Almost 50% of business applications are prone to sensitive data exposure, according to Dark Reading. Without reliable data management and security policies in place, businesses risk putting the data they store, or that is going through their applications falling into the hands of cybercriminals. As you prioritize on real-time cybersecurity, you should be aware that a single layer of data security will not suffice in the fight to protect your valuable information. Cybercriminals use multiple ways to gain access to protected data.
How do you stay one step ahead of any data security risks? Using a multi-layered security strategy is the solution. Here’s how you can optimize different security layers to prevent app data exposure:
Understanding the Risks of Going Unprotected
A recent global data risk report suggests that most companies have unprotected data and unreliable cybersecurity practices in place, making them highly vulnerable to data loss. Without a sufficient layer of data protection, hackers can easily breach your application firewalls, hijack your servers, gain access to customer information and deny you access control over your applications. Hackers can also gain access to user devices like laptops, PCs, mobile phones, tablets and other smart devices that hold personal data, putting your customer-business relations at risk. Such situations can easily cripple your business, damage your reputation and land you in trouble with compliance regulators.
Web Application Firewalls and Access Control
Your web application firewalls form the first layer of data security. They set the rules that anyone interacting with your website should follow. A firewall simply spots security threats and blocks them before they cause any harm. They play a critical role in helping prevent cyber criminals from modifying your data or even gaining administrative control over your web applications. If you’re a small business that can’t afford investing in enterprise-level firewalls, investing in next-generation cloud-based firewalls is recommended. Having a strong firewall is not the end of your data security protection. Attackers can still access your data through today’s biggest data loss risk factor – the actual users in your network.
This is where access control comes in as a second layer of protection. To ensure full-proof data security, you need to define who has access to data stored in both cloud-based and external data storage devices like memory cards, what they can do with it and from where they can access it: either from the cloud or company devices. With strong access control measures in place, you can detect illegal access entry points and block them early.
Bot Protection and Login Protection
One in seventeen devices are used to conduct bad bot attacks on websites. Without proper bot protection, your app data is vulnerable to malicious attacks. While there are some good bots like those from Google that help you rank higher in search engines, it’s important to invest in a set of bot protection tools as an additional layer of protection, so you can identify which bots are good and bad.
The last part of your multi-layered approach to app data security is login protection. It’s unfortunate that despite the cybersecurity threats that we face today, many people, including employees, are still using weak passwords to access devices, systems, networks and data centers. That’s why you should train them on the best password practices. Ensure that you also enhance your login policies and employ strategies like multi-factor authentication when accessing any sensitive data.
Your app data will only remain safe if you use a multi-layered security strategy, while also staying up-to-date with all the potential threats that your business could face. While implementing different data management and security measures may not guarantee 100% security, at least, they help mitigate risks. Apply these data security policies to safeguard your data.
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