Creating a data warehouse is one of the most important steps in enabling your organization to use data for analysis and decision-making, but it’s equally important to keep it secure. In this blog, we’ll cover the best strategies for effectively securing your data warehouse before implementation and preventing data breaches.
#1. Encrypt Your Data
Organizations that store data in transactional databases are required to encrypt it. It would help if you also consider encrypting the data in your data warehouse. Experts recommend using FIP 140-2 certified software, which is a federal standard for cryptographic module security, to encrypt data. This ensures the highest level of security.
However, encryption can reduce the performance of the data warehouse. Organizations need to weigh the loss of performance against the potential cyber-attacks that may occur in some cases. However, given the resources available to cybercriminals, using encryption in the data warehouse may be the best solution.
#2. Data Classification
This is the process of organizing data. There are basically two ways to do this. The first is based on roles and restricts access to data to certain positions. The second way is based on data sensitivity and categorizes the restrictions according to the level of sensitivity of the data.
Without proper classification, it is almost impossible for organizations to manage large amounts of stored data, which poses a huge security challenge. When data is properly classified, it becomes manageable, and the appropriate level of security can be gradually applied.
Data classification is often time-consuming and may require manual intervention depending on the nature of the data. Maintaining the integrity of the algorithm-based classification process is critical. Otherwise, small errors can turn into large errors that threaten other security measures.
#3. Access Restriction
One of the most important aspects of data warehouse security is the implementation of strict access controls. Only authorized individuals should have access to personal data. You can use role-based access control (RBAC) technology to assign specific permissions based on job title and function. You can further improve security by using multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires users to prove their identity before granting access.
#4. Data Loss Prevention
Data loss is inevitable at some point. An irresponsible agent may delete an entire database for some reason, or someone may accidentally delete a table or record. It happens.
As a data warehouse administrator, you should do everything you can to prevent them. In addition to using encryption and IAM, customizable automated solutions can be used to prevent data loss.
#5. Penetration Testing and Security Audits
In order to identify vulnerabilities and potential security breaches, you should conduct regular security audits. Penetration testing is a useful tool for simulating real-world attack scenarios and identifying security vulnerabilities in your data warehouse. Regular assessments will help you avoid potential risks and be proactive.
#6. Create Documentation
Control and security requirements should be documented. Documentation should include information on data and user classification, data flows, and controls. Documentation is necessary because it ensures that all parties involved in information security management understand the structure of the security measures.
There is nothing wrong with good documentation, but bad documentation is the root of all evil. In development projects, you need to have a good documentation strategy and follow it from the beginning to avoid limiting your knowledge of the system to the words and imagination of team members. An engineer’s worst nightmare is starting a new project and rebuilding the irrational and incorrect documentation of a previous project. This is especially problematic from a safety perspective, as thorough documentation can make the difference between a calm reaction and a team panicking when a real problem occurs. In short, thorough documentation takes time, but it is well worth the effort to ensure effective data protection.
#7. Software Patches and Updates
Cybercriminals often exploit software flaws to gain unauthorized access to systems. Organizations should have procedures in place to ensure that data warehouse infrastructure is patched and updated in a timely manner. It is recommended that protocols for regular monitoring and patch management be implemented to address vulnerabilities that are discovered.
Summary
The protection of an organization’s data assets is highly dependent on the security and management of data in the data warehouse. Data integration, authorized access, and regulatory compliance are ensured through sound governance processes and a robust security plan. By applying these strategies and exploring real-world scenarios, organizations can ensure that data is handled securely in the complex world of modern data warehouses.
