Despite evidence that stored data is more vulnerable than data in transit, companies still focus encryption efforts on data transmission.It’s Time to Protect Stored DataA recent survey conducted by CIO and PricewaterhouseCoopers found that the most common result of security breaches in the past 12 months was the compromise or loss of stored data, just ahead of applications and network availability.It’s Also Time to Make Encryption a Priority Only 30 percent of IT executives said their companies encrypt stored data, yet it’s attacked most frequently.Source: “State of IT Security 2003,” a worldwide study conducted by CIO and PricewaterhouseCoopers—7,596 respondents Best PracticesDon’t lose the key. If you store encrypted data and lose the digital encryption key, you cannot read that data. Depending on the form or encryption you choose, if you store data in an encrypted fashion and lose the digital encryption key or access passwords, you have no way of ever reading that data again. Make sure you have backup procedures and access permissions as part of your encryption strategy, including storing encryption keys and passwords in escrow with a secure third party.Pick and choose. Some stored information may warrant this additional level of security, such as R&D or sensitive customer records, but other data may not. Companies should frequently review the classification of data and information and determine which assets require encryption. Align your security policy with your company’s business objectives. This will help you determine which data is critical to the business—requiring additional layers of security—and which is not. Related content brandpost Sponsored by Freshworks When your AI chatbots mess up AI ‘hallucinations’ present significant business risks, but new types of guardrails can keep them from doing serious damage By Paul Gillin Dec 08, 2023 4 mins Generative AI brandpost Sponsored by Dell New research: How IT leaders drive business benefits by accelerating device refresh strategies Security leaders have particular concerns that older devices are more vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. By Laura McEwan Dec 08, 2023 3 mins Infrastructure Management case study Toyota transforms IT service desk with gen AI To help promote insourcing and quality control, Toyota Motor North America is leveraging generative AI for HR and IT service desk requests. By Thor Olavsrud Dec 08, 2023 7 mins Employee Experience Generative AI ICT Partners feature CSM certification: Costs, requirements, and all you need to know The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification sets the standard for establishing Scrum theory, developing practical applications and rules, and leading teams and stakeholders through the development process. By Moira Alexander Dec 08, 2023 8 mins Certifications IT Skills Project Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe