How to Avoid the Risks of Data Redundancy

Why is it a bad thing to have multiple versions of the same data? Though having backups is good practice, unprotected or accidental data redundancies can actually be a major security concern for businesses.

What is Data Redundancy?

Businesses have a lot of data and are always gathering more information from multiple sources. When they don’t have solid data management processes established, data can sometimes be gathered and stored separately, meaning multiple versions of the same information can be found in multiple places within the same business.

This presents standard challenges for businesses like higher data storage costs and muddier data management, but one thing they should be aware of is the security risks posed by having data stored in multiple places, especially when that data is sensitive, like for businesses in finance, healthcare, education, or those who work with government contracts.

Why is Data Redundancy a Security Risk?

Having redundant data is a security risk to businesses because it presents the possibility that critical data is appropriately protected on one server but left exposed in another location.

This occurs mostly due to complex or non-optimized data entry processes where multiple teams are collecting the same data but storing it in siloed systems. This is not necessarily a huge issue by itself; the problem arises when not all these systems are equally protected and have varying degrees of cybersecurity strength.

Related: How to Measure Cybersecurity Risk in a Business

For example, two departments might be collecting customer information. Department 1 has strong security protocols for access management using complex passwords that change frequently. Department 2, which has the same sensitive customer data stored, has no access controls in place and has its passwords stored on a sticky note in someone’s desk drawer.

These two are not equal, obviously, and the data that is so well protected by department 1 is completely exposed in department 2.

How Businesses Can Mitigate the Risks of Data Redundancy

To eliminate these risks, businesses can take a few different measures, including:

Implementing Organization-Wide Cybersecurity Standards

First, businesses should implement an organization-wide standard for cybersecurity practices that ensures everything in a company is equally protected.

To build a strong cybersecurity foundation, everyone in an organization needs to understand basic principles of security like:

• Strong passphrase creation and management
• Protecting credential theft from phishing or other scams
• Cybersecurity awareness training to spot suspect links, emails, messages, and more
• Proper data security protocols for gathering, organizing, and managing data

When everyone is on the same page, businesses become more secure.

Related: The Importance of Cybersecurity Awareness, Training, and Education

Eliminate Unprotected Silos and Data Redundancy

Though it may seem obvious, businesses can reduce the risks presented by data redundancy by eliminating the redundancy.

This means deleting repeat data pulled from other sources and establishing more effective processes for data collection and management, reducing the chances of multiple forms of the same data being stored in various places.

In Conclusion

Cybersecurity risks lie in some unknown or unforeseen places sometimes, including seemingly harmless data just sitting around in a server. Make sure you know how company data is being collected and stored to ensure no redundant data is sitting unprotected.

Learn more about secure data protection and the steps a business can take to protect itself and its customers on our Insights Page.