Big Data and Infosecurity: Research Report

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Austin Lamb
3 years ago
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What did the survey conclude was the most important?
What is the biggest hype about big data?
Who answered questions about big data in the survey?

1 Big Data and Infosecurity: Research Report Contents Big Data and Infosecurity: Research Report... 1 Table of Contents... 1 Executive Summary... 2 Methodology... 2 Findings... 3 Who responded?... 3 What is big data, and how can we make use of it?... 4 How important is big data?... 5 Are they using big data?... 6 Big data use cases for IT security... 7 Conclusions and Recommendations... 9 Appendix 1: Questions... 9

... 3 What is big data, and how can we make use of it?... 4 How important is big data?

2 Executive Summary Technology personnel must stay relevant in order to stay employed. t only do they have to keep up with product updates, but they must keep abreast of new technologies, new security threats, and all those pesky shifting paradigms. Choosing to specialize in the wrong technology can be career limiting, recommending the wrong technology to your boss can be career ending. When a new buzzword like big data starts to take off, technology workers have the right to be skeptical. Is there something really new and important, or is it just hype? Is this going to change the how we do things for years to come, or is it just a distraction? How do we really use it? At Infosecurity Europe 2012, Varonis Systems conducted a survey to determine what IT security professionals were thinking about big data. Over 180 attendees responded, answering questions about whether they thought the definition of big data itself was clear, whether it is or will be a priority for their organizations, and how they might like to use it. The results of our survey show that while most IT security folks felt that their awareness and visibility of big data products on the market was low, big data was more than hype one third of those responded that it is already a strategic initiative in their organization, and most say that it will be a strategic initiative within the next 5 years. Consistent with the results about product awareness, only a little more than half reported being aware that big data analytics could help with management and protection of data. The top three applications of big data to protect and manage unstructured and semi-structured data were to: find at risk sensitive data, identify possible malicious activity and find users with excessive access rights. Methodology In April of 2012, Varonis conducted a survey at Infosecurity Europe 2012 consisting of 13 questions. Over 180 individuals participated in a simple paper survey distributed to attendees by Varonis personnel during the show. The survey s questions were constructed to: Gauge attendee familiarity with big data Gauge attendee familiarity with IT-centric use cases for big data analytics Gauge attendee interest in using big data analytics for data management and protection

Choosing to specialize in the wrong technology can be career limiting, recommending the wrong technology to your boss can be career ending.

3 FINDINGS Who responded? Of those that responded, 38% were from small businesses (<500 employees). The remaining 62% were fairly evenly distributed over medium to large businesses. As you would most certainly suspect, most of the respondents at InfoSec reported that they performed a security role.

The remaining 62% were fairly evenly distributed over medium to large

4 What is Big Data, and how can we make use of it? Most responded no to the question, Do you think there is a clear definition of big data and its uses for IT? When asked, On a scale of 1-10 how would you describe your awareness of and the visibility you have on big data products currently on the market?, 73% rated themselves a 5 or lower, and 22% rated themselves a 1.

5 How important is Big Data? To the question, Do you agree that big data should be a key strategic priority for IT? 69% responded that it should be a strategic priority. Those that felt big data was clearly defined were a bit more bullish than those that didn t:

6 When asked if big data is strategic initiative in your organization currently, or if they thought that big data would be strategic initiative in their organization within five years, 32% reported that it is currently a strategic initiative, and 57% reported that it would be in in 5 years. Are they using Big Data? Big data has already taken hold in more than a third of organizations, 36% report their organization is currently implementing big data projects.

strategic initiative, and 57% reported that it would be in in 5 years. Are they using Big Data?

7 Big data projects seem to be more prominent by percentage in very large organizations, though there appears to be a healthy adoption in organizations of all sizes: BIG DATA USE CASES FOR IT SECURITY Asking about specific use cases for big data, only a little more than half 54% reported they knew that big data analytics could help manage and protect unstructured and semi-structured content. Did you know that big data could help protect and manage unstructured and semi-structured data (documents, spreadsheets, images, , etc.)?

than half 54% reported they knew that big data analytics could help manage and protect unstructured and semi-structured content.

