Balancing data security and productivity: Key considerations for C-level executives

What’s keeping you up at night?

The first step is identifying what you need protection from.

When speaking with business leaders, there are generally three major concerns related to data security. First: Are you worried about mistakes? Such as employees accidentally viewing or sharing information they shouldn't? Second: Are you concerned about external threats, such as data hijacking, ransomware, or targeted attacks from competitors? Third: Do you worry that employees might take some of your most sensitive data with them when they leave for a competitor?

Whatever the risk, the way you protect your business varies depending on the nature of the threat.

It's all about trust and access

First, talk about access, then architecture and solutions

Question: Would you be comfortable handing your phone, filled with important work information, to your child? If your answer is "no," what measures would you take to protect that data? The same logic applies when sharing business information with a colleague. You wouldn’t want them to have full access to your email history or personal browsing data, right?

Data security hinges on trust and separation, who you trust and how you segregate access for different use cases. First, define access levels; then, you can start designing your security architecture and solutions.

Security vs. Convenience

Another critical step is determining which data should be accessible and to whom.

With today’s advanced AI and data solutions, you can do almost anything you imagine. But once security issues arise, those possibilities become risks. The challenge is to keep data secure while enabling innovation. Granting unrestricted access to all company data is simply not an option. You must divide the data into segments: which areas need flexibility and innovation, and which demand the highest level of security? For instance, the logistics department might have more flexibility than the finance department.

To make informed decisions about what needs protection, you must evaluate the relevant security measures for each area and strike the right balance.

How to approach it

Monitoring data usage is key. Think about the email you receive from Google when you log in from a new device. That’s an example of access being logged and monitored. Do you know who is accessing your data and when? If you don’t, you could be vulnerable without even realizing it.

Data governance and guidelines are also crucial. For example, consider how you protect data when an employee leaves your company. How do you prevent a salesperson from taking sensitive customer information with them? You need robust governance structures and clear guidelines in place to mitigate these risks.

These are just a few methods to start embedding a more secure culture and process within your organization.

Encouraging C-Level leadership to prioritize data security

We encourage C-level executives to ask the right questions about data security. They need to know what kind of data they have, who can access it, and how it’s being used. This mindset must filter down to all levels of the organization. Everyone from top management to entry-level employees needs to have a baseline understanding of data security.

It’s more than just technology – it’s a mindset

If you want something to be truly secure, store it on a hard drive that isn’t connected to any network and bury it in the ocean. In that case, you can be reasonably confident that no one will access it. But let’s face it: You’re not immune. As your organization grows and gains influence, cybercriminals will take notice, and they will come for you.

Unfortunately, you can’t simply buy data security. It goes beyond technology and products; it’s about fostering a culture of security, spreading knowledge, and integrating a proactive mindset across the organization.

Once you have the right foundation in place, solutions like Microsoft Purview, along with trusted partners like Fellowmind, can help you build data solutions that are both secure and valuable. But first, make sure you’ve thought it through.