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Manila Campus

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Top 10 data security best practices for maintaining data security and
integrity in enterprise-level server environments in the field of system
administration and maintenance

1.)Assess Your Sensitive Data

Start by evaluating the sensitivity of your data before implementing security

measures. Data can be categorized into three sensitivity levels: low, medium,
and highly sensitive. These levels determine who should have access and the
potential impact of a data breach. Make sure to understand your data visibility to
focus on crucial information.

2.)Develop a Cybersecurity Policy

Create a comprehensive cybersecurity policy that governs how your organization

manages sensitive data. This policy should include guidelines for employees,
stakeholders, and third parties when handling data. Additionally, take a
risk-based approach to prioritize security efforts and perform regular database
audits.

3.)Create an Incident Response Plan

Establish an incident response plan that outlines how your organization will
handle cybersecurity incidents promptly. Define security incidents, designate
responsible individuals, conduct security audits, and prepare for data recovery in
the event of an incident.

4.)Secure Data Storage

Ensure that your data is securely stored both physically and electronically. Utilize
secure physical storage methods and modern technology-based approaches such
as encryption, masking, backups, and access control for data stored on devices.

College of Computer Studies and Systems

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 University of the East
Manila Campus

5.)Restrict Access to Critical Assets

Implement robust access controls to safeguard your data. This includes physical
access restrictions, identity management, password management, and the
principle of least privilege. Ensure secure access for remote and hybrid work
scenarios.

FIGURE 1: 5 Parameters for your data review

First, evaluate the data's sensitivity, which can be categorized into three levels.
Low sensitivity data, which is safe for public access, typically includes general
information found on websites. Medium sensitivity data can be shared within the
organization but not publicly, with minimal consequences if leaked. Highly
sensitive data should only be accessible to a select group of insiders, as any
compromise or loss could have severe implications for the organization. Examine
the visibility of your data. If you lack comprehensive oversight of actions related
to sensitive data, it is essential to focus on implementing practices 6, 8, and 10.
Adhering to these measures will assist in prioritizing and safeguarding critical
information.

6.)Continuously Monitor User Activity

Enhance visibility within your organization by implementing user activity

monitoring (UAM) solutions. Real-time monitoring allows you to track and receive
alerts about user activity related to sensitive data, reducing the risk of data
breaches.

College of Computer Studies and Systems

(CCSS)
 University of the East
Manila Campus

7.)Manage Third-party Risks

Monitor the actions of third-party users within your IT infrastructure, including

partners, vendors, and subcontractors. Define and control who manages your
data, sign service-level agreements, and collaborate with third parties to enhance
mutual security.

8.)Prioritize Privileged Users

Recognize the significance of privileged users who have elevated access rights.
Implement privileged account and session management (PASM) to control,
monitor, and audit privileged accounts to mitigate insider threats.

9.)Educate Employees on Data Security

Provide ongoing training to educate employees about securely handling

corporate assets, recognizing malware, and understanding social engineering
attempts. Regular training helps reduce data leaks and increases security
awareness.

10.) Implement Dedicated Data Security Software

Consider deploying specialized data protection solutions with features like user
activity monitoring, access management, security event notifications, auditing,
reporting, and password management to safeguard sensitive data effectively.

Integrity

Integrity is the assurance that the information being accessed has not been
altered and truly represents what is intended. Just as a person with integrity
means what he or she says and can be trusted to consistently represent the
truth, information integrity means information truly represents its intended
meaning. Information can lose its integrity through malicious intent, such as
when someone who is not authorized makes a change to intentionally
misrepresent something. An example of this would be when a hacker is hired to
go into the university’s system and change a grade.

College of Computer Studies and Systems

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 University of the East
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FIGURE 2: Preserving the data integrity in enterprise-level server

environment in the field of system administration & maintenance

Integrity can also be lost unintentionally, such as when a computer power surge
corrupts a file or someone authorized to make a change accidentally deletes a
file or enters incorrect information.

Data integrity goes beyond accuracy and validity; it involves protecting data from
potential misuse, especially in sensitive fields like healthcare and
pharmaceuticals. If data cannot be trusted, actions and conclusions based on it
are compromised. Maintaining data accuracy and consistency is crucial. It also
enhances efficiency, offering benefits like improved recoverability, searchability,
and traceability. This ensures data remains reliable and complete, guarding
against external influences and potential malicious intent, regardless of storage
duration or access frequency.

College of Computer Studies and Systems

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 University of the East
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FIGURE 3: Main benefits of robust data security

Protecting Information:

Ensuring the safety of your data against internal and external threats provides a
sense of security, allowing you to focus on your business strategies rather than
worrying about data breaches.

Strengthening Your Reputation:

Building a strong reputation through reliable data protection practices inspires

trust among potential partners and customers, which is crucial for long-term
cooperation.

