How Data Governance Policies Impact Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity protects a wide range of electronic assets, but data is the most important. When you boil it down, most cybersecurity practices and technologies center around sensitive information, whether directly or indirectly. Given that relationship, the most effective digital security aligns perfectly with concepts like data governance. As close as they may be, data governance and cybersecurity are separate practices. However, if you want to become as secure as possible, you need to implement governance policies into your cybersecurity defenses. Here’s a closer look at data governance and how it impacts cybersecurity.

What is Data Governance?

To understand how data governance affects security, you must know precisely what it is. Put simply, it’s the process of managing data across an organization to ensure it’s accurate, consistent and secure. In practice, however, it’s often more complex than a one-sentence definition.

While you’ve likely heard information is the world’s most valuable resource, poor-quality data costs businesses $12.9 million annually on average. Data governance policies outline specific processes and permissions to ensure companies avoid those losses and make the most of their information.

Data governance covers rights, responsibilities and steps for who can do what with which datasets, as well as when, where and how they can do so. That ensures the right people can use the information in the right way to capitalize on these resources fully.

Benefits of Data Governance in Cybersecurity

These in-depth, detailed policies revolve around two central pillars — discovery and categorization. To develop effective policies and practices for effective data usage, you first need to understand what data you have and how you can organize it. This is where governance and effective cybersecurity begin to overlap.

Discovery is the first step to security, as you can only reasonably protect what you understand. By employing data governance policies, you’ll uncover the full extent of your organization’s information, where it is, what it does, who can access it and more. That context paints a better picture of your risk landscape, including what needs the most protection and how best to protect your virtual assets.

Because data governance outlines specific roles and responsibilities, it also helps create a culture of cybersecurity. Once you know who should be able to access different information, you can restrict access permissions as necessary. You’ll also be able to pinpoint cases of misuse and stop insider threats, which have risen by 44% over the past two years.

It also makes it easier to spot potential inefficiencies and breaches. By improving visibility and setting in-depth standards, anything falling outside of acceptable parameters will stand out, aiding faster responses.

Integrating Data Governance Into Your Security Framework

As cybercrime grows increasingly complex and threatening, governance’s role in cybersecurity is becoming more urgent. With that in mind, here are some best practices for integrating data governance into your security posture.

Data governance can be complicated, so many organizations may need help knowing where to start. One of the best places to begin is with one of the many rising privacy regulations, such as the GDPR or CCPA. Look at applicable or widely adopted regulatory frameworks for their data governance requirements as a starting point for your policies.

As you design and implement frameworks, emphasize visibility. The more you understand your information, where it is and who can access it, the better you can protect it and create effective governance policies. You may need to use an automated discovery and mapping tool to uncover all the necessary data.

Similarly, you’ll find it easier to manage and secure your information if you consolidate it. Many businesses collect data they don’t need and 54% of organizations today use at least four different platforms to manage it. If you reduce your information and the tools that access it, you’ll minimize related vulnerabilities and make it easier to enforce governance policies.

Effective Security Starts With Governance

Data governance lays the groundwork for thorough cybersecurity. As data sprawl rises and your organization relies more on these digital resources, governance should play an increasingly central role in your security posture.

Integrating governance into your cybersecurity efforts will help you stay safe from all threats. You can then capitalize on your information without worrying about its vulnerabilities.

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Zac Amos

Zac is a cybersecurity writer and the Features Editor at ReHack, an online tech magazine. When he isn't covering new topics in phishing or ransomware, you'll probably find him reading or watching Netflix.

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