8 As a follow up question, the survey asked, How would you like to use big data to protect and manage unstructured and semi-structured data? The top 3 most popular responses were: 1. Finding at risk sensitive data 2. Identifying possible malicious activity 3. Finding users with excessive access rights.

The top 3 most popular responses were: 1. Finding at risk sensitive data 2.

9 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IT security personnel have a unique perspective. They are charged with managing and protecting an organization s digital infrastructure and so require an understanding of a wide variety of technologies and an awareness of those that are being implemented in their organizations. As they report that already a third of their organizations are implementing big data solutions, it s clear that big data is more than marketing hype. IT personnel that want to stay current should become familiar with big data analytics platforms, use cases, and how big data techniques can help their organizations. From an IT security perspective, organizations may want to start by exploring concrete use cases: how big data analytics solutions can help identify at-risk sensitive data, malicious activity, and excessive access rights. APPENDIX1: QUESTIONS 1. What role does Big Data play in your responsibilities? Big Data management is my primary responsibility Up to 10% of my projects involve Big Data Up to 25% of my projects involve Big Data Up to 50% of my projects involve Big Data ne of my projects involve Big Data 2. Do you think there is a clear definition of Big Data and its uses for IT? 3. Do you agree that Big Data should be a key strategic priority for IT? I m not sure. I need to learn more about Big Data 4. Is your organization s IT department currently implementing Big Data projects? I m not sure 5. Is Big Data a strategic initiative in your organization currently? I m not sure

implemented in their organizations. As they report that already a third of their organizations are implementing big data solutions, it s clear that big data is more than marketing hype.

10 6. Do you think Big Data will be strategic initiative in your organization in five years time? I m not sure 7. On a scale of 1-10 how would you describe your awareness of and the visibility you have on Big Data products currently on the market? Write a number 8. Did you know that Big Data could help protect and manage unstructured and semi-structured data (documents, spreadsheets, images, s, etc.)? 9. Would you be interested in using Big Data to protect and mange unstructured and semi-structured data> I m not sure. I need to learn more about Big Data 10. How would you like to use Big Data to protect and manage unstructured and semi-structured data? Identifying at-risk sensitive data Identifying Stale Data Finding similar data sets Identifying unusual access patterns Identifying possible malicious activity Finding users with excessive access rights Finding redundant/unneeded security groups Aligning data with business units/finding Data Owners Understanding and optimizing digital collaboration processes Understanding and optimizing digital collaboration workflows 11. Which one of the following Big Data use cases could your department get the most benefit from? Identifying at-risk sensitive data Identifying Stale Data Finding similar data sets Identifying unusual access patterns Identifying possible malicious activity Finding users with excessive access rights Finding redundant/unneeded security groups Aligning data with business units/finding Data Owners Understanding and optimizing digital collaboration processes

Did you know that Big Data could help protect and manage unstructured and semi-structured data (documents, spreadsheets, images, emails, etc.)? 9.

11 Understanding and optimizing digital collaboration workflows 12. Company Size < > What area of IT do you work in? Storage Security Operations Management IT Project Management All of the Above ABOUT VARONIS SYSTEMS Varonis is the leader in unstructured and semi-structured data governance for file systems, SharePoint and NAS devices, and Exchange servers. The company was named «Cool Vendor» in Risk Management and Compliance by Gartner, and voted one of the «Fast 50 Reader Favorites» on FastCompany.com. Varonis has over 3,000 installations worldwide. Based on patented technology and a highly accurate analytics engine, Varonis solutions give organizations total visibility and control over their data, ensuring that only the right users have access to the right data at all times. Varonis is headquartered in New York, with regional offices in Europe, Asia and Latin America. WORLDWIDE HEADQUARTERS 1250 Broadway, 31st Floor New York, NY Phone: sales@varonis.com EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA 55 Old Broad Street London, United Kingdom EC2M 1RX Phone: +44(0) sales-europe@varonis.com

SharePoint and NAS devices, and Exchange servers. The company was named «Cool Vendor» in Risk Management and Compliance by Gartner, and voted one of the «Fast 50 Reader Favorites» on FastCompany.com. Varonis has over 3,000 installations worldwide.

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Big Data and Infosecurity: Research Report

What did the survey conclude was the most important?

What is the biggest hype about big data?

Who answered questions about big data in the survey?