Meeting Data Security Requirements:

Implementing effective security measures ensures compliance with data security

regulations, preventing your organization from incurring substantial fines
resulting from non-compliance.

Reducing Legal Costs:

Proactively preventing security incidents is more cost-effective than dealing with

the aftermath. Investing in data security efforts can save you money that would
otherwise be spent on containment and recovery following an incident.

College of Computer Studies and Systems

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 University of the East
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Enhancing Business Continuity:

Robust data security practices contribute to uninterrupted business operations,

minimizing the risk of disruptions and subsequent revenue losses.

How can you secure your organization’s sensitive data?

Encryption

This method prevents unauthorized individuals from accessing your data.

Masking: It involves concealing or anonymizing high-value data by substituting
sensitive information with random characters or low-value tokens (known as
tokenization).

Data erasure

This process entails removing data that is no longer in use or active from your
data repository.

Data resilience

This strategy involves comprehensive, differential, and incremental backups of

your critical data stored in multiple locations, ensuring its recoverability and
resilience against various cybersecurity threats.

Now, let's delve into the foundational principles underpinning robust data
security. These core principles and controls, known as the CIA triad
(Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability), are essential for ensuring effective
data protection:

Confidentiality: This ensures data is shielded from unauthorized access.

Integrity: It guarantees data's reliability and correctness while safeguarding
sensitive information against unauthorized alterations.
Availability: This principle ensures that data remains easily accessible to
legitimate users.

College of Computer Studies and Systems

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 University of the East
Manila Campus

To uphold these principles, organizations employ practical mechanisms referred

to as data security controls. These controls serve as safeguards against security
risks, encompassing prevention, detection, and response strategies to protect
your valuable assets.

Various tools are available for enhancing information security in

organizations. These tools can be integrated into an overarching
information security policy

Authentication

The most common way to identify individuals behind computer screens or at

ATMs is through authentication. This can be achieved through something the
user knows (like a password), something they have (e.g., a key or card), or
something they are (biometrics like fingerprint or eye scans). Multi-factor
authentication, using a combination of these factors, is more secure.

Access Control

Once users are authenticated, access control ensures they can only access
appropriate resources. This includes methods like access control lists (ACLs) and
role-based access control (RBAC). ACLs specify what specific users can do with a
resource, while RBAC assigns roles with corresponding access rights to users,
simplifying administration.

Encryption

To secure data in transit or storage, encryption is employed, where data is

encoded and decoded using keys. Symmetric key encryption uses a single key,
while public key encryption uses a pair of public and private keys.

Backups

Comprehensive backup plans are essential, including understanding what needs

to be backed up, regular backups, offsite storage, and regular testing of data
restoration.

Firewalls

Firewalls, whether hardware or software, filter network traffic based on

predefined rules to protect against unauthorized access. Some organizations use

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multiple firewalls and create a demilitarized zone (DMZ) to isolate certain

resources.

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)

IDS do not provide additional security but are used to identify potential network
attacks and unusual activities, triggering alerts and logging traffic for analysis.

Physical Security

Protecting the hardware and physical components of information resources is

crucial. Measures include locked doors, intrusion detection, secured equipment,
environmental monitoring, and employee training.

Security Policies

These are essential administrative controls outlining guidelines for employee use
of resources and potential disciplinary actions. They should align with
confidentiality, integrity, and availability principles.

Mobile Security

The use of mobile devices introduces security challenges, and organizations

should establish policies and consider tools like geolocation software and remote
data removal to mitigate risks.

Usability

Striking a balance between security and user-friendliness is crucial, as overly

complex security measures may lead users to bypass them, compromising
security.

Personal Information Security

Individuals can enhance their own security by keeping software up to date, using
antivirus software, being cautious with connections, backing up data, enabling
two-factor authentication, creating strong and unique passwords, and avoiding
suspicious links and attachments.

FIGURE 4: Internet of Things is a revolutionary approach for future

technology enhancement

College of Computer Studies and Systems

(CCSS)
 University of the East
Manila Campus

Automated Monitoring Technologies in Modern IT Environments

Automated monitoring technologies play a critical role in modern IT

environments by continuously tracking the performance, health, and security of
various systems and applications. These technologies utilize a combination of
software, hardware, and sensors to collect data, analyze it, and provide real-time
insights to IT professionals. The primary functions of automated monitoring
technologies include:

Real-time Monitoring

Automated monitoring tools constantly collect data on various aspects of IT

systems, such as CPU usage, memory, network traffic, and application
performance. This real-time monitoring helps IT teams identify issues as they
arise and respond promptly.

Alerting and Notifications

These systems are designed to trigger alerts and notifications when predefined
thresholds or conditions are met. For example, if server CPU utilization exceeds
90%, an alert can be generated, allowing IT staff to take immediate action.

