Project Management Data Security

Do you think Data Governance: All Show, No Impact? → Polished policies ✓ → Fancy dashboards ✓ → Impressive jargon ✓ But here's the reality check: Most data governance initiatives look great in boardroom presentations yet fail to move the needle where it matters. The numbers don't lie. Poor data quality bleeds organizations dry—$12.9 million annually according to Gartner. Yet those who get governance right see 30% higher ROI by 2026. What's the difference? ❌It's not about the theater of governance. ✅It's about data engineers who embed governance principles directly into solution architectures, making data quality and compliance invisible infrastructure rather than visible overhead. Here’s a 6-step roadmap to build a resilient, secure, and transparent data foundation: 1️⃣ 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 & 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 Define clear ownership, stewardship, and documentation standards. This sets the tone for accountability and consistency across teams. 2️⃣ 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 & 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 Implement role-based access, encryption, and audit trails. Stay compliant with GDPR/CCPA and protect sensitive data from misuse. 3️⃣ 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 & 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Catalog all data assets. Tag them by sensitivity, usage, and business domain. Visibility is the first step to control. 4️⃣ 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 Set up automated checks for freshness, completeness, and accuracy. Use tools like dbt tests, Great Expectations, and Monte Carlo to catch issues early. 5️⃣ 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲 & 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 Track data flow from source to dashboard. When something breaks, know what’s affected and who needs to be informed. 6️⃣ 𝗦𝗟𝗔 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 Define SLAs for critical pipelines. Build dashboards that report uptime, latency, and failure rates—because business cares about reliability, not tech jargon. With the rising AI innovations, it's important to emphasise the governance aspects data engineers need to implement for robust data management. Do not underestimate the power of Data Quality and Validation by adapting: ↳ Automated data quality checks ↳ Schema validation frameworks ↳ Data lineage tracking ↳ Data quality SLAs ↳ Monitoring & alerting setup While it's equally important to consider the following Data Security & Privacy aspects: ↳ Threat Modeling ↳ Encryption Strategies ↳ Access Control ↳ Privacy by Design ↳ Compliance Expertise Some incredible folks to follow in this area - Chad Sanderson George Firican 🎯 Mark Freeman II Piotr Czarnas Dylan Anderson Who else would you like to add? ▶️ Stay tuned with me (Pooja) for more on Data Engineering. ♻️ Reshare if this resonates with you!

I don’t think people understand how important the psychology of decision-making under pressure impacts the success of cybersecurity awareness training. Let me explain how… First, Stress Impacts Decision-Making. Under pressure, people are more likely to make impulsive decisions rather than carefully considered ones. To proof this theory to my audience, I use an activity during my workshops where I trick them to attempt to answer a question under pressure. For the first few minutes,because I put them on a time pressure, they keep shouting different plausible answers at me until someone reads my question again to see that the question itself, is WRONG. This is exactly what the bad guys do! Most awareness training focuses on teaching employees “what to do” in ideal scenarios but doesn’t prepare them for high-stress situations. Secondly, we forget that human decision-making is influenced by cognitive biases like authority bias (trusting an email because it appears to come from a superior) or urgency bias (responding quickly to avoid perceived consequences). Our trainings today rarely addresses these psychological biases, leaving people vulnerable to well-crafted deception attacks. Thirdly, Multitasking and Distraction Increase Risk! People often make cybersecurity decisions while multitasking or in a state of distraction, which training rarely accounts for. This 4th point is very important- Emotional Manipulation by Attackers Cybercriminals exploit human emotions like fear, greed, curiosity, and even empathy. For example, a phishing email may create a sense of urgency by threatening account suspension or appeal to empathy by posing as a charity. Awareness trainings rarely teaches employees how to recognize and resist emotional manipulation tactics. In 2025, I challenge you to do better! Make sure your trainings go beyond technical instructions and focus on emotional awareness, and practical habits that people can apply in real-world situations. Go past the technical tips and tricks, address the psychology issues. Its people (not robots) we are trying to shape for goodness sake!…tap into their humanity more than the bad guys can! #cybersecurity #informationsecurity #psychology

