Data security refers to the protection of the information stored in the database on digital platforms like computers and mobiles. Data security prevents the unauthorized access by third parties to confidential information, which is the information not to be shared with anyone apart from the authorized users. Data security is also known by the names of “information security” or “computer security”.
Users of digital platforms, as well as different kinds of software, should be aware of the threats which exist to their data such as cyber-attacks, viruses or data breach which happens very frequently these days when adequate measures are not adopted for the protection against such threats. These threats to the data security include –
- Cyber-attacks – It is an attempt by unauthorized users to access the data, in order to share it with other dangerous third parties who might need such information for their own benefit.
- Viruses – Viruses are those codes which have the ability to corrupt or destroy the data and also potentially harm the effectiveness of the computer system. Such viruses have a detrimental effect on the security of the data which is stored in the system.
- Data Breach – Data breach happens when information which is highly confidential is shared intentionally or unintentionally to unwanted sources. Data breach is also known as “Data spill” or “Data leakage”.
- Hackers – A hacker is a person who anonymously enters the computer system of others using a different system, in order to steal the data as well as harming and corrupting the system. These hackers very cleverly, use strong programming and analytical skills to identify the loopholes in the security of the system and thereby get access to the data.
In the light of these threats, we must ensure that our data is well protected. The data which we store must be secured in the best possible way. Some of the measures to secure the data include –
- Encryption of data – This is a very popular method of data security wherein the data stored as well as the software and hardware information is encrypted, which means that in case if the data is accessed by unauthorized third parties, the data will be in an unreadable format. Hence, the third party won’t be able to decipher the encrypted data.
- Data backups – Back up refer to the process of restoring data from an additional source in case if it is lost due to some technical reason. Data backup is very important to ensure that important information is stored safely and has a chance of getting restored.
- Authentication – It refers to the process of providing the correct credentials like password, fingerprint, or other forms of authentication tools in order to get access to the data stored on a digital platform. This is one of the most common methods of securing data from unauthorized users as well as hackers.
- Data masking – Data masking involves partially covering or masking important data so that miscreants do not misuse the full information which has been stored. This method is highly efficient to protect secret and confidential information which should not be fully accessible by anyone except the user to whom the information belongs to.
- Anti-virus – Anti-virus software helps in protecting the computer from viruses, malware, hackers and many other cyber threats. It is very essential to install good anti-virus software so that the data of the system is well secured.
It is very essential that ERP software programs ensure a good amount of data security. In a school management software, like UC School ERP software, the respective educational institution has to store the data relating to all the students and teachers like personal details, fees, attendance, examination and other information. This data is made accessible only to those users of the institution who have the necessary unique authentication details like credentials or passwords. In this way, UC school management software provides all the necessary measures to ensure data security, so that the data is not being breached upon by any outsider.
