Security software for data protection protects digital data from the risk of unauthorized access, theft or manipulation. It includes multiple tools and technologies, including encryption monitoring, logging, and data loss prevention. It also includes procedures, policies, and tools for dealing with data breaches or hacks.
Cybercriminals are only one of the numerous threats to security of data. Human error remains the primary reason for breaches. This is the reason why tools for protecting data contain tools that can detect the possibility of errors, such as placing sensitive files on shared drives or opening wrong email attachments.
Another crucial aspect of data security is limiting physical access to storage devices, servers and other equipment. Physical measures can include as simple as requiring employees sign in prior to entering the building. They should also include the labeling and security of equipment to ensure only authorized personnel are able to access it. This is especially important when it comes to cloud-based data centers where the physical space is completely out of your hands.
Data security solutions are able to protect information in transit and at rest by encrypting the information so that only people with the correct keys can read it. This is often a supplement tool to firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and networks-based authentication systems.
Another aspect of data security is user behavior analytics, which establishes guidelines for normal behavior and identifies irregularities that could suggest unauthorized access to sensitive information. This is commonly found in systems that monitor the performance of relational databases, data warehouses, and big data solutions.