Running Head: DATA MANAGEMENT
Data Management
Data Management: Data Security
Abstract
Data Security is the act of protecting data from being corrupted and accessed by unauthorized persons. Data security is purposed to ensure privacy while protecting personal or enterprise data. Information from several organizations is known to suffer from unauthorized entry and access to sensitive information; steps made to alleviate this problem have so far not been successful as the practice has been advancing with technology. This article focuses on the main objectives involved while protecting data and the scope of the problem in the present world. It also attempts to look at the varied methods employed to ensure that the data is secure from any external and internal intrusion. Finally, a brief look at all the aspects involved in data security.
Objectives and scope
The objectives of the data security policy are based on several aspects; Resource protection, this form of protection ensures that only the authorized persons are able to access the data on the system. One is therefore required to define the type of users to access the system in addition to defining the access authorization that the users should have as part of the data security policy (ABRAMS, 2006). Data security also entails the assurance that the person accessing the system. A rigid authentication protects the system against the risk of impersonation where an individual uses a false identity to have access to a system.
Data security also involves the aspect of authorization, where a person is allowed access to a system. Authorization involves the issuance of permission to access a system’s data or resources (DENNING & DENNING, 1979). Most of the authorization processes are performed depending on the type of data being accessed. Data security protects data or information from unauthorized changes or alterations; the risk of being manipulated without any authorization.
The scope of data security problem has since grown with the advancement of technology; the biggest data security breach occurred in the US Dept. of Veteran Affairs where there was theft of computer facilities that had personal identifiable information for approximately 26.5 million vets and other personnel. There have been several other cases in the past two years growing with intensity. Most of the well advanced countries now have data breach identification laws. Any form of data that is not securely stored is considered to be at risk.
Data Security Methods
There are various methods that are involved while protecting data from any risk that may accrue to it. The following approaches are involved while protecting data; the deploying of intruder protection as well as virus protection mechanisms to look out for unauthorized activity, this may involve the use of software like password-cracking and antivirus (Rohatgi, 2010). Protection may also involve minimizing the physical access to the system like hardware-sniffers and intruder access.
Most of the companies now employ the use of strong passwords that one may not easily acquire or guess. Such passwords are frequently changed to block monotony and the risk of being known. More rigid authentication and encryption of the stored data is applied on the servers that have the information; several authentications are used to block IP spoofing in the devices, the encryption hinders reading of the data.
The addresses that are used to access the information are concealed using various form of technology like firewalls, internet proxies and translation of addresses that protects against spoofing and hijacks. This practice for them to be effective and employed by everyone needs adequate training so that the users may be in a position to identify and block any attack.
Summary
Corporations and individuals ought to take several steps to protect their information from unauthorized access. For one to maintain data security one should ensure that the methods used to acquire the data are proper. Additionally, the subjects of the data ought to be notified of the measures used to protect the data, why it is done so and how to access the information.
The procedures like recording and processing the data ought to be done in a proper manner to hinder any lee way for intruders to access the information (redcar-cleveland). When it comes to storage, data should be kept as long as it needs to be and when it comes to disposing it, the best way known possible should be employed. The staff, in case of an organization ought to be accessible and familiar of how to maintain data security as required.
Conclusion
With the constant advancement of technology, there similarly arises the need to protect data with more advanced mechanisms. Cases involving data intrusion have been on the rise and every person ought to be familiar with the necessary steps to protect data while maintaining limited access to most sensitive data.
Bibliography
ABRAMS, M. (2006). Boxing and Concepts of Harm. Privacy and Data Security Journal.
DENNING, D. E., & DENNING, P. J. (1979). Data Security. West Lafayette, Indiana 47907: Computer Science Department, Purdue University.
Redcar-cleveland. (n.d.). Data Protection Overview. Retrieved August 2011, 2011, from Data Protection and information Security Officer: http://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/ppt/Dpovcse4.ppt
Rohatgi, P. (2010). A Risk Perspective. Data Security Methods.
