What do you do if your data governance practices need to adapt to remote work?

If there is a need to work remotely, start by implementing secure access controls to ensure data security outside the office environment. Use cloud-based solutions for data storage and management to allow easy and secure access from anywhere. Update policies to address new risks and compliance requirements associated with remote work providing complete guidance. Provide training and support to employees on best practices for handling data remotely. Regularly monitor and audit data activities to ensure governance standards are maintained, and use collaboration tools to keep everyone aligned and informed about governance processes.

There is no one solution that fits all the different types of industries and classifications of data. For simplicity, consider classifying the data into two categories: PII and non-PII. Accessing non-PII remotely is acceptable as the associated risk is low. However, when it comes to PII, the risk is significant, and proper controls and guardrails need to be defined to ensure that only authorized users with proper justification are allowed access. Additionally, all operations should be logged for auditing purposes. Defining security measures is one thing, but adhering to them is an individual’s responsibility. Proper training should be provided to explain the risks and the impact on brand value associated with data breaches.

Highly regulated industries with strict data privacy requirements rely on close collaboration between Cybersecurity and Data Governance teams. Together, they implement a Zero-Trust approach, ensuring continuous verification and least privilege access. This is strengthened by data governance policies that define user access controls, data classification, and security measures like device encryption and strong passwords. Role-based access control, considering a user's role, responsibilities, and geographic location, determines the appropriate level of access. Additionally, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) techniques can be used to reinforce user obligations and monitor for unauthorized data theft.

This is a critical point because some interesting points are commeted in physical meeting or have data or information on physical assets stored in physical warehouse on the company. So this data must be available to use in the current data governance work. Use all required tools to get available all data as possible as the company generate to move some practice to this new way to work, and the remove workers have access it.

Adapting data governance practices to remote working requires consideration of additional points... Collaboration tools: Ensure that the collaboration tools and platforms used are secure and compliant with data governance policies, including tools for file sharing, communication and project management. Access controls: Strengthen access controls to protect sensitive data. Use multi-factor authentication, VPNs and role-based access to ensure that only authorized employees can access important data remotely. Audit procedures: Conduct regular audits to ensure remote working practices meet data governance standards. Identify potential risks and areas for improvement to ensure data integrity and security.