HelpSystems comments on MOD data loss

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Following the recent news that the Ministry of Defence reported an 18% rise in data loss incidents, we ask Adam Strange, a Data Classification Specialist from HelpSystems (www.helpsystems.com) for his comments.

“Data released by the MoD in its annual report that shows the British government department recorded 546 incidents of personal data loss during the last financial year is a staggering reminder of the importance organizations must place on data protection.”

“Unauthorized disclosure of internal data through any network mechanism, or the accidental disclosure by well-meaning users, can have disastrous results for an organization’s brand, reputation or standing with regulatory bodies.”

“To add a further level of complexity, organizations must now think about approaching data protection in a post-pandemic environment.  We know that during 2020 organizations had to adapt very quickly to new remote working practices, which in turn may have led to normal policies and procedures not being strictly adhered to.  Potential security breaches caused by human failures become more likely, for example, accidentally sending private data to incorrect recipients when using personal devices without data loss prevention (DLP) technology and/or not following company policy.”

“To protect data, organizations must be fully aware of its existence and the risks around it and retain the capability to scan and analyse data at creation, in transit, when shared between users, when stored and at rest.  Facilities are needed to maintain appropriate identification attributes, apply and detect metadata, and prove regulatory compliance.”

“Data classification facilities should be in place to support an effective information governance strategy.  All data needs to be classified so that it can be managed and handled appropriately.  By identifying the true value and protection requirements of data, organizations are able to make intelligent decisions on how to safely handle it.”