Software for protecting data security shields information from unauthorized access, manipulation or theft. It includes a variety of tools and techniques, such as encryption, monitoring and logging, and data protection. It also includes Driver verifier detected violation policies and procedures as well as tools to handle data breaches.

Cybercriminals are not the only threat vector affecting security of data, but human error remains the most common cause for breaches. Data security tools include features that detect errors such as placing sensitive files on shared drives and opening the wrong emails attachments.

Another crucial aspect of data security is restricting physical access to storage devices, servers and other equipment. Physical measures can be something as simple as having employees login before entering an area. They should also include labeling and securing hardware to ensure only authorized personnel can have access to it. This is especially important for data centers that are cloud-based, which may not have control over the physical space.

Data security solutions can protect information at rest and during transit by encrypting it, so that only people with the right key are able to read it. This is usually a complement tool for firewalls, intrusion detection or prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and networks-based authentication systems.

Another security feature for data is user behavior analytics. It establishes the baselines for normal activity and identifies irregularities that could indicate unauthorized access to sensitive information. This feature is usually found in solutions to monitor data warehouses, relational databases, and big data.