4 Ways to Ensure Data Access Compliance
Proving you’re compliant when it comes to Data Access Governance and Management can often lead to a mad rush before the auditors arrive, ensuring you have all the necessary paperwork and that data permissions have been updated.
It doesn’t have to be this way though. Here’s our 4-step process to ensure your data access is compliant:
1. Implement Access Controls
There are a variety of access controls that help to keep data access current, under control and secure. Good access controls manage who has access to what, when, how and why. They also act as another line of defence for potential data breaches. Access controls include:
- Employing unique usernames and passwords for every login
- Restricting and revoking access that is not appropriate or no longer required
- Implementing attribute-based access controls for all users
- Multi-factor authentication
2. Implement Audit Controls
For the majority of audits, an organisation needs to be able to prove ‘who is accessing what, when were they accessing it and why were they accessing it’. In case of an audit or breach, this is the first piece of information a regulator will ask for. Bet rather than produce the evidence reactively, it’s far more secure and manageable for a business to have live visibility at any time. Real-time visibility not only ensures ongoing compliant but it can also prevent the majority of data breaches, insider threats, out of control permissions or human error.
3. Treat external sharing with the same vigilance
Many data breaches occur due to external sharing. Multiple suppliers, partners and associates create additional opportunities for data breaches, whether they be intentional or accidental. Applying the same measures and control to external data sharing that you do to internal sharing could prevent a breach.
4. Automate your Access Controls
The above 3 points can effectively be superseded by introducing a automated platform, such as Torsion, that managed the entire compliance process for you. Not only does Torsion automatically manage permissions using Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC), it prevents and revokes data access that is no longer appropriate or required. And when it comes to audit controls, real-time reports and evidence can be accessed at any time so there’s no need for last-minute panics when the auditor announces they are coming. External access is also managed through the same platform, immediately highlighting any suspicious access to data owners.
By automating Data Access Control, compliance just becomes part of the woodwork. Imagine how much time and stress you would save. It also prevents human error, which is, unfortunately, a common cause of data breaches.
For more information or advice on Data Access Controls or automation email info@torsionis.com.