An alarming number of organizations today are doing the bare minimum to meet compliance standards and build a total data protection strategy. They are completely unaware of the data security race as news reports of recent cyberattacks and breaches show a surge in perpetrators gaining control of critical data.

These malicious actions could ultimately threaten your brand, damage customer loyalty and weaken the integrity of data in business decision-making. By reviewing the course ahead and evaluating the potential impact of lengthy pit stops along the way, you can gain insight to fend off data breaches and plan the best route to your organization’s data protection destination.

Download the complete KuppingerCole Leadership Compass for Database Security

Know Where the Speed Traps Are

Ignoring the posted regulations won’t be easy when — not if — you get pulled over in a regulatory audit speed trap, so to speak. Organizations must demonstrate data security and privacy compliance to common regulations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

And now, the European Union (EU)’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which goes into effect in May 2018, requires multinational organizations to disclose data breaches within 72 hours or face large penalties. This means that successful attacks will become much more visible for consumers. This regulation also has international reach, forcing any organization that processes data of EU subjects to be in compliance and audit-ready or face potentially huge fines.

Inspect for Worn Treads and Leaks

As the value of data grows, sophisticated cybercriminals are accelerating the frequency and scope of attacks at an alarming rate. At the same time, malicious insiders are continuing to ramp up the types of extraction methods to gain access and steal valuable data. Organizations must be prepared to combat these threats at any time by continuously scanning for vulnerabilities and analyzing the data infrastructure for potential gaps and unprotected sensitive data.

Avoid Unnecessary Detours and Delays

Cloud computing enables businesses to become more mobile and agile. However, the breakneck speed of cloud-bound sensitive data can stress outdated security infrastructures, cause operational inefficiencies and severely impede the performance of systems and staff.

You can’t afford to be slowed down while cybercriminals are quickening their pace. Organizations need to become more agile to address vulnerabilities in their systems and automate manual processes, moving fast enough to effectively overcome roadblocks and obstacles.

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The Road to Total Data Protection

To get started on the road to total data protection, you should consider a vendor that provides the most comprehensive data security platform that can support your immediate needs and grow along with the overall security strategy of your organization.

We invite you to take this opportunity to review the “KuppingerCole Leadership Compass for Database Security,” which named IBM Guardium the overall leader. This report focused on 10 vendors and selected the overall leader based on a combined rating that accounts for the strength of products, the market presence and the innovation of vendors.

This diagram shows vendors’ positions in the Database Security segment:

Guardium Is the Gold Standard

IBM Security Guardium strengths called out in the report include:

• Full range of data security capabilities beyond just databases;
• Advanced big data and cognitive analytics;
• Nearly unlimited scalability;
• Bidirectional integration with IBM QRadar SIEM; and
• A massive network of technology partners and resellers.

The road to success is paved with your priorities and how you go about addressing them. Prepare now to protect your enterprise from these speed traps, obstacles and hazards — otherwise known as regulators, cyber attackers and insiders! Don’t wait until you are spinning your wheels.

Download the complete KuppingerCole Leadership Compass for Database Security