We need to talk about data. Specifically, your data and my data. The stuff we use on a day-to-day basis, from where we store it to what our expectations are for its safe handling.
Now let me get one thing clear from the beginning: I am going to suggest some ways to approach this thorny issue, but this is not a complete or comprehensive set of solutions. It can’t be – every person and every business has different requirements, needs and pressures. I hope simply to cover the fundamentals about “our stuff” and how we look after it.
Take responsibility
It’s very easy to sit on the sidelines and throw stones at those who get it wrong, the people and businesses who suffer a catastrophic data failure. Some are the result of evil phishing and fraud. Some are ransomware attacks. Some are very sophisticated attacks that are hard to spot.
But, at the end of the day, it’s our stuff and we have to take responsibility for it. There is a myriad of excuses that can be deployed, from “it’s too complicated for home users to understand” to “SMEs don’t have the staffing, funding or resources to handle things in a strong way”. And there is always something more important to worry about right now, because time and money are limited.
And it’s easy to wash away, because the truth is that accessing data usually works just fine. Right up to the point when something goes wrong, that moment when you realise that you’re like that cartoon character that has run off
