Why Should Organizations Mask Their Sensitive Data

Jan 31, 2023 / Kron

As technology continues to advance, data has become one of the most valuable assets for organizations of all sizes. However, as its value rises, so does the risk. Organizations must ensure that their sensitive data, such as financial information, personal identifiers, and confidential business information, is protected from breaches and unauthorized access. One of the most effective ways to do this is through data masking.

Data masking is the technique of hiding sensitive data in a way that it cannot be understood by unauthorized individuals. This can be done through a variety of techniques, such as substitution, redaction, and tokenization. These techniques make it difficult for unauthorized individuals to access or use the sensitive data, while still allowing authorized individuals to use the data for legitimate business purposes.

One of the primary reasons organizations should mask their sensitive data is to comply with industry regulations. Many industries, such as healthcare and finance, are subject to strict regulations that require organizations to protect sensitive data. For example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) both have specific requirements for protecting personal health information and personal data, respectively. Organizations that fail to comply with these regulations can face significant fines and penalties.

Another reason organizations should mask their sensitive data is to protect against data breaches. Data breaches can have a devastating impact on an organization, both financially and reputationally. In addition to the cost of a data breach, organizations may also be subject to legal action and loss of customer trust. By making it more difficult for unauthorized users to access and utilize the sensitive data, masking can help lower the risk of a data breach.

Data masking can also help organizations protect against insider threats. Insider threats refer to the risk of unauthorized access or use of sensitive data by individuals who are authorized to access the data, such as employees, contractors, or vendors. These individuals may have legitimate access to the sensitive data but may misuse that access for personal gain or to cause harm to the organization. Masking sensitive data can help reduce the risk of insider threats by limiting the amount of sensitive data that individuals have access to.

Moreover, data masking can assist organizations in protecting their competitive advantages. Many organizations rely on sensitive data, such as financial information and confidential business information, to maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. If this sensitive data is accessed or used by unauthorized individuals, it can give competitors an unfair advantage. Masking sensitive data can help protect an organization's competitive advantage by making it more difficult for competitors to access and use that sensitive data.

Organizations have a responsibility to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and use. Data masking is an effective way to protect sensitive data and comply with industry regulations. It also helps organizations protect against data breaches, insider threats, and loss of competitive advantage. It is important for organizations to have a data masking strategy in place to help protect their sensitive data and Kron’s Dynamic Data Masking solution helps you to secure the access to your critical data.

With our Dynamic Data Masking solution, you can regulate and centrally manage secure access to your sensitive data. As an advanced access and masking engine, Dynamic Data Masking offers multiple benefits: