85% of business data is unstructured, and this data volume doubles every 90 days. Since unstructured data comprises the vast majority of digital business assets, ensuring that access is controlled and governed by a "need-to-know" basis is imperative. A key part of this process is recognizing security issues with your permissions and tracking ownership to reduce risk, remediate security issues, and implement necessary controls.
Here are the typical entitlement issues that pose high risks to your business:
Non-Standard Access
Non-standard access includes non-admin groups with full control, users directly permissioned, and users with full control. This type of access breaks best practices, leading to potential security vulnerabilities. Non-standard access is often overlooked, yet it opens the door to significant risks.
Open Access
Open access is a major security issue where everyone in the company has access to data. Common groups that lead to open access include "Everyone," "Authenticated Users," and "Domain Users." Additionally, Active Directory (AD) groups with the Domain Users group as a member are also considered open access groups. Open access permissions significantly increase the risk of unauthorized data exposure.
Excessive Access
Excessive access refers to the number of folders that exceed a configurable threshold of users with access. This issue often results from a lack of proper access controls and can lead to data breaches or other security incidents.
Conducting Regular Entitlement Reviews
To mitigate these risks, it's essential to conduct regular entitlement reviews across all accounts with permissions (not just specific groups). This comprehensive review helps you understand the full scope of your risk profile. By discovering entitlement issues, you can take proactive steps to mitigate potential breaches or security vulnerabilities.
Steps to Address Entitlement Issues
- Identify Non-Standard Access: Regularly audit permissions to identify and rectify non-standard access configurations. Ensure that all permissions adhere to best practices.
- Eliminate Open Access: Review and remove open access permissions to restrict data access to only those who need it.
- Manage Excessive Access: Implement access controls to limit the number of users with permissions to sensitive data. Regularly review and adjust these controls as needed.
- Track Ownership: Assign data ownership to specific individuals or teams to ensure accountability and proper management of data access.
- Automate Governance: Utilize automation tools to streamline the management of permissions and access controls. Automated tools can help maintain compliance and reduce the risk of human error.
- Regular Training: Provide regular training to your team on the importance of data security and best practices for managing permissions and access.
Looking Ahead
Entitlement issues can pose significant risks to your business if left unaddressed. By identifying and rectifying non-standard access, eliminating open access, and managing excessive access, you can significantly reduce your risk profile. Regular entitlement reviews and the use of automated governance tools are crucial for maintaining robust security measures and protecting your unstructured data.
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