Data Leaks For Dummies®

Chapter 20. Revisiting Policies

In This Chapter

• Emphasizing the importance of people

• Finding broken processes

• Interviewing to identify data

• Finding bad policies

• Correcting broken processes

Although the IT department would like to believe that the business revolves around technology, the truth is that people and processes are critical to running a business. IT is the enabler.

Unfortunately, the policies and procedures that employees use on a daily basis now must also evolve to match the changes in the world around us. That change is based on a simple premise: All data has a value to someone. Regrettably, that can be someone inside the company who abuses a position of trust and data access — or it can be an external hacker or cyber-criminal. Either way, if they get hold of your data, it doesn't look good for the business. All interactions with sensitive or confidential data now must be examined — and the policies and processes changed accordingly — with one goal in mind: Protect the data.

People are the greatest asset to any company. However, when it comes to security and data loss, they're also the weakest link.

The People Factor

Where would a company be without its people? It wouldn't exist. So when a necessary change comes over the horizon, all the people affected by it should be involved in responding to it — not just the managers.

Companies typically have dozens of policies for their employees, covering everything from acceptable dress codes to Internet usage. They also cover behaviors ...