How to Conduct Effective Data Security Audits for Big Data Systems

Big data systems are an increasingly common aspect of many business operations. As helpful as such a wealth of information is, these projects can dramatically impact an organization’s cybersecurity posture. Consequently, any company embracing this trend must also embrace the big data security audit.

Why Big Data Security Audits Are Necessary

The sheer size of big data necessitates proactive cybersecurity. Global volumes could reach 181 zettabytes by 2025, leaving businesses with massive amounts of information to safeguard. Failing to secure big data systems could expose countless consumers’ personal details to cybercriminals, incurring significant costs.

Cybercrime is also evolving at a worrying pace. Attacks are growing in both number and complexity, so brands must be sure of their defenses. The only way to gain such confidence is to check them regularly, hence the importance of audits.

A thorough security audit will provide assurance to partners and customers that an enterprise is trustworthy with their data. It will also help firms stay on top of emerging cybersecurity trends. Similarly, it reveals weaknesses IT teams may miss otherwise — a common issue, considering just 13% of the world’s data has the protection it needs.

How to Perform an Effective Big Data Security Audit

The specifics of a big data security audit vary between organizations. However, a few overall measures and best practices apply to all use cases.

Review Applicable Standards

The first step is to define the scope of the audit. One of the most important considerations under that umbrella is to identify any legal regulations or industry standards that may apply.

Some businesses may need to base their audits on certifications like ISO 27001. Others should consult guidelines from government agencies, such as the GDPR or CMMC. Remember to review local laws, too, as at least 19 states have enacted data privacy legislation that may affect audit scopes.

Ensure Transparency

Next, IT teams should maximize cloud and network transparency as much as possible. The nature of big data means these reviews must analyze a huge amount of information traveling between many entities. Consequently, they can quickly become time-consuming and inaccurate if companies don’t ensure visibility beforehand.

Data maps are essential when providing such transparency. Enterprises can use automated data mapping tools to get the most up-to-date picture of their network with minimal errors and time. Consolidation through the cloud will also help by removing silos.

Assess Security Along Multiple Lines

After determining the scope and ensuring visibility, it’s time to perform the big data security audit. The ensuing tests are most reliable when they consider as wide a range of factors as possible. Specifics to go over include:

• Technical defenses like encryption and access controls
• IT policies
• Compliance with those rules
• Employee readiness, including their ability to spot phishing attempts
• Incident response plans and technologies
• Data governance practices, such as what information the company stores and for how long

Comprehensive risk assessments should also employ penetration testing to identify previously unknown threats. Cybercriminals exploited at least 97 zero-day vulnerabilities in 2023 alone, so any audit that only searches for known weaknesses is incomplete.

Automate as Much as Possible

Performing such an in-depth review in a big data environment involves too many factors for manual audits to be reliable. Automated cybersecurity tools can save time and money by completing much of this process in place of human staff.

Automated solutions are available for penetration testing, vulnerability scans, network discovery, attack simulation, and general assessments. Businesses should use as many of these as permissible in their budget to minimize errors and streamline the process.

However, automation is only effective with proper usage. IT teams must program these tools to align with applicable standards and review their results to confirm them.

Act on the Results

Finally, firms should respond to their big data security audit. Any critical vulnerabilities or matters of noncompliance deserve immediate attention. Beyond that, appropriate actions depend on the situation.

IT teams should review the results and discuss plans to address any emerging issues with leadership within a few days of the report. They should also create a formal write-up of the audit to facilitate the next one. Many regulations require ongoing checks — for example, the CMMC relies on annual assessments — and detailed records will make future tests easier.

Any Big Data Project Needs Regular Security Audits

Big data is a crucial resource, but it is also a tempting target for cybercriminals. As risks rise, big data security audits become increasingly critical. IT professionals must learn to perform these assessments regularly and effectively to stay safe and compliant.