🚨Incoming: The Federal Zero Trust Data Security Guide Fresh off the presses - In alignment with M-22-09, the Federal CDO Council and Federal CISO Council gathered a cross-agency team of data and security specialists to develop a comprehensive data security guide for Federal agencies. Representatives from over 30 Federal agencies and departments worked together to produce the Federal Zero Trust Data Security Guide, which: 🔹Establishes the vision and core principles for ZT data security 🔹Details methods to locate, identify, and categorize data with clear, actionable criteria 🔹Enhances data protection through targeted security monitoring and control strategies 🔹Equips practitioners with adaptable best practices to align with their agency’s unique mission requirements Securing the data pillar in Zero Trust has been a challenging endeavor, but it’s foundational to a resilient cybersecurity posture. This guide lays out essential principles and a roadmap to embed security at the core of data management beyond traditional perimeters. Here are a few key takeaways: 🔐 Core ZT Principles: Adopting a data-centric approach with strict access controls, data resiliency, and integration of privacy and compliance from day one. 📊 Data Inventory and Classification: It is crucial to understand the data landscape, and the guide provides insights into cataloging and labeling sensitive data for targeted protection. 🤝 Managing Third-Party Risks: From privacy-preserving technologies to detailed vendor assessments, agencies can better secure shared data and protect it from supply chain threats. I had the privilege of attending a couple of these Working Group meetings before leaving CISA earlier this year, and I congratulate the group on this necessary release. This guide aligns closely with CISA's Zero Trust Maturity Model, providing agencies with a robust framework to secure federal data assets and advance a strong, data-centric ZT security model. #data #zerotust #cybersecurity #technology #informationsecurity #computersecurity #datascience #artificialintelligence #digitaltransformation #bigdata 

Industrial Cyber Security—Layer by Layer OT environments can't rely on repackaged IT security checklists. Frameworks like IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82 demand a defence-in-depth strategy tailored to physical processes, real-time constraints, and integrated safety systems. This layered defence model visualizes the approach, moving from the physical perimeter to the core data: ✏️ Perimeter Security: Starts with physical controls like site fencing and progresses to network gateways that enforce one-way data flow. ✏️ Network Security: Involves segmenting the network (per the Purdue model), using industrial firewalls, and securing all remote access points. ✏️ Endpoint Security: Focuses on locking down devices with application whitelisting, ensuring secure boot processes, and using anomaly detection to spot unusual behavior. ✏️ Application Security: Secures the software layer through code-signing for logic downloads and hardening engineering workstations. ✏️ Data Security: Protects information itself with encrypted backups, PKI certificates for authenticity, and integrity monitoring. This entire strategy rests on two pillars: 1. Prevention: Proactive measures like architecture reviews, role-based access control (RBAC), and disciplined patch management. 2. Monitoring & Response: OT-aware security operations, practiced incident response playbooks, and the ability to perform forensics on industrial controllers. Why it matters: The data is clear. Over 80% of recent OT incidents exploited weak segmentation or unmanaged assets. Conversely, plants with layered controls have cut their mean-time-to-detect threats by 60% (Dragos 2024). Which of these security rings do you see most neglected in real-world plants? #OTSecurity #IEC62443 #NIST80082 #DefenseInDepth #IndustrialCyber #CriticalInfrastructure #CyberResilience

Security can’t be an afterthought - it must be built into the fabric of a product at every stage: design, development, deployment, and operation. I came across an interesting read in The Information on the risks from enterprise AI adoption. How do we do this at Glean? Our platform combines native security features with open data governance - providing up-to-date insights on data activity, identity, and permissions, making external security tools even more effective. Some other key steps and considerations: • Adopt modern security principles: Embrace zero trust models, apply the principle of least privilege, and shift-left by integrating security early. • Access controls: Implement strict authentication and adjust permissions dynamically to ensure users see only what they’re authorized to access. • Logging and audit trails: Maintain detailed, application-specific logs for user activity and security events to ensure compliance and visibility. • Customizable controls: Provide admins with tools to exclude specific data, documents, or sources from exposure to AI systems and other services. Security shouldn’t be a patchwork of bolted-on solutions. It needs to be embedded into every layer of a product, ensuring organizations remain compliant, resilient, and equipped to navigate evolving threats and regulatory demands.

