Key Questions for Starting your Cybersecurity Journey
Every organization needs to answer three big questions to kick off their cybersecurity efforts:
Who owns our data?
How do we manage that ownership fairly?
Who gets to access our organization’s data?
These questions are at the heart of this post. Data and identity governance are important for all leaders—not just IT teams. Clear policies and practices help organizations stay secure, build trust, and use their data wisely. So, what do we mean by ‘data governance’ and ‘identity governance’?
What Is ‘Data Governance’?
‘Data governance’ is about deciding who owns different parts of an organization’s data. The main idea is that no single person or team should control all the data. Instead, ownership should be fair, clear, and in line with the organization’s goals and values.
Many organizations leave this job to the IT department, thinking IT should handle internal controls. While IT plays a key role, having a data governance plan helps spread responsibility across teams. This approach ensures:
Different departments share ownership and accountability.
Processes are in place to manage data without overloading one team.
Data is protected from misuse or poor management.
A clear data governance framework sets rules for how data is stored, accessed, and used. This reduces risks like slow decision-making or security gaps caused by one person having too much control.
What Is ‘Identity Governance’?
Identity governance is about deciding who can access which data within the organization. While it’s connected to data governance, ‘identity governance’ focuses on managing access to reduce risks.
The key idea here is ‘least privileged access’, which means people should only have the access they need to do their jobs. Limiting access reduces the chances of mistakes or insider threats.
Here are some best practices for identity governance:
Separate Roles and Responsibilities:
Split the roles of those who access data and those who approve access.
For example, a cybersecurity team might have super-user access to systems but no permission to change data. This separation prevents conflicts and ensures accountability.
Use Role-Based Access:
Assign access based on job roles.
Give data owners and users access only to the systems they manage. Broader access decisions should go through a central process, like an Identity and Access Management (IAM) system.
Set Clear IAM Policies:
Outline how access requests are made, reviewed, and approved.
Policies should include steps for approvals, criteria for granting access, and regular reviews to remove unneeded permissions.
Use Automation Tools:
Tools for identity governance can automate tasks like granting access and checking compliance. Automation makes the process faster and more accurate.
How to Make It Work
For identity governance to succeed, you need:
A Dedicated Cybersecurity Team: This team should focus on creating and enforcing policies, not running day-to-day operations. Their job is to monitor compliance, review logs, and investigate issues.
Clear Separation Between Governance and Administration: Governance is about setting rules, while administration handles daily management. Separating these roles reduces the chance of misuse.
Having distinct roles helps your cybersecurity team focus on oversight and accountability instead of routine tasks. This approach strengthens decision-making and lowers the risk of unauthorized access.
Why It Matters
Data and identity governance aren’t just technical ideas. They’re essential strategies that affect everything an organization does. By addressing these questions and setting up strong governance, organizations can:
Build trust with employees, clients, and partners.
Meet legal and regulatory requirements.
Protect sensitive information from breaches.
Create a culture of accountability and transparency.
Wrapping Up
Answering these three key questions is the first step to building a secure and efficient system for managing data. Governance isn’t just about following rules or avoiding risks—it’s about creating trust and resilience. With clear policies and smart strategies, organizations can turn cybersecurity into a strength and protect their future.
