Top 7 Key Aspects of an Effective Electronic Data Auditing System

Apr 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Tim Rhodes

           

While a significant task at the onset, automated data auditing can help safeguard your company's intellectual property from online exposure for years to come, protecting the organization's information and reputation.

1. When devising a data auditing system, plan well into the future and assess long-term business needs.

2. Devise a flexible and scalable system that can easily adapt to business change without disruption.

3. Ensure that your auditing system is independent of all other IT systems.

4. Assign responsibility to an individual separate from and impartial to the data in question.

5. Take the time to identify and inventory all electronic data files, both internal and external, including e-mail and instant messages, customer lists, financials and bank records, Web and design files, directories, personnel and legal records, audio, video and other media.

6. Define each file's importance, role and sensitivity. Complete a thorough analysis.

7. While real-time logging should be restricted to read-only access to discourage tampering, all auditing systems should include the ability to easily analyze and locate data, create reports, assess trends and trace transactional paths. Once a system is in use for a reasonable amount of time, administrators should be able to evaluate average file usage, establishing expectations and automated alerts to deter and quickly catch unintended use and exposure.

TIM RHODES is a data protection expert who helps companies protect their most valuable asset online. Visit http://www.webargos.com/exclusive.

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