What Is Data-Centric Security? How It Protects Business Data

Protecting sensitive information requires more than just safeguarding systems; it’s about keeping the data itself secure, no matter where it goes or how it’s accessed.

Whether it’s stored in the cloud, accessed through mobile devices, or transmitted over the internet, data-centric security ensures that even if one layer is breached, the data remains protected. 

Data-centric security software ensures that even if someone unauthorized gets access to data, they can’t read or use it without the right permissions. This is especially relevant when data moves across platforms like cloud services, third-party vendors, and mobile devices.

Data-centric security protects data throughout its lifecycle through various techniques, such as encryption, data loss prevention tools, and data masking. The framework includes different operations, such as identifying, understanding, controlling, protecting, and auditing data in environments like on-premise, hybrid, or cloud. 

By adopting a data-centric architecture, organizations can remove blindspots from the system and comply easily with industry regulations. It catches malicious intent and allows organizations to defend against data loss. 

Why is data-centric security important?

As the volume of data grows in organizations, the need to safeguard it increases. Here’s why more and more organizations are moving toward a data-centric security model:

Security at a data level

Several internal vulnerabilities plague business apps. Even when the network is secure, internal risks might compromise your data. Employees with access to sensitive or confidential information might accidentally share it with other employees, increasing the risks of data leaks. 

This problem is common in hybrid work environments with no set network perimeters. In such situations, you need direct control over the data, strengthening the need for data-centric security. Data-centric security prevents people from leaking confidential information, always protecting sensitive information. 

Granular controls

Unlike traditional access controls, data-centric security offers more flexibility in managing ways people can access data. It provides fine-grained access control, allowing users to fully control what and when they can access resources. 

It ensures that only the right people can see or use the data, following the principle of least privilege. Here, people have privileges that help them access relevant files and perform their jobs. They don’t have access to any other information on the server, reducing unnecessary exposure of sensitive data. 

Easy fit with existing systems

Setting up data-centric security solutions doesn't require significant shifts. They can easily be coupled with authentication, encryption, vulnerability management, and other security systems. It enhances your capabilities in dealing with cyber threats with confidence, as you can rest assured that your data is protected from malicious attacks. 

How does data-centric security work?

The data-centric security framework aims to secure data in an organization. It looks after its organization, governance, and accessibility at an individual or object level. Few systems, processes, and policies work together to facilitate data-centric security for business, including:  

• Data encryption transforms data into unreadable ciphertext, preventing its unauthorized access. It can be applied to data at rest or in transit. 
• Data classification refers to organizing and tagging data based on shared attributes like level of sensitivity or project scope. The tagging process adds labels or metadata, allowing identification and categorization for adequate data protection. Data classification might vary from organization to organization based on their internal governance policies and applicable regulations. 
• Data governance keeps an organization's data accurate by setting standards for handling, accessing, and managing data. It also increases trust and traceability in an organization’s data to ensure better logistics for business decisions.
• Access controls ascertain that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information. The system verifies access permission with several authentication measures, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), role-based access control (RBAC), or attribute-based access control (ABAC). 
• Data loss prevention protects sensitive information from being lost or stolen accidentally or maliciously.
• Data monitoring and auditing scan the organization's data and detect security incidents or threats. They consider data access permissions, location, lifecycle, and more. 

Benefits of data-centric security

Here are some key benefits of implementing a data-centric security approach:

• Enhanced protection: By focusing on the data itself, data-centric security ensures that sensitive information is safeguarded at every point—whether it’s stored, accessed, or transmitted—making it harder for attackers to exploit.
• Reduced risk of data breaches: Even if systems or networks are compromised, the data remains encrypted or tokenized, significantly reducing the impact of breaches and preventing unauthorized access to critical information.
• Improved compliance: Data-centric security helps organizations meet industry-specific regulatory requirements by ensuring that sensitive data is properly protected, reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties.
• Increased customer trust: With heightened protection for personal and sensitive information, organizations can foster greater customer confidence, demonstrating a commitment to data privacy and security in an increasingly digital world.

Challenges of data-centric security

While data-centric security offers numerous benefits, there are also challenges that organizations may encounter when implementing this approach. Some of the key challenges include:

• Complexity of implementation: Integrating data-centric security measures like encryption and tokenization across various systems and platforms can be complex, especially for large organizations with legacy infrastructure.
• Performance overhead: Encryption and tokenization can introduce performance bottlenecks, slowing down applications or data transactions, particularly when handling large volumes of data.
• Data access and usability: While protecting data, it's crucial to maintain easy access for authorized users. Securing data with encryption or tokenization can complicate this, potentially hindering efficient data usage.

The similarities between data-centric security and the zero-trust approach

Both data-centric security and zero-trust approaches complement each other. The data-centric security approach stresses the need to protect data at a granular scale. On the other hand, all iterations of the zero-trust security model emphasize protecting data while limiting its access to authorized people only. 

Many organizations tightly align the two approaches in their security program, preventing data leakage while enabling more control over sensitive information. Data-centric security solutions offer attribute-based access control (ABAC) to make sure people with a genuine need-to-know can access sensitive information. 

They require all these pillars to work in an integrated fashion to secure data effectively.