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 University of the East
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Performance Analysis

Automated monitoring technologies provide historical and real-time performance

data, enabling IT professionals to analyze trends, identify bottlenecks, and
optimize system performance.

Security Monitoring

Security information and event management (SIEM) systems are used for
monitoring and detecting security threats. They can analyze logs and other data
sources to identify potential security breaches.

Log Management

These tools collect and manage log data from various sources, making it easier
to troubleshoot issues, audit system activity, and meet compliance requirements.

Predictive Analytics

Some advanced systems incorporate machine learning and predictive analytics to

forecast potential issues based on historical data patterns. This proactive
approach can help prevent downtime and performance degradation.

Resource Allocation

Automated monitoring can help in resource allocation, allowing IT teams to make

informed decisions about provisioning and scaling resources based on actual
usage data.

Examples of successful real-world implementations of automated monitoring

technologies include:

Netflix

Netflix employs automated monitoring systems to ensure seamless streaming

services for its customers. These systems track server performance, content
delivery, and network health to maintain a high-quality streaming experience.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS offers a range of monitoring and management services, such as Amazon

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CloudWatch and AWS Trusted Advisor, to help users optimize their cloud
infrastructure, manage costs, and ensure reliability.

Financial Institutions

Banks and financial institutions use monitoring technologies to detect fraudulent

activities, manage large volumes of transactions, and maintain the security and
integrity of their systems.

Despite the benefits, there are several challenges and difficulties in maintaining
reliable systems with automated monitoring technologies:

Alert Fatigue

IT professionals can be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of alerts and

notifications generated by monitoring systems. This can lead to alert fatigue,
where critical issues may be ignored or delayed in response.

Complexity

Managing multiple monitoring tools and integrating them into a cohesive system
can be complex. It requires significant expertise and resources.

False Positives

Monitoring systems can generate false alerts, which can be time-consuming to

investigate and may lead to wasted resources.

Cost

Implementing and maintaining monitoring technologies can be expensive,

especially for smaller organizations with limited budgets.

Data Privacy and Security

Collecting and storing sensitive data in logs and monitoring systems can pose
privacy and security risks, requiring careful data handling and compliance
measures.

Scalability

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 University of the East
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As IT environments grow, monitoring systems need to scale accordingly. This can

be challenging and may require constant adjustments and upgrades.

Customization

Tailoring monitoring systems to specific IT environments and applications can be

time-consuming and may require custom development.

In conclusion, automated monitoring technologies have become indispensable

tools in modern IT environments, serving as vigilant guardians of system
performance, health, and security. They offer real-time insights, timely alerts,
and the ability to analyze and optimize various aspects of IT infrastructure.
Real-world implementations, as exemplified by industry leaders like Netflix and
Amazon Web Services, underscore their effectiveness in ensuring seamless
service delivery, reliability, and security.

However, these benefits come with challenges. Alert fatigue, system complexity,
and false positives can undermine the effectiveness of these technologies.
Moreover, the cost of implementation and privacy concerns related to sensitive
data collection must be carefully managed. Scalability and customization are
ongoing considerations as IT environments evolve.

In navigating these challenges, organizations can harness the power of

automated monitoring to strengthen their IT infrastructure's resilience and
security. By continually improving these technologies, businesses can stay ahead
of potential issues, ensuring uninterrupted operations and safeguarding sensitive
data. As technology continues to evolve, the role of automated monitoring
technologies will only become more vital in maintaining reliable and secure IT
systems.

College of Computer Studies and Systems

(CCSS)
 University of the East
Manila Campus

SOURCES:

[email protected]. (2023, October 10). Data Security Best

Practices: Top 10 data protection methods. Ekran System.

https://www.ekransystem.com/en/blog/data-security-best-practices

Bourgeois, D., & Bourgeois, D. T. (2014, February 28). Chapter 6:

Information Systems Security. Information Systems for Business and

Beyond.

https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/infosysbus/chapter/chapter-6-infor

mation-systems-security/

[email protected]. (2023a, July 13). 7 best practices to secure

system administrators’ accounts. Ekran System.

https://www.ekransystem.com/en/blog/system-server-administrators

What is Data Integrity?. Informatics from Technology Networks. (n.d.).

https://www.technologynetworks.com/informatics/articles/what-is-data-inte

grity-343068

Kumar, S., Tiwari, P., & Zymbler, M. (2019). Internet of Things is a

revolutionary approach for future technology enhancement: a review.

Journal of Big Data, 6(1). springeropen.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40537-019-0268-2

College of Computer Studies and Systems

(CCSS)
 University of the East
Manila Campus

College of Computer Studies and Systems

(CCSS)