Days of Data Sovereignty: Compliance is key!

In this day and age, data is a critical asset that enhances business development, innovation, decision-making and operational efficiency in the corporate world. With the growing emphasis on a data-driven workspace, it is imperative that your organization has insight into the rules and regulations associated with housing data, and employ the correct processes to comply with them. An important regulatory theme on the rise in our data-driven world is data sovereignty.

‍What is Data Sovereignty? 

Data sovereignty refers to the concept that data is subject to the laws and governance structures of the country in which it is collected or processed. In other words, data collected in a particular geographic territory falls under the jurisdiction and regulatory framework of that area, even if it is stored or managed in another country. 

Why is Data Sovereignty Important?

1. Data Privacy : Data sovereignty helps ensure that sensitive data and PII is handled in accordance with local privacy laws. 
2. Security and Compliance: Various countries have different standards in regards to data security. By enforcing data sovereignty, nations can ensure that data is protected according to their own nation’s security standards which also helps in reducing the risk of data breaches and incidents. Additionally, data sovereignty also enables organizations to make sure their data is secure and not exploited in any way that could impact political or economic stability.

Equipping your Organization with the right People and Processes 

People play a critical role in the structure of data security in your organization. People are the main decision makers in employing the right processes and technologies to rely on for organizations to make informed decisions regarding their security strategies. Curating the right team, facilitating timely training and staying up to date with regulations is a practice all security organizations should integrate into their growth and development plans. 

Additionally, it is crucial to establish the right security frameworks and processes which comply with regulatory requirements. Examples of processes your organization can implement include: 

• Data Governance Frameworks
• Data Localization and Storage Policies
• Compliance and Auditing Processes
• Incident Response and Management
• Data Access and Control

Choosing the Right Technology 

Equipping your organization with the right people, processes and technology is key to compliance and getting ahead of any data violations. A Data Security Posture Management platform (DSPM) is a critical data security platform that delivers a variety of protections that your security teams demand. Cyera’s data security posture management platform combines visibility into where sensitive data is, who has access to that data, how it has been used, and the security posture of the data itself.

In regards to data sovereignty, solutions like Cyera’s DSPM, alert you when data crosses regions in violation of data privacy regulations. Cyera’s DSPM also: 

• Flags violations when data is stored outside of its designated geographic location
• Tracks users with access to geo-based data, enabling you to limit access to those who are located in the same region
• Adheres to data sovereignty clauses under the GDPR Article 45, China Cybersecurity Law Article 37, and PIPEDA

When asked about Cyera’s DSPM solution, a director at a global media company said that “If you had asked me before looking at the Cyera data, who are our riskiest users, who have access to the most sensitive data …I would have been completely wrong.” 

A comprehensive data security solution is essential to help your business comply with data sovereignty and privacy regulations. 

In Conclusion 

Data sovereignty and privacy protection is now a mission critical business imperative in the modern digital era. It is important to leverage the trifecta of People, Process, and Technology across the enterprise ecosystem to enable the highest level of compliance to regulations and protect your organization’s most valuable asset- its data, no matter what environments or geographies it resides in!  

Read more about the upswing of the Data Sovereignty and Privacy era in my article The Rise of the Data Sovereignty and Privacy Era. If you would like to learn more about how Cyera can help increase data privacy, security and compliance in your environment, request a demo here. 

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