Both approaches combined offer robust data security while keeping data access limited to authorized people or systems. 

Top 5 data-centric security solutions

Data-centric security software secures data rather than the infrastructure or applications where data is stored. This approach differs from the traditional network (or perimeter-centric) security approach, which focuses on safeguarding the locations where data is stored. 

To qualify for inclusion in the data-centric security software list, a product must: 

• Offer sensitive data discovery feature
• Allow for data classification with tagging and audit sensitive information
• Protect sensitive information by enforcing access control policies
• Encrypt data at rest or in transit
• Recognize abnormalities in user behavior and information access processes

* Below are the leading data-centric security solutions from G2’s Fall 2024 Grid® report. Some reviews might have been edited for clarity. 

1. Egnyte

Egnyte is a secure multi-cloud platform that allows businesses to protect and collaborate on their most valuable content. Since its establishment in 2008, 1700 organizations have relied on Egyntefor content security and governance. 

Its simple turnkey solution helps IT teams control and manage diverse content risks, including data deletion or exfiltration.

What users like best:

“Egnyte’s large storage capacity is one of its most notable features, but what's even better is that it automatically organizes the information it stores. I also like the fact that I can create custom instances; the storage space it provides allows you to import data from different devices (phones, laptops, computers, etc.), which is handy because it prevents your system from slowing down and gives you access to your data whenever you need it. Its uptime and performance are second to none, and it integrates with other applications in an incredible way.”

- Egnyte Review, Srikanth D.

What users dislike:

“The program could use some work and more support material on its integration with other platforms; I had to reach out to support to help us with our setup with Google Workspace and Salesforce, and they were great.”

- Egnyte Review, Beatricia S.

2. Varonis Data Security Platform

Varonis Data Security Platform protects an organization’s critical data from internal and external threats. It continuously monitors user behavior, detects potential security incidents, and automates responses to potential threats. The security solution safeguards sensitive information like emails, files, and databases, providing detailed insights into who has access and when. 

What users like best:

“We are able to gain valuable insight into how our data is being shared and where.”

- Varonis Data Security Platform, Ryan G.

What users dislike:

“Hard to deploy and manage. It took our security team a couple of years to set it up correctly.”

- Varonis Data Security Platform, Christopher O.

3. CrowdStrike Falcon Data Protection

CrowdStrike Falcon Data Protection is a comprehensive data security solution designed to protect sensitive information across endpoints and servers. It uses advanced technologies like machine learning and behavioral analytics to prevent data loss. It also offers granular controls, allowing businesses to monitor, restrict, and block unauthorized file transfers, copy-paste actions, and other potential data exfiltration activities.

What users like best:

"Enhancing protection capabilities through machine learning, with key features such as active monitoring and memory scanning to detect and block attacks. The platform also boasts a robust threat intelligence database that analyzes signatures in the backend and ensures timely updates to stay ahead of emerging threats."

- Satori Data Security Platform Review, Sreenath R.

What users dislike:

"Implementing and maintaining Falcon Data Protection comes with costs, including licensing fees, implementation expenses, and ongoing support fees. As a result, it may not be a viable option for small organizations or projects with limited budgets."

- CrowdStrike Falcon Data Protection Review, Mohammad Ziauddin O.

4. Virtru

Virtru optimizes email encryption and file security for businesses. It ensures that sensitive information stays private with just a few clicks. The software also supports secure file sharing and helps teams collaborate without compromising data security. 

What users like best:

“Since the transition with Virtru, training staff to send encrypted emails has been easy. We work with many families and school districts and need to ensure that we keep their information confidential. The implementation was straightforward, and customer support was available to answer questions. We use this platform daily, and it is easy to integrate into our email system.”

- Virtu Review, Amy H.

What users dislike:

“Sometimes the Virtru button turns off without notification or any activity on my part, so I have to turn it back on.”

- Virtu Review, Ross B.

5. Strac

Strac helps businesses protect sensitive information shared through various communication channels. It ensures confidential data remains safe during transmission with tools enabling secure email, text messaging, and document sharing. Starc provides audit trails and reporting for compliance, which makes it easier for organizations to meet regulatory requirements. 

What users like best:

“Our support team was looking for ways to offer customers a more robust omnichannel experience without compliance risk. We get all kinds of sensitive information as we are in the financial space - SSNs, card numbers, etc. When I came across Strac, it was one of the most accessible security tools I’ve seen. It was simple, easy to understand and use, and more importantly - it worked. Their machine learning models were accurate, did the correct detection, and even redacted when needed. The pricing is affordable, and the customer service is readily available whenever we have questions. Implementation was a breeze; we could even set up SSO with Azure.” 

- Starc Review, Alex B. 

What users dislike:

“Initially, invoicing was very manual. However, their team has addressed this and made invoices available online.”

- Starc Review, Tim W.

The defense that never takes a day off!

Prioritizing data-centric security is essential for robust protection at the core level. By adding layers of defense directly around your data, you enhance your organization's resilience against cyber-attacks and other security threats. Data-centric security safeguards your critical assets both within the organization and across external environments, ensuring comprehensive protection throughout the data lifecycle.

Discover the best practices to protect your data effectively.

Edited by Monishka Agrawal