Do Security Pros Need a Single Unifying Platform?

Karen A. Frenkel Avatar

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Do Security Pros Need a Single Unifying Platform?

Do Security Pros Need a Single Unifying Platform?Do Security Pros Need a Single Unifying Platform?

Despite companies making heavy investments in data security tools, security pros face challenges protecting data, and they want a unified data security platform.

Budgets Don't Guarantee Data ProtectionBudgets Don’t Guarantee Data Protection

93% of organizations face technical challenges in protecting data, even when they’ve invested in security tools. They struggle to keep up with evolving cyber-threats, encrypt data, deal with disparate products that don’t communicate, and control data access.

Budgets Don't Guarantee a Mature StrategyBudgets Don’t Guarantee a Mature Strategy

76% of the data security professionals surveyed believe their organization has a mature or very mature data security strategy, but they base that opinion on the amount of money spent on security.

Data Privacy Is Still a Top ConcernData Privacy Is Still a Top Concern

Almost 80% of data security decision-makers are concerned or very concerned about the privacy of customer and employee data.

Organizational ChallengesOrganizational Challenges

90% of respondents said organizational challenges impede them from securing data effectively. At the top of the list are the inability to keep up with regulations and insufficient budgets.

Failure to Encrypt and Audit DataFailure to Encrypt and Audit Data

Most companies struggle to encrypt data, audit it for abuse, enforce a strict least-privilege model, classify it and understand where it’s located.

Classifying Sensitive DataClassifying Sensitive Data

40% of the data security professionals surveyed classify their firm’s customer data based on its sensitivity, and 41% do the same for employee data.

Few Audit Customer Data UseFew Audit Customer Data Use

Only 36% of the respondents audit all use of customer data and analyze it for abuse. 40% enforce a strict least-privilege model for employee data.

Locating Corporate Data in the CloudLocating Corporate Data in the Cloud

Only 34% of the data security professionals know where their corporate data in the cloud is located.

Lack of Protection for Third-Party DataLack of Protection for Third-Party Data

Just 28% of the organizations in the survey encrypt, tokenize or mask third-party data, and only 27% do so for unstructured data.

A Push for Unifying Disparate Data SecurityA Push for Unifying Disparate Data Security

90% of the respondents are interested or very interested in unifying data security products into one platform.

RecommendationsRecommendations

The study provides four key recommendations:
Expand what you mean by sensitive data.
Know where sensitive data is, how it’s classified, whether you control access, and whether it is encrypted, tokenized or masked.
Identify gaps and create plans for data security capabilities.
Rethink how to justify and measure the value of your investment in data security.

Karen A. Frenkel Avatar