HyTrust recently announced that it is purchasing DataGravity. While I do not know the details, the purchase is a pretty savvy one. Why? HyTrust is launching into the cloud, and DataGravity works in any cloud. A win-win, if you ask me. HyTrust has three major products, and with DataGravity, it will have a fourth, but also some pretty interesting integration options. What are those possible integration options, and why is this an attractive purchase? One thing to realize is that HyTrust improves audit. On the surface, DataGravity adds more capability to the audit trail. With that in mind, let us delve deeper.
The benefits to HyTrust are many, mostly in the area of data investigation. Here are some integrations that come to mind when I think of the two companies’ products:
- DataGravity detects PII, PHI, PCI, and other regulatory data within cloud and on-site storage. This triggers DataControl or the hypervisor to encrypt the data using appropriate keys from KeyControl.
- DataGravity detects who is accessing regulatory data, and CloudControl limits access if that data is within its purview.
- DataGravity detects changed data, such as unofficial encryption, and either kills the process doing so or uses DataControl to invoke the proper encryption.
- A key from KeyControl is issued, and DataGravity is used to verify that the key is appropriately used on the proper data.
This is just a few of the possible integrations available to HyTrust with this new purchase. HyTrust is marrying data intelligence with security control and operations. This is a crucial need for the secure hybrid cloud. Our data is proliferating at alarming rates, and much of it has yet to be classified by any automated means.
As data moves around the hybrid cloud, the chance of a bad actor getting their hands on something they should not grows. The risk grows. The growing risk is why DataGravity is such a good purchase for HyTrust. HyTrust improves overall auditing; now, it can improve overall data intelligence. The first step to securing data is to know what comprises the data: in other words, data classification. It is the job least done, but it is the most important job to be done. It was a task that was ripe for automation, and now it has been automated.
Once we know what data we have, we can also track our data, ensuring that we know where our data is at all times. In essence, we have a data management platform that has not only the intelligence, but also the policy to drive how to handle the specific types of data. However, we also need to know who did what, where, when, and how with our data. That is the strength of DataGravity and the HyTrust suite of products. Improving auditing capability will improve overall risk assessment. This allows more risk-avoidance or security measures to be taken.
Here are some questions that we have trouble answering today, but that this combination can assist:
- Who or what last modified a file? Was it a person, process, or malware?
- How many copies of X data exist within your hybrid cloud?
- Where are all the copies of X data within your hybrid cloud?
- What is the history of all modifications of a file? By whom or what?
- Where is a specific type of data?
- Is all data properly handled per organizational policy?
- Is your data outside your jurisdictional control?
Audit and data intelligence allows us to know more, to find data faster, and to meet complex geopolitical, legal, regulatory, and organizational policy requirements. We are entering the realm of data-driven security.
Do you know where all your data resides? How long would it take you to find out? Do you even think you can do so?