Key Questions for a Cybersecurity Gap Analysis in Data Protection

Written By Brian Wane
Key Questions for a Cybersecurity Gap Analysis in Data Protection

How to Conduct a Zero Trust Data Gap Analysis


When conducting a cybersecurity gap analysis, organizations should evaluate their data protection posture by asking the following critical questions across key security domains:

1. Data Discovery & Classification

  • Do we have a comprehensive inventory of all sensitive data (PII, PHI, financial data, proprietary information)?

  • Have we classified data based on sensitivity, regulatory requirements, and business value?

  • Do we track where data is created, stored, processed, and transmitted?

  • Can we automatically detect and classify sensitive data across on-prem, cloud, and SaaS environments?

2. Access Controls & Identity Management

  • Do we enforce role-based access control (RBAC) and least privilege principles?

  • How do we manage and secure privileged accounts?

  • Is multi-factor authentication (MFA) required for all users, especially for accessing sensitive data?

  • Are third-party vendors and contractors restricted in their access to critical data?

  • Do we have just-in-time (JIT) access to reduce long-standing privileges?

3. Data Encryption & Protection

  • Do we have Data Loss Prevention solutions in place?

  • Is all sensitive data encrypted at rest, in transit, and in use?

  • Are we using strong encryption standards (e.g., AES-256, TLS 1.2/1.3)?

  • How are encryption keys managed—are they stored separately from the encrypted data?

  • Are we using data masking or tokenization to protect data in non-production environments?

  • Do we enforce geofencing or jurisdictional controls for data sovereignty compliance?

4. Cloud & Third-Party Security

  • Are we following the shared responsibility model for cloud security?

  • Have we assessed the security posture of third-party vendors who handle our data?

  • Do we have visibility into shadow IT (unauthorized cloud services or data sharing)?

  • Are API security controls in place to prevent unauthorized data access?

  • Do our contracts with cloud providers include data security and compliance SLAs?

5. Endpoint & Network Security

  • Do we have endpoint protection (EDR/XDR) in place?

  • How do we prevent data exfiltration through USBs, email, or unapproved cloud storage?

  • Are network segmentation and micro-segmentation implemented to isolate sensitive data?

  • Are we monitoring and logging all data transfers, access, and modifications?

  • How do we handle data protection on remote and BYOD devices?

6. Incident Response & Data Breach Preparedness

  • Do we have a data breach response plan with defined roles and responsibilities?

  • How quickly can we detect, contain, and respond to data breaches?

  • Have we tested our incident response plan through tabletop exercises or simulations?

  • Are we meeting regulatory requirements for breach notification (e.g., GDPR 72-hour rule, CCPA, HIPAA)?

  • Do we have immutable backups that can’t be altered or encrypted in a ransomware attack?

  • Do you have controls in place for data exfiltrated during a ransomware attack when the attached has the admin credentials?

7. Compliance & Regulatory Alignment

  • Are we compliant with relevant data protection laws (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, FINRA, CISA, FISMA, PCI DSS, NIST 800-171, CUI, CRA)?

  • Do we conduct regular compliance audits and risk assessments?

  • Are employees trained on data privacy regulations and security best practices?

  • How do we handle data subject requests (DSRs) under privacy laws?

8. Data Governance & Lifecycle Management

  • Do we have a data retention and disposal policy to minimize data exposure?

  • Are we properly handling the right to be forgotten requests?

  • How do we track who has access to data and how it is used?

  • Do we have automated workflows for data lifecycle management?

9. Data Loss Financial Or Legal Cost?

  • What is the expected financial or legal cost to your organization if there is major data breach?

  • What budget has your organization set aside to protect sensitive data?

Closing the Gaps

By identifying gaps in these areas, organizations can prioritize risks, implement Zero Trust Data principles, and enhance their cyber resilience. 

Would you like recommendations on how XQ can help improve your data protection strategy? 🚀

Brian Wane
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How to create a Zero Trust Data Privacy and Security Program