Which practice helps protect against data breaches?

Implementing strong access controls and monitoring user activity is crucial in safeguarding sensitive data from breaches. Strong access controls ensure that only authorized individuals have access to specific data and systems, thereby minimizing the risk of unauthorized access. This is typically achieved through the use of unique user accounts, varying levels of permissions based on job roles, and robust authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication.

Moreover, actively monitoring user activity helps organizations detect suspicious behavior or potential threats in real-time. This could involve tracking login attempts, monitoring data access patterns, and identifying anomalies that might indicate a security incident. Together, these practices create a layered security approach that is effective in preventing data breaches and mitigating the impact should they occur.

In contrast, allowing unrestricted access to all employees significantly increases the vulnerability of sensitive information to accidental or intentional exposure. Using the same password for multiple accounts heightens the risk of account compromise, as a breach of one account could lead to a cascading effect across others. Disabling firewalls may improve perceived performance but critically exposes the network to potential threats and attacks, undermining overall security.