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Types of Data Security Controls
Different types of data security controls are as follows:
● Strong Passwords: A strong password is a combination of atleast 8
characters with upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and special
characters that is difficult for unauthorised individuals or automated
programs to guess or crack. It is a very basic step that one should take
and never share the same with even the most trusted ones. Avoid using
birth dates, anniversary dates, and common combinations of numbers.
Some examples of strong passwords are: m#P52s@ap$V, "N4&vQ2! p".
● Authentication: It also refers to multi-factor authentication (MFA) and is
an additional security layer in online data systems. After a user enters their
password to log in, MFA requires them to provide one or more additional
forms of authentication to verify their identity. This could include one-
time generated code as a security token in smartphones or emails or a
fingerprint or facial recognition, or Passwords or PINs.
● Access Controls: Access controls refer to the security measures and protocols to
restrict access to sensitive data, ensuring that only authorised individuals or
entities can view, modify, or interact with it. This reduces the risk of unauthorised
access by limiting the number of users who can interact with sensitive data.
● Data Backup: Data backup refers to the process of creating copies of data
to ensure that it can be restored in the event of data loss due to natural
disasters, accidents, cyber-attacks, or other unexpected events. Sometimes
physical backup media is used to secure in access-controlled environments.
Another method to secure data can be the cloud backup which is considered
more reliable.
● Encryption: Encryption is a security technique that transforms readable
data (plaintext) into an unreadable format (ciphertext) using an algorithm
and an encryption key. This process ensures that only authorised individuals
with the correct decryption key can access the original data. Encrypted data
is meaningless if captured by attackers.
● Data Disposal: Data disposal refers to the process of securely destroying
or deleting data that is no longer needed to prevent unauthorised access,
recovery, and misuse. Proper data disposal practices are essential to ensure that
sensitive and confidential information does not fall into the wrong hands. Paper
documents, CDs, DVDs, and other physical media can be shredded to render
them unreadable. It is also referred as data erasure or data destruction.
Data Literacy 259

