Many organizations want to leverage encryption in their environments. This usually starts off with encrypting data and devices that physically leave the organization. External USB drives with encryption or internal drive encryption on laptops using BitLocker for example. We have all heard stories of secret government documentation being left behind on the train or a laptop with employee information being left in a Taxi while traveling.

Amazon’s Relational Database Service (AWS RDS) allows you to offload the responsibility of managing a database, but it also comes with the risk of another external dependency. Fortunately, AWS provides some tools and settings to help with this. When you combine your existing data security policy with the AWS tooling and the advice in this article, you'll be well on your way to managing risk more effectively. Let's dive in with 15 AWS RDS data security best practices.

Lateral movement refers to the techniques that a cyber attacker uses. Once getting access to a corporate network, the attackers don’t stop there. They move around throughout the entire network, owning more computers and user accounts while exfiltrating data at the same time. They escalate their privileges to gain access to higher permissions and eventually access more confidential, critical and sensitive data.

In the context of hybrid work, the threat of data loss is rampant. Cybersecurity systems that were once designed to operate within the confines of a network perimeter have become obsolete, with employees using various devices, networks, and applications to get their work done. As such, it’s easier than ever for companies to be vulnerable to the loss of sensitive data. So, what’s the solution? Recently, Digital Guardian published The Definitive Guide to DLP: 2021 Hybrid Work Edition.

Keeping data under lock and key might sound like a simple task - but in reality, many businesses leave sensitive information under the misconception that it is safe. For many, it is a major challenge. According to Statista, the number of annual data breaches of exposed records exceeded 155 million records in 2020. The average cost per record breach is $150. While this may not feel too impacting, Research by IBM in 2019 found that the average breach involves 25,575 records.

Many organizations are already cashing in on the promise of big data, hailed as the world’s most valuable resource. However, this crude resource requires refining in the form of data hygiene. Data errors and inconsistencies cost companies millions of dollars a year. Businesses that aren’t able to implement the tools, strategies, and training required often find big data to be more of an obstacle than an advantage.