Whether across File Shares, SharePoint, or Public Folders, most firms lack visibility of their unstructured data environments, regardless of their business size or vertical. Being in the dark about your unstructured data leads to a host of strategic and tactical issues — from the inability to prioritize risk based on the exposure of sensitive data to potential audit points due to inadequate access controls. Without visibility, you cannot implement effective automation or governance workflows for ongoing management needs.
The silver lining is that assessing file shares in your unstructured environment will provide the necessary visibility into the risks associated with your data. Here are six key questions you must answer at this point:
1. What Data Exists Within the File Shares?
Identify where the data is and in what format(s). Understand current classifications of Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
2. How is the Data Structured?
Determine the structure and where permissions should be managed. This helps in understanding how to organize and secure the data.
3. Who Has Access to This Data?
Know your permissions and identify any instances of open access, excessive access, non-standard, and inappropriate access.
4. Where is Access Non-Secure or Non-Standard?
Locate and detail folders with security issues based on risk appetite and priority. This is critical for mitigating potential security threats.
5. Is the Data Stale or Active?
Classify data to inform programmatic archival or deletion of stale, inactive data. This helps in managing storage efficiently and reducing risk.
6. Who Owns the Data?
Understand ownership, which will help you develop a permissions model to support security and compliance objectives. Reporting on compliance with relevant policies is also essential.
Conclusion
The assessment phase, encapsulated in these six questions, is only step one. It lays the foundation and defines workstreams for your unique data governance project across File Shares, SharePoint, Public Folders, and any other platforms you use to store unstructured data.
How many of these key questions are you able to answer about your data?
Ready to enhance your data governance strategy?
Discover how SPHERE can help you gain visibility and control over your unstructured data.
