Is Your Data Safe? Know for Sure with a Security Audit

Computer virus scan resulting in red danger screen.

Is your company and customer data safe? If you cannot answer this question with a resounding “Yes!” — it’s high time for a security audit! You can hardly turn on the news lately without hearing of a security failure. Take the huge Equifax breach, for example. These incidents result in data losses for millions of people and cost incredible amounts of money, time, and effort to fix.

The information your company holds in databases and the cloud is one of your most valuable possessions, and you should treat it as such. Avoiding data breaches hackers can achieve through unauthorized access — both on an internal and external basis — should be a number-one priority. One of the best ways to do so is through regular database security audits. Security audits are designed to help executives identify any gaps in security or potential holes in their systems that could leave data at risk. Finding these weaknesses before cybercriminals do allows execs to remedy such situations before major breaches occur. This additional security measure also saves time, money, and the embarrassment of compromised data.

While it may be tempting to rely on the help of an internal employee to perform your audits, it’s not recommended. For one thing, it’s impossible for any one individual to keep up with the ever-changing nature of security. Plus, outside attacks aren’t the only way for hackers to infiltrate your business — insider threats can be just as, if not more, damaging. Furthermore, it’s a big job to audit an entire system. In this case, it’s better to work with trained professionals who know what they’re looking for and have the tools to help them spot vulnerabilities.

When selecting a partner to complete your next security audit, look for:

  • Experience — Your security audits are an important part of your overall risk mitigation plan and should be carried out by experienced and qualified auditors. Certifications alone are not enough to ensure they will do an accurate job, so make sure your auditors have experience and are well-versed in your system.
  • References — To determine auditor experience, ask for references and follow through to see how they handled database security audits for other organizations. This is a great way to help you determine if your potential auditors are qualified to help you.
  • Proper tools — Humans alone are not enough to perform full audits. In fact, many great tools are available to help auditors sift through millions of files, firewalls, and pieces of data. Find auditors who utilize the right tools, such as the Oracle Database Security Assessment Tool (DBSAT), to properly audit your system.
  • Scope of work (SOW) — Before choosing a partner, make sure you understand the SOW auditors plan to perform on your system. Make sure it will cover all the bases and help find weaknesses.
  • Cost — As with any managed services provider, make sure you discuss audit cost and budget upfront to know exactly what you’re paying for.

By partnering with an experienced and trustworthy auditing partner, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your database security audits will be thorough and will highlight any weaknesses your systems may have. Experienced auditors are trained to employ top-notch tools such as the Oracle DBSAT to implement automatic and ongoing security checks. These help you identify areas of your database and data management systems with risks as well as implement the controls and upgrades necessary to remedy such faults and keep your data safe.

If you cannot definitively say your business data is completely safe, it’s time for a database security audit. Arisant is your security partner and will help you determine any risks. We’ll help you automate unauthorized access alerts and take the steps necessary to secure your sensitive business data. To learn more about our database security audit services or to get started, contact the Arisant experts at 303-330-4065 or by email at sales@arisant.com.

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