Data collection and correlation can be a challenging undertaking. What metadata should you extract? What tools and technologies do you have in place to collect and report on your data? How do you organize and categorize the data? Where do you start grouping data into collections? To keep things simple, here’s the rundown.
Sensitive Unstructured Data Doesn't Care Where It Lives
And neither do the hackers or insider threats trying to find and exploit it. When it comes to securing data, organizations often focus on big network-attached devices, file servers, or document management systems such as SharePoint. However, they tend to ignore desktops, laptops, print servers, or even critical Windows application servers. Your most sensitive, critical data can live on all these devices, and you can be assured that cybercriminals are not ignoring them either.
Scan Every Hard Drive
Regardless of location, device type, or size, every hard drive should be scanned, analyzed, and, if necessary, remediated. You cannot assume that a specific device will not contain data that could pose a threat if stolen or exposed. For instance, even though application servers may have little storage, they can still hold a single Excel file or PDF with thousands of customer social security numbers. Similarly, the total disk space of all your desktops combined could account for ten times the storage capacity of your data centers. Collect data from all your unstructured data platforms to ensure comprehensive security.
Logically Organize Your Data
Once you know what data you have, you need to find a way to organize it. Data governance tools are essential for this task, helping you collect and analyze relevant data from various sources. Your initial set of reports should provide a high-level overview of the in-scope data set. With these reports, you can organize your data into meaningful collections, assign ownership, and categorize the data to align with how your organization manages it, such as by region or department.
Integrate to Correlate
Another crucial aspect of data collection is ingesting and normalizing data from disparate systems. This requires tools that can integrate with various third-party connectors, such as CMDBs, HR systems, and pulling contextual data from DLP and SIEM platforms. Integration capabilities enhance the value of your existing software solutions by providing increased visibility into the information needed to decrease risk and manage resources effectively.
Looking Forward
If you’re not finding all the sensitive data in your environment and protecting it, you can be sure that cybercriminals will find it and exploit it. Implementing a comprehensive data collection and correlation strategy is crucial for securing your organization’s data and mitigating risks.
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