When you first picture an organization’s data protection or cyber resiliency stakeholders, you likely envision the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and cybersecurity experts. However, especially in government, storage administrators can also play a crucial role in contributing to their organization’s data protection strategies and cyber resiliency posture. By taking a proactive approach to their organization’s data and digital infrastructure, storage administrators can level up their influence in support of the organization’s broader cyber goals. Here are some practical ways they can enhance these efforts:
Implementing Data Redundancy and High Availability
To ensure high availability and resilience, storage administrators should employ storage replication or mirroring technologies that create redundant copies of critical data. This redundancy is vital for maintaining data availability in the event of a disaster or system failure. Additionally, contributing to the design and testing of disaster recovery plans is essential, as it ensures that critical data can be quickly restored following an attack or failure. Effective implementation of data redundancy and high availability measures enhances the agency’s ability to recover from disruptions and maintain operational continuity.
Implementing Best Practices for Backup and Recovery
Storage administrators should ensure that regular, automated backups are consistently performed and that these backups are periodically tested to validate data integrity. Additionally, setting up offsite backups and utilizing immutable storage solutions, such as write-once, read-many (WORM) technologies like object storage, can protect data against ransomware attacks and other threats. It is also essential to apply encryption to backup data both at rest and in transit, thereby preventing unauthorized access and ensuring data security throughout the backup process.
Data Classification and Tiering
Administrators need to identify and classify sensitive or mission-critical data to ensure it receives a higher level of protection. By categorizing data based on its sensitivity and importance, storage resources can be allocated more effectively. Moreover, implementing storage tiering allows non-critical data to be moved to lower-cost “cold” storage solutions, while the most sensitive or actively used data is kept on highly secure, performant, and resilient platforms on-premises. This approach optimizes both security and cost-efficiency in data management.
Enforcing Strong Access Controls
Ensuring that only authorized users have access to sensitive storage systems and data is paramount. Implementing role-based access control (RBAC) helps in assigning permissions based on users’ roles within the organization, thereby minimizing the risk of unauthorized access. Additionally, advocating for and implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for storage management consoles and systems adds an extra layer of security. Enforcing the principle of least privilege ensures that users have only the minimum access necessary to perform their tasks, further reducing potential security vulnerabilities.
Ensuring Compliance with Federal Data Protection Standards
Adhering to relevant National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) frameworks, such as NIST SP 800-53 for security and privacy controls and NIST SP 800-171 for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), is essential for maintaining compliance with federal data protection standards. Additionally, aligning storage management processes with the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) requirements ensures that federal systems are secured appropriately. By following these guidelines and regulations, storage administrators help maintain the agency’s compliance and overall security posture.
Monitoring and Incident Response Readiness
Continuous monitoring of storage environments for anomalies, such as unusual access patterns or unexpected changes in data size, is critical for early detection of potential threats. Utilizing advanced tools, including artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven monitoring solutions, can enhance the ability to detect data breaches or ransomware attacks promptly. Furthermore, storage administrators should collaborate closely with the agency’s cybersecurity team to ensure that data protection and recovery plans are well-integrated with the broader cyber incident response strategy, facilitating a swift and coordinated response to incidents.
Cybersecurity Training and Awareness
Staying updated on the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices is crucial for storage administrators, which can be achieved by attending relevant training and certification programs. By continuously enhancing their knowledge and skills, administrators can better protect the agency’s data assets. Furthermore, sharing this knowledge with peers and leadership about new threats, vulnerabilities, and evolving storage security strategies helps to promote a culture of security awareness within the organization. Encouraging the adoption of stronger security postures across the agency contributes to a more resilient overall cyber environment.
Collaborating on Zero Trust Initiatives
Advocating for and contributing to the implementation of Zero Trust principles within storage systems ensures that no one has implicit access to any part of the data, significantly enhancing security. Part of the Zero Trust strategy includes implementing end-to-end encryption for data, which protects information throughout its lifecycle. By participating in Zero Trust initiatives, storage administrators help create a more secure and resilient data infrastructure, aligning storage security with modern cybersecurity frameworks.
By following these approaches, storage administrators can significantly contribute to their agency’s data protection and cyber resiliency.
This blog article was published as part of Hitachi Vantara Federal’s Storage Heroes resources series.