Due to data usage and the exponential growth of remote work, the need for dependable data protection centers around the world has increased in recent years. Data centers need special security measures to shield them from the rising physical and digital threats since they are critical for extensive networking, data storage, and information exchange.
Let’s explore what data center security is, the safety requirements, and the risks it faces. Discover the cybersecurity best practices you should use to ensure the highest possible protection.
Digital Transformation and Datacenter
In order to stay ahead of the competition and keep up with their profit margins, businesses must continue to innovate. Digital Transformation is at the heart of this and data centers are crucial in making it possible. Data centers are essentially the homes of the cloud and this opens up the opportunity for them to become private cloud service providers. This would streamline operations and give companies the capacity for the new Digital Transformation projects. This is especially important due to the surge of AI and ML which is heavily reliant on large quantities of data.
Digital transformation is usually broken down into four sections: domain, process, business model, and organizational/cultural. They lead to a flood of data and connections. This abundance of data affords businesses fresh possibilities for improvement and development. Yet it also makes them more susceptible to data intrusions and cyberattacks. If an organization does not include cybersecurity in their digital transformation, disaster is sure to follow.
The way physical security is approached needs to be reconsidered due to Digital Transformation. The essential idea of guaranteeing the privacy, reliability, and availability of information no matter where it is located and however it is used is that only authorized personnel should have access to the locations, systems, and applications they are authorized to access.
The convergence of Physical and Cyber Threats
It is important to address physical and cyber security in a combined way. They are becoming more and more related in modern times. A clear illustration of this is the fact that physical security installations (card readers, CCTV) are now situated on the network. This implies that having robust cybersecurity measures is fundamental to ensure the dependability of physical security systems. Nevertheless, this reliance also provides interesting opportunities to make use of both disciplines to create new security models.
In light of the advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the system can react to a situation promptly by notifying those responsible and denying access without human input. Unfortunately, with new inventions comes the risk of new loopholes and breach opportunities that hackers can exploit. Physical devices that are connected to the internet, such as ID cards, biometrics, HVAC systems, laptops, cellphones and USBs, are all potential cyber security risks.
Regulation Framework and Cybersecurity Standards
Organizations must implement digital and physical monitoring systems at the rack level to make certain that access protocols are followed. This monitoring must generate a full cyber audit trail, provide transparency and reporting, and automate the process of revoking access.
This is to comply with laws like Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or Singapore Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) , and Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 (SOX).
Furthermore, organizations should also contemplate adopting security standards such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Center for Internet Security (CIS) controls, and others.
The Future of Datacenter Security
To stay up-to-date with the quickly changing threat situation, a security system has to be complete, combined, and rely on modern technologies. This includes both digital and physical safety since both are essential. Data centers are often used for digital transformation and private cloud use. They are increasing in number and any successful attack on these data centers could have grave consequences.
To ready for tomorrow, data center administrators must implement cyber and physical defense plans. Combining cyber and physical layers of security is a priority for the security network. Nowadays, attacks are more sophisticated and involve cyberattacks that can expose physical security. Plus, a significant number of attacks involve insiders. It is essential to remember that cyber and physical defense are two halves of a single, overall safety system.
Data centers must make sure their cyber and physical security are integrated without any gaps. Physical components and devices must be protected on secure networks and be behind firewalls. This will help protect them from malicious actions, while providing rapid incident response services in the event of an infiltration.
