[BreachExchange] Data Security Controls: Primary Objective

[Destry Winant]

https://securityboulevard.com/2019/05/data-security-controls-primary-objective/

Strong information security management calls for the understanding of
critical principles and concepts such as data classification, change
management/control, and protection mechanisms. Nonetheless, such
terminologies might be overwhelming at the beginning, causing most
enterprises to blindly adhere to compliance requirements without
complete knowledge of whether they secure their software, networks,
and systems. Comprehending the primary purpose of data security
measures promotes a security-first data protection approach that
enables companies to protect themselves against cybercriminals and
satisfy compliance requirements as well.

What do data security controls mean?

Data security controls not only safeguard delicate information but
also serve as a counteraction against unauthorized access. They
facilitate risk management plans by minimizing, avoiding, detecting,
or counteracting security risks to networks, software, data, and
computer systems.

Data security controls consist of technical, architectural,
administrative, and operational controls. Furthermore, such controls
can be compensatory, corrective, detective, or preventative.

Operational Security Controls

Operational security focuses on the enforcement of a particular risk
management program and the monitoring of operations. Several best
practices, in this case, include automating activities to minimize
human error, segregating duties, utilizing the principle of least
privilege necessary, limiting network access, automating operations to
reduce human error, as well as creating disaster recovery and incident
response plans.

Technical Security Controls

Technical security controls concentrate on software and hardware. They
control use and access across the network. For this case, some of the
best practices include file integrity auditing software, access
control lists (ACLs), network authentication, smartcards, and
encryption

Administrative Security Controls

Administrative security controls mostly stem from regulation or
standards and focus on everyday operations. Best practices comprise of
disaster recovery policies, business continuity policies, vendor risk
management programs, and information security procedures and policies.

Architectural Security Controls

They focus on establishing an integrated design that addresses and
documents the risks across the information technology environment
integrated into your business. Some of the best practices consist of
continuous monitoring, auditing internal controls, re-using controls
to reduce business risk, and reviewing information structures and
their interdependencies.

Preventative Controls

They are intended for preventing data loss. Controls like cloud access
management, identity management, least privilege necessary, and
two-factor authentication will enable your company to safeguard its
perimeter by identifying who has access to the data and how they
utilize it.

Detective Controls

Detective controls concentrate on checking vulnerabilities. Controls
including continuous monitoring, computer usage logs, and internal
audit allow businesses to review areas where information could be
deleted or altered. Regularly, these controls avail evidence of
potential data loss or data loss as opposed to preventing it from
happening.

Corrective Controls

Corrective controls are responsible for mitigating damage after a risk
emerges. Their focus lies on solving the problem once detective
controls show that an issue has taken place. Several examples of such
controls include enforcement of procedures and policies, documenting
processes and policies, and establishing a business continuity and
disaster recovery program.

Compensatory Controls

Also referred to as an alternative control, a compensating control is
a temporary solution to a given security weakness. These controls
allow a business to satisfy a security requirement without utilizing
the suggested or accepted control. Nonetheless, they require meeting
the rigor and intent of the initial requirement, deliver a similar
level of protection, and be the same as the risk they pose. In a
nutshell, they serve as a stop-gap for businesses looking to safeguard
their networks in the short-term but ought not to remain stagnant for
a long time.

How do you come up with an internal controls program?

The aim of internal controls, particularly data security controls, is
mitigating the risks associated with how data is deleted, changed, or
accessed. Developing a risk-based cybersecurity plan helps in
strengthening your data protection effort.

- Identify Risks
To start the process, businesses must collect, transmit, and store
information. This undertaking calls for the reviewing of all the
devices, software, networks, and systems that your company uses.
- Assess Risks
Upon identifying risks, your company must evaluate the information it
transmits, stores, and collects. Delicate information including
cardholder data (CD) or personally identifiable information (PII)
requires additional data security controls compared to publicly
existing information. Therefore, your business must review the
information alongside the software, systems, networks, and individuals
with access to it.
- Analyze Risks
After the assessment and identification processes are done, your
business or startup must combine the two parts in a bid to evaluate
the risks. For this to happen, it must multiply the potential risk
related to the location and information by the possible impact posed
by a data breach.
- Set Risk Tolerance
Risk tolerance differs from one organization to the other. After
assessing risk, your company may transfer, refuse, mitigate, or accept
the risk.
- Set Controls
After your company validates its risk tolerance, it can start setting
or reviewing the control environment. A portion of this undertaking
can be establishing the necessary authorization controls like the
least privilege necessary and multifactor authentication. It may
involve creating encryption and integrating firewalls over both data
at rest and data in transit.
- Develop an Audit Program
External audits offer a third-party review of your organization’s
cybersecurity structure. They also take into consideration external
and internal reviews, which make other entities to gain confidence in
how your company handles business data.
- Constantly Monitoring Control Effectiveness
Cybercriminals continually improve their threat techniques. What this
means is that your organization’s controls may not be adequate over
time. Hence, your company or startup must assess its cybersecurity
controls continuously.

By understanding the purpose of data security controls and how to
implement each type, a business can keep themselves and their
customers secure in a world where risks to data are constantly
evolving; ensuring the longevity and profitability of the business
long-term.