| The prevention of data leaks today is a main concern | | | | many hands during the process. Using backup tape |
| for most IT administrators. Data leaks expose | | | | encryption can help protect the data no matter |
| confidential information of companies, employees, and | | | | where it is. |
| clients. It can effect credit ratings, press coverage, | | | | As with all data loss prevention, there is always a bit |
| reputation, fines, and overall business. So it is no | | | | of risk management involved. There is a balance to |
| wonder that preventing the loss of data is a high | | | | be looked at between the encryption of confidential |
| priority for IT professionals. | | | | data and the overhead cost of implementing it. Data |
| One of the main methods for preventing data leaks | | | | that is not confidential or business critical does not |
| is encryption. There have been many laws written | | | | need the same encryption levels that other more |
| that protect the identities of consumers and force | | | | private information does. It is important to identify |
| businesses to be proactive by enforcing fines on | | | | what data requires encryption and what data does |
| violations. For violations of data loss that was not | | | | not. Also, data that goes offsite should always be |
| encrypted, companies are forced to report upon it. | | | | encrypted due to the higher risk. Other files such as |
| Thus, encryption is crucial, not only to remain | | | | operating system files, temporary files, or disaster |
| compliant, but to prevent data leaks from occurring. | | | | recovery start-up files do not need encryption applied |
| Businesses today rely on their network infrastructure | | | | to them. |
| and most of their data resides on their central server | | | | It is also important to take a look at older data that |
| mainframe. Because many companies back up their | | | | resides on tape. Making the move to encryption is |
| central mainframes with backup tapes, it goes | | | | important. But unlike most upgrades, you can just |
| without saying that there is confidential data on | | | | ignore the data that resides on your old backup |
| those data. This is why encrypting those backup | | | | system or tapes. This data can be just as valuable to |
| tapes in important to data security. Many companies | | | | theives as your most recent backups. That is why it |
| transport those tapes to offsite locations for disaster | | | | is paramount to encrypt the data located on all your |
| recovery purposes. This transport poses a security | | | | backup tapes and not just tapes used in the future. |
| risk due to the fact that the data leaves the secured | | | | Tape encryption is a key part of your solution to |
| server room and is often exposed to the general | | | | protecting your network's data. Make no |
| public during travel. Backup tapes can also touch | | | | compromises when it comes to data loss prevention. |