🎉 How to Make Cybersecurity Awareness NOT Boring Cybersecurity awareness training can often be a snooze fest. 😴 Here are a few ways to make it engaging 🎮 1. Gamify the Training Who doesn't love a good game? Turn your cybersecurity training into a game or competition. Award points for correct answers and offer small prizes for winners. Trust me, people will pay attention. 🎥 2. Use Real-World Examples Skip the jargon and go straight to real-world examples that people can relate to. Show them news clips of high-profile cyber attacks and explain how basic awareness could have prevented them. 📱 3. Make It Interactive Interactive modules can make a world of difference. Use quizzes, flashcards, and even augmented reality apps to make the training hands-on. 🎭 4. Role-Playing Exercises Let your team act out different scenarios where they have to identify phishing emails or secure compromised accounts. It's a fun and effective way to test their knowledge. 🎤 5. Guest Speakers Invite cybersecurity experts to share their experiences and insights. A fresh perspective can make the training more engaging and offer valuable real-world advice. 📊 6. Track and Celebrate Progress Use metrics to track participation and performance. Celebrate the wins, no matter how small, to keep everyone motivated. Remember, the goal is not just to "get through" the training but to create a culture of continuous cybersecurity awareness. Have you tried any innovative methods to make cybersecurity training more engaging? Share your experiences in the comments below! 👇 #Cybersecurity #CyberAwareness #Training #Engagement #Innovation

🚀 My latest research "Cognitive Integration Process for Harmonising Emerging Risks" is now published in the Journal of AI, Robotics and Workplace Automation. 95% of Australian businesses are SMEs operating on ~$500 cybersecurity budgets. Yet they're being asked to securely integrate AI, quantum computing, and blockchain into their operations. How do you make sound security decisions about emerging technologies when you lack both technical expertise and enterprise-level resources? This is fundamentally a systems engineering challenge that requires first principles thinking. When I presented this research at the Programmable Software Developers Conference in Melbourne in March, I asked the room: "Heard of an AI security incident?" No hands up. "Would you know what an AI security incident looked like?" No hands. This illustrates the gap between AI hype and foundational security understanding - the first principles are missing. That's why I developed CIPHER (Cognitive Integration Process for Harmonising Emerging Risks) - a cognitive mental model that applies systems thinking to technology integration in resource-constrained environments. 🧠 Six cognitive stages: Contextualise, Identify, Prioritise, Harmonise, Evaluate, Refine 🔧 Systems engineering foundation: Built on cognitive science, game theory, and dynamical systems theory 🎯 Technology agnostic: Works across any emerging technology, any environment, any resource constraint CIPHER is a cybersecurity framework that gives smaller organisations the same strategic decision-making capabilities that large enterprises use, designed for their operational realities. It bridges the gap between cutting-edge security research and the practical constraints that define how most Australian businesses operate. The framework recognises that in resource-constrained environments, enterprise security models cannot be applied at scale. You need cognitive tools that help teams think systematically in complex integration challenges without requiring extensive technical depth or large security budgets. My research journey continues: I'm now deep into my UNSW Canberra Masters Research capstone, building on my 2023 work on LLMs in SME cybersecurity. The goal? Developing specialised security models and creating an agnostic, holistic measurement framework for LLMs in Australian SMEs - essentially taking the $500 problem from 2023 into the AI-driven reality of 2025. #CyberSecurity #SystemsEngineering #SME #Australia #AI #EmergingTech #ResourceConstrainedSecurity #CIPHER #FirstPrinciples

