EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
AS AFRICAN ENTERPRISES REALISE THE VALUE OF DATA AS A TOOL TO GENERATE BUSINESS VALUE AND TO ALIGN THEIR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY , WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES AROUND DATA INTEGRITY , DATA PRIVACY , DATA SECURITY AND DATA MANAGEMENT ?
To begin with , it is important to focus on understanding and managing what you currently have in place . This requires knowledge of how data moves through the organisation , how users interact with it , and what regulations are applicable , what are the risks , and how do you mitigate them ? Executives from Galix , Commvault , and Silver Moon IT respond .
RYAN BOYES , GOVERNANCE ,
RISK AND COMPLIANCE
OFFICER , GALIX
Expanding operations into new areas can help businesses grow in unprecedented ways , and technologies like cloud have become part of this . The challenge is that data has become increasingly dispersed , and the more places data is stored , the more opportunities there are for cybercriminals and other bad actors to infiltrate networks and steal this critical business asset .
The lines between home and office have also blurred with increased hybrid and work-from-home workforces , making security even more difficult to manage and maintain . For the most part , businesses are not adequately equipped to deal with the additional complexity and additional elements of risk .
Before the Internet , businesses tended to operate in smaller areas and in a very siloed manner . Today , ease of access to information has become critical to successful operations , and the ability to leverage data has become a point of competitive differentiation .
However , the global , borderless nature of business also introduces risk ; there are multiple applications , systems , and end points , all of which represent potential vulnerabilities . While the ability to work anytime , anywhere aids productivity , it also increases the complexity of security . Finding the right balance between securing data and allowing access is vital .
Technology has become such a part of our everyday lives that it can be difficult to separate personal and business use on any device , which again increases the complexity of security . Processes and protocols need to be in place , governance and compliance must be prioritised , systems must be maintained , everything needs to be documented , and it is essential to have accountability .
As companies transform and grow , they have to find the right balance between security and access . Too many restrictions will limit people ’ s ability to innovate , but too few restrictions could lead to data breaches and compliance headaches .
26 INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA www . intelligentcio . com