It doesn’t matter if they are proprietary algorithms, cutting-edge software applications or innovative designs companies have invested substantial resources into digital intellectual property. The aim is to secure these assets from theft, distribution that is not authorized, or reverse engineering. This requires a balance between stimulating innovation and driving growth of the business while restricting access to confidential information that helps ensure compliance with regulations.
Secure access to confidential data ensures that only those who need it have access to the information they require to complete their work and minimizes the risks of sensitive information being exposed. It is also crucial to ensure compliance with regulations as well as fostering trust between customers and partners.
Access control gives administrators to restrict who is able to access what data on a granular basis and ensure that users are granted the permissions necessary to perform their duties. This approach reduces the chances of illegal actions, and promotes the principle “least privilege”. It also helps to prevent costly data breaches that could damage a business’s reputation and result in financial loss in the form of fines, regulatory penalties and a loss of customer trust.
The best method to stop unauthorized access is to implement an authentication method that makes use of the combination of user ID and passwords, as well as biometrics. This will provide a high degree of confidence that the person gaining access to the information is who they claim to be. Furthermore, using a central management tool which monitors access and alerts users to unusual behavior could help detect unauthorized activity quickly. Also, limiting connectivity to networks via technologies such as private Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) or firewall filtering can help to prevent attackers from moving further and possibly harming other systems.
