive data protection solutions with automated reporting capabilities offer a centralized repository for enterprise-wide compliance audit trails.