You're juggling data security and efficiency in Information Systems. How can you strike the right balance?

Risk assessment are just not tick in the box or tool to make leadership happy. Its a tool which helps you priortize, what you should do and when. Timing is key!

Risk Assessment is a key component of an organization Risk Management program, being implemented on multiple layers: Data/Privacy, 3rd parties, Technology, Architecture - just to name a few. Specifically on Data, an organization has to develop and maintain an Information Classification Policy, which categorizes the data based on its sensitivity, and Risk Assessment Process outputs will depend on that. Is your data either categorized either Confidential or Restricted? Then the security controls you need to have in place are much stronger (such as MFA, E@R, etc.) than those when dealing only with Public data type for example. So each initiative needs to be risk assessed from Data/Privacy perspective and controls be tailored accordingly.

Let’s explore how to achieve this: Key Considerations Risk Assessment: Identify critical assets and potential threats. Prioritize security measures based on risk levels. This helps focus resources on areas with the highest impact. Hardware Acceleration: Utilize specialized hardware like GPUs or FPGAs for encryption/decryption. Cloud-Based Security Services: Leverage cloud-native security solutions for scalability and efficiency. Data Compression: Reduce storage and transmission times without compromising security. Process Refinement: Streamlined Security Procedures: Optimize security processes to minimize bottlenecks. Automation: Automate repetitive tasks like vulnerability scanning or patch management.

Balancing data security and efficiency requires a strategic approach. Assess critical data and prioritize risk, implement layered security measures, and automate where possible to maintain efficiency. Regularly monitor performance, adapt strategies as needed, and foster a security-conscious culture. Continuously review and refine policies to ensure they align with both security needs and operational goals.

You don't strike the balance all by yourself. You help the business to define the knife's edge that they're going to ride remembering that it's the board that accepts risk. In budgets best applied to remove, mitigate, and accept risks as we try to win in this global competitive marketplace. Odds still favor the bold and those who know their controls and the effectiveness of their preventions. We don't always get the outcomes we think are best, but it is key that we effectively communicate the business decision to players, framed in terms that they understand, and the potential penalties for falling short besides loss of business.

A multi-layered security backend service — firewalls, encryption, IDS, SIEM and DLP solutions must be deployed. Once in place, any new service can leverage it, based on a set of configuration standards, resulting in low usage experience impact. Robust IAM solutions and Identity Standards are a must. Added layers of security (MFA, biometric, etc.) should be considered in line with the data sensitivity, ensuring the user experience is as less impacted as possible. Sensitive data needs encryption. With a top-tier E@R tool, an equally reputable KMS is a must. Once such backbone layer of data encryption is built, plugging in new services won’t hinder the application usage. Top TDE solutions are typically having only 2 to 3% performance overhead.

Access control is crucial for balancing security and efficiency. Implement role-based access control to ensure users have access only to the data they need for their job functions. This approach tightens security by limiting exposure and streamlines workflows by reducing irrelevant data, ultimately enhancing protection and efficiency.

Leverage advanced technologies like AI and lightweight encryption to reduce performance impact. Implement continuous monitoring, train employees, limit access, and conduct regular audits.

One thing I have found helpful, test security measures to ensure they don't hinder efficiency, and encourage collaboration between IT and security teams to achieve a unified goal of secure, efficient systems.