We’ve all heard it before: an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. This may seem relatively evident in data security, but I recently had some time to think about this on a much more personal level.  

Earlier this year, I was advised that I should consider getting my Aortic valve replaced within the next few years. I had the option of having open heart surgery soon or waiting to get a Transcatheter, Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure, a less invasive procedure but one that would likely require open heart surgery down the road as well. The decision was tough - TAVR now with potential future complications or immediate open-heart surgery for a more lasting solution?

I opted for immediate surgery. Though the thought of open-heart surgery was nerve-wracking, it was a proactive choice to secure my well-being rather than risk catastrophic health issues later. It was a decision made with both heart and head.

Preventative measures for your data health 

In my professional life, I often discuss protecting sensitive data with clients. The urgency to safeguard data is akin to the body's need for uninterrupted blood flow. With emerging legislation, the call for proactive data protection is louder than ever – akin to taking charge of one's heart health before a crisis strikes.

Businesses face similar choices in data security. Some excel in their duty of care, while others do the bare minimum or remain unaware of the risks lurking in their data landscape. This denial, a hope against the odds of a breach, can be a business's undoing.

For my health, the choice was clear: an open-heart surgery that not only provided a durable solution but also reduced future risks. In data security, the choices are parallel: take control over your entire data landscape or accept the risk of patch-ups and future problems. 

So, what's the takeaway for businesses today? It's time to prioritize business health with the same diligence we afford our personal health. Just as I made an independent decision about my heart surgery, companies must navigate their path in data stewardship. With increasing regulatory pressures such as data subject access requests (DSARs,) the right to information (RTI), and your right to be forgotten (RTBF), it’s more important than ever to have a complete, comprehensive understanding of your data health.

Guarding our personal and business health is not just prudent; it's imperative. It's about ensuring the lifeblood – whether it's our actual blood or the data that drives our businesses – continues to flow robustly.

Choosing to Intervene with DataStealth 

Much like ensuring a healthy heart involves proactive measures, maintaining the well-being of your business data requires strategic interventions. DataStealth is a Data Security Platform (DSP)  that allows organizations to discover, classify, and protect their most sensitive data, ensuring that data is secure and meets the  applicable privacy, regulatory, governance and compliance requirements. And thankfully, deploying DataStealth isn’t open-heart surgery. It is as simple as making a small network change. No application development. No installation of agents, collectors or widgets. No changes to user behaviour of workflows.

Just as with personal health decisions, the choices made in data stewardship today have far-reaching implications for the resilience and longevity of your business. How will you take care of your business's future?

Ready to take the proper preventative measures to protect your data? Talk with a DataStealth expert to learn more. 

Written by Charlie Atkinson, Chief Revenue Officer of DataStealth.io