Private Equity Data is Under Assault in 2021

Introduction
Benefit
Conclusion

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Introduction

Corporate data is under assault in 2021, and with nearly two-thirds of companies on the hook for some form of data loss of late, it’s no longer a remote possibility, but a distinct probability, that someone reading this will experience a hack or breach.

As with any corporate interest that generates a substantial amount of sensitive financial data, private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) firms are similarly vulnerable to data theft and loss. When data falls into the wrong hands, the implications are quite high — everything from breaking strict confidentiality protocols in litigation, to the publication of pre-patent trade secrets. For corporations experiencing a loss, such breaches can lead to financial penalties, criminal liabilities, damage to reputation, and loss of clients.

The threats to PE and VC firms are so pervasive that in 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released guidance to help companies manage their security risks.

Firms can – and should – be proactive in preventing breaches, rather than cleaning up the mess after the fact. Some of these proactive steps include:

Training employees on proper cybersecurity protocols
Utilizing checks