What’s the most important factor for a strong security program? Data.
If there’s one thing that’s been made crystal clear during the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s that a cybersecurity program is only as good as the data that makes up its foundations. In an ever-changing cybersecurity landscape, it is critical for organizations to develop and maintain security programs that rely on complete and accurate data. Such programs not only help security leaders “connect the dots,” but allow them to make good security investment decisions and maintain business continuity. So how exactly does a security organization ensure that its data is complete and accurate? What else does such data enable? And how can a BI platform help? The backbone of a good security program is formed by two types of data. The first type is architectural data, which offers insight into the hardware and software assets that make up an organization’s IT ecosystem. The structure of architectural data is vital for creating a secure framework and producing cross-platform and interoperable server environments. The second type is contextual data, such as security logs, security events, heuristic data, behavioral data, and threat intelligence information. If collected and analyzed properly, this type of data becomes the force multiplier in enhancing an organization’s ability to successfully implement preventive and detective security measures. Furthermore, it also gives you controlling access on every level. Without architectural and contextual data, security teams must rely on the lack of adverse events—such as data exfiltration or compromise—to prove their value to the business.