🚀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧! 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐑𝐀 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐨𝐓 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 Proud to share our newest peer-reviewed article in Information (MDPI), co-authored with Miguel Ángel Ortega Velázquez, Iris Cuevas Martinez, and Dr. Antonio J. Jara (myself as ISACA CISM/CISA/AAIA). 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘜 𝘊𝘺𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘵 (𝘊𝘙𝘈) 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘰𝘛 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴. 🔥 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 1️⃣ 𝐀 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐑𝐀 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: We introduce a two-phase framework: • Phase 1: Systematically transform CRA Articles 13–14 and Annexes into atomic, testable engineering requirements. • Phase 2: Apply Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) quantitative scoring to produce a defensible readiness metric. 2️⃣ 𝐀 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐑𝐀 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐨𝐓 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬: From secure design to post-market obligations, the paper provides an actionable DevSecOps-aligned checklist. 3️⃣ 𝐀 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 (𝐀𝐇𝐏): We derive consistent domain weights, ensuring mathematically validated prioritization of CRA domains. 4️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 through the TRUEDATA project funded by INCIBE - Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad: We applied the full model to a large industrial OT cybersecurity project (water infrastructure) with Neoradix Solutions AirTrace Bersey UCAM Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia at the pilots with the support of the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura, O.A., Mancomunidad De Los Canales De Taibilla, and FRANCISCO ARAGÓN. 5️⃣ 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. The paper provides best practices for SBOM automation, PSIRT & CVD setup, Secure-by-design, OTA, monitoring, attestation, documentation and conformity assessment Our aim from Libelium with this paper is to give the industry a practical, structured, and evidence-based way to operationalize compliance and strengthen cybersecurity by design. 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐀 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐑𝐀 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 “𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧”, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐨𝐓 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞. 👉 Download here: https://lnkd.in/dQu54qE2 European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) Felix A. Barrio (PhD, CISM) Global Cybersecurity Forum SITE سايت Betania Allo Axon Partners Group ISACA ISACA VALENCIA

Why Identity Access Management Is Critical for Modern Enterprises Identity Access Management (IAM) is the vital part of any robust security architecture - especially as traditional perimeters dissolve in today’s distributed environments. For technical leaders and practitioners, effective IAM isn’t just about authentication. It’s about implementing continuous, granular controls that adapt to organizational change and emerging risk. Key pillars include: User Access Reconciliation: Regular alignment of granted permissions with actual entitlements in critical systems is non-negotiable. Automated and periodic reconciliation detects orphaned accounts and excessive privileges, reducing attack surfaces. Privileged Access Management (PAM): High-risk accounts with broad capabilities must be tightly governed. PAM enforces strict controls such as just-in-time elevation, session monitoring, and audit trails to protect sensitive assets from exploitation. Timely Access Revocation: When users change roles or exit, immediate deprovisioning is crucial. Delays can leave dormant accounts vulnerable to misuse or compromise. Automated workflows ensure access rights are always in sync with current employment status and responsibilities. Principle of Least Privilege: Users should have the minimal access needed to perform their functions - nothing more. This foundational control limits exposure and contains lateral movement in case of breaches. Periodic Role Transition Audits: Role transitions are inevitable. Regular reviews of access entitlements ensure that evolving responsibilities are matched by appropriate authorizations, preventing privilege creep and segregation-of-duty violations. In a zero-trust era, identity is the new perimeter. Mature IAM programs employ multifactor authentication, continuous role audits, and real-time response to changes, providing both agility and security at enterprise scale. #IAM #CyberSecurity #IdentityManagement #PAM #ZeroTrust

Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk? It’s not hackers. It’s not malware. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐬. A single click on a suspicious link can bring an entire system to its knees. But here’s the good news: with the right culture, your team can become your greatest line of defence. 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: Over the years , I have seen organizations facing a surge in phishing attacks. Despite multiple training sessions, employees still fell for well-crafted scams. Clearly, traditional awareness programs aren’t cutting it. So, we need to be creative. Here’s what can work: 💡 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: Launch a “Phish Hunt” challenge. Employees earn points for spotting phishing emails, and the top scorers gets prizes. This may start as a game but can quickly become second nature. 💡 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: Instead of dry lectures, share real-world stories—both successes and failures. People don’t remember slides, but they do remember a colleague’s near-miss with a cyber scam. 💡 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥: Show employees how to protect their personal devices and accounts first. When people feel empowered at home, they bring that vigilance to work. 💡 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬: Recognize team members who went above and beyond to uphold cybersecurity practices. Visibility will turn them into role models for others. 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳: 𝑪𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒗𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒚—𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒆𝒕. And that mindset must be nurtured with creativity, relevance, and recognition. Is your organization engaging employees in cybersecurity awareness? I’d love to hear your strategies! #CyberSecurity #CyberVigilance #CyberCulture