Keep sensitive data centralized where it can be managed and secured

Consider the following scenario:  A company laptop is left on an airplane, and that laptop has sensitive data for which you are liable.  If someone got their hands on that laptop, they could probably gain access to that sensitive information in a variety of ways.  Or what if that’s the only copy of the data, and you need it?  If it’s not centralized, you might as well consider it lost.

It’s important that your staff knows where sensitive data ultimately belongs so that events like this do not occur.  Whenever possible, you should want sensitive data to sit at rest on places like centralized file servers, where it can be backed up, secured, etc.  Using many common configurations, you can also limit access to sensitive data, so that access and sharing of this data is done on a basis of need, rather than a free for all.

It’s simple stuff – but think of the possible consequences in the event of data breaches or loss on a lost laptop.  How exposed would you be?  Are you comfortable with your data management in order to mitigate these kinds of risks?  These data management problems are extremely common, but they don’t have to be.

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