Are These 5 Myths About Data Protection Putting Your Business at Risk?

No one wants to think they could be the next victim of data loss, but it always pays to be prepared for such events. However, there are numerous misconceptions going around about data security that could put organizations in danger of being unable to recover. Here are five of the biggest data protection myths that could be putting your business at risk:

1. IT is responsible for information security

In many traditional company structures, an individual or team of people are put in charge of maintaining security across the board - most often, this falls under IT's purview. While the IT team does play a big part in ensuring protection, it is not fully their responsibility. CIO contributor Jim Haskin noted that the challenge extends across business units. For this reason, it's become everyone's job to follow data security best practices and not rest everything on IT's shoulders.

IT should not be the only ones responsible for data protection.

2. I know where my data resides

This is a big myth that will get you in trouble very quickly. If disaster strikes, are you certain you'll be able to restore all critical operations? What will you do if you cannot find a necessary asset? Informatica research found that only 16 percent of organizations actually know where their sensitive structured data resides. For everyone else, it's important to always have direct oversight into where your data lives. Teaming up with a backup partner will help you keep track of your information and ensure that you are prepared.

3. Our users know what to do

Going off the first point where everyone is responsible for data protection, it's important to understand that most users have bad computing habits. Perhaps they use their personal devices to access work information, or they send data over an unsecure line. Assuming that users will know what to do is a recipe for disaster, but one that can be easily remedied. By instituting comprehensive guidelines and providing continual training, businesses can ensure that their employees are following security best practices.

4. Storage and security are separate

Any type of backup effort is a good place to start for disaster recovery initiatives, but organizations must make sure that these tools are also secure. Storage and protection capabilities are no longer mutually exclusive items; rather, they have slowly become integrated over time to guard against intruders and ensure your files aren't misplaced, Data Center Knowledge contributor John Joseph stated. Since these operations are now available through singular tools, they should be managed accordingly.

5. We can be 100 percent secure

This myth is about as optimistic - and unrealistic - as thinking your organization will never be attacked. Even as data protection methods advance, so do those of hackers looking to grab your critical information. The best thing to do is to continuously evaluate whether your security measures are comprehensive enough to combat data protection and upgrade tools as needed to ensure you minimize potential risks.

Data protection is critical for business continuity efforts. By dispelling these myths, you can better prepare your infrastructure and employees to ensure that your information is secure.