When data lakes first surfaced a decade ago, they were conceived as a temporary solution to problems of data storage and management. Instead of storing the same data over and over again for different apps, companies discovered they could achieve greater efficiency and cost savings by using data lakes. They’ve since evolved into a permanent and essential platform for most companies to ingest and retrieve data. The global data lake market was valued at USD 7.6 billion in 2019.
But how secure are data lakes?
While they represent a substantial improvement in the cost structure of cloud-based computing, their open architecture makes them vulnerable. The ease of ingesting, searching and extracting data makes them convenient for cyberhackers, who can gain access by creating fake apps, among other methods.
As an examination of data lake security by insideBIGDATA cogently explains, “Data analysis and hacking are both so convenient because all the data is in one place.” The article blames the sheer quantity of data breached in 2020 on companies’ increased reliance on large data lakes without internal security protocols.
Clearly, companies should be focusing more resources on the security of their data lakes, particularly in the finance, healthcare and defense industries. But individual companies aren’t the only ones at risk. Smart Cities are also vulnerable to intrusion, given the vast amount of data they collect from a diverse array of inputs, including parking meters, doorknobs, license plates, surveillance cameras, and anything an IoT sensor can be embedded into. With the Smart Cities market expected to double in value to $820 billion in 2025 from $410 billion in 2020, data lakes amassing all of that sensitive information will become even more vulnerable.
Encryption based around Zero Trust Architecture is the best way to shore up the security of data lakes. With Zero Trust, the system does not allow a user to read the data unless they are verified and their access is authorized. Data is encrypted at its source, in transit, and wherever it’s being stored.
XQ is the first data protection solution built on a Zero Trust model. With XQ encryption, a Smart City can provide selective access to data. For example, if an outside company wanted to run a program analyzing energy usage, XQ could set up encryption for a smart meter or IoT-connected appliance so that the name, address, and credit card number of the user would not be accessible to that program; only the usage. By giving each field its own encryption key, we ensure that authorized users can unlock only the parts of a file they’re meant to see.
XQ allows the operator to have different keys based on different fields — a whole new way of looking at security. We can even establish secure cryptographic gateways between multiple data lakes.
If you’re concerned about the security of your data lake, talk to XQ.We’re a leader in Zero Trust data protection. You can try out our encryption product for free.
If you’re a developer who wants to learn how you can embed XQ encryption into your product, check out our developer portal.
Next Steps…
XQ’s Github:Access it here
XQ’s API Platform: Click here
Schedule a demo or email us at support@xqmsg.com.
Frequently asked questions
Why are data lakes vulnerable to hackers?
Data lakes are vulnerable because their open architecture makes data easy to ingest, search and extract, which is as convenient for attackers as it is for analysts, since all the data is in one place. Hackers can gain access by creating fake apps, among other methods. XQ recommends encryption built on zero trust architecture so no user can read data without verification and authorization.
How does field-level encryption protect data lakes?
Field-level encryption gives each field in a record its own encryption key, so authorized users can unlock only the parts of a file they are meant to see. With XQ, an operator can assign different keys to different fields and encrypt data at its source, in transit and wherever it is stored, rather than relying on a single key for an entire dataset.
How can a smart city share IoT data with third parties without exposing personal information?
A smart city can share IoT data selectively by encrypting personal fields separately from usage data. For example, if an outside company wants to analyze energy usage, XQ can encrypt a smart meter's data so the program sees only usage, while the resident's name, address and credit card number stay inaccessible. XQ can also establish secure cryptographic gateways between multiple data lakes.