The storage network is now of the utmost importance to any enterprise; not only does it hold essential data, the lifeblood of any organization, it also provides the capacity for running business-critical applications and services. Unfortunately, this makes the storage network a potential target for malicious attacks from outside the organization and also renders it vulnerable to accidental damage from within the company.

Storage security has never been more important than at the present time, when business and regulatory compliance demand confidential data security. Yet while a majority companies acknowledge that regulatory issues are an important driver in their storage investment, the issues that result from security breaches, such as financial loss and brand damage, can be just as serious as receiving a fine or legal action for non-compliance.

A carefully planned and well-executed security strategy throughout the enterprise is essential, so what should companies take into consideration to reduce the risk of data corruption and loss?

Don't assume your data is secure

It is a common belief amongst business and technical personnel alike that because the storage network exists far from the many entry points and is not on an Internet Protocol (IP) network, that it doesn't need additional security. This assumption is often what makes the storage network the weak link in the security chain. While your average employee may have little idea of how the storage environment operates or how to access key data, a malicious attacker will often take advantage of this attitude to the storage environment. Securing, hardening and frequently monitoring the storage system is crucial to prevent unauthorized individuals obtaining and potentially misusing valuable data.

Ensure your technical team understands the storage network

Storage networks are often looked upon as simple systems that merely provide data storage. This can lead to misconfiguration of the system making it vulnerable to accidental security breaches. Those in charge of the storage network need to understand how to secure all parts of the environment in order to prevent this. In a small or mid-sized business a lack of technical knowledge or training can result in perfectly adequate equipment operating without proper protection because one element has been left unsecured.