How do you secure your IT data throughout its lifecycle?

1 Data creation

Data creation is the first stage of the data lifecycle, where data is generated or collected from various sources, such as user input, sensors, applications, or external systems. At this stage, you should ensure that the data is accurate, complete, and consistent, and that it meets the quality standards and requirements of your organization. You should also apply appropriate encryption, hashing, or masking techniques to protect sensitive or confidential data from unauthorized access or exposure. For example, you can use AES encryption to encrypt data at rest or in transit, SHA-256 hashing to verify data integrity, or pseudonymization to mask personal data.

2 Data storage

Data storage is the stage where data is stored in various formats and locations, such as databases, files, cloud services, or backup devices. At this stage, you should ensure that the data is accessible, retrievable, and recoverable, and that it complies with the retention and disposal policies of your organization. You should also implement strong access control mechanisms, such as passwords, biometrics, or multi-factor authentication, to restrict data access to authorized users or roles. Additionally, you should monitor and audit data storage activities, such as data access, modification, or deletion, and report any suspicious or anomalous behavior.

3 Data processing

Data processing is the stage where data is transformed, analyzed, or manipulated for various purposes, such as reporting, decision making, or business intelligence. At this stage, you should ensure that the data is accurate, reliable, and relevant, and that it supports the objectives and goals of your organization. You should also protect the data from unauthorized or malicious changes, such as tampering, corruption, or injection. For example, you can use digital signatures to authenticate data sources, checksums to detect data errors, or input validation to prevent SQL injection attacks.

4 Data transmission

Data transmission is the stage where data is transferred or shared between different systems, networks, or parties, such as applications, servers, or customers. At this stage, you should ensure that the data is secure, timely, and consistent, and that it meets the expectations and agreements of the data recipients. You should also encrypt the data and use secure protocols, such as HTTPS, SSL, or TLS, to prevent data interception, eavesdropping, or modification. Furthermore, you should follow the principle of data minimization, which means that you should only transmit the data that is necessary and relevant for the intended purpose.

5 Data usage

Data usage is the stage where data is consumed or utilized by various users, processes, or applications, such as employees, customers, or analytics tools. At this stage, you should ensure that the data is useful, meaningful, and valuable, and that it contributes to the outcomes and benefits of your organization. You should also respect the data rights, preferences, and consent of the data owners or subjects, and follow the ethical and legal standards and regulations of your industry or domain. For example, you should comply with the GDPR or CCPA if you handle personal data of EU or California residents.

6 Data deletion

Data deletion is the final stage of the data lifecycle, where data is removed or erased from the storage devices or systems, either manually or automatically. At this stage, you should ensure that the data is deleted securely, permanently, and completely, and that it does not leave any traces or residues that can be recovered or exploited. You should also verify that the data is no longer needed, relevant, or valuable, and that it does not violate any retention or preservation obligations or rules. For example, you can use secure deletion tools, such as shred or wipe, to overwrite the data multiple times, or physical destruction methods, such as shredding or incinerating, to destroy the storage media.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?