In the wake of several headline cases of data security breaches, Encanvas has announced plans to deliver a secure data server as part of its new software release to overcome the increasing threat of data security breaches brought about by the operation of ‘Shadow Systems’ - small scale databases or spreadsheets developed and used by end users outside the direct control of an organization's IT department. Spreadsheets remain the most pervasive form of shadow system. Extensive use of spreadsheets in business is known to create major data quality and compliance threats in addition to data security concerns.
Up to 60% of corporate information is thought to reside in the ‘informal office network’ yet organizations remain unaware of what data exists on PC and laptop hard-drives because knowledge workers are serving themselves with information systems and creating new repositories without the knowledge of IT. Many companies have started to experience the consequences of non-existent, insufficient or poorly implemented data security plans with a number of high profile data security breach cases reaching the national press.
The absence of ‘proper IT’ to serve the diversity of information management, analysis and human-centric workflow requirements that exist in the office has created a paucity of unsecured business-critical information held in spreadsheets and micro-databases beyond the governance of IT teams. Typically these systems are developed on an as needed basis by knowledge workers to respond to new situations that demand new information. Rather than being authored as a formal IT project, these systems are not tested, documented or secured with the same rigour as formally engineered software solutions.
For more information contact press@encanvas.com or call +44 (0) 1869 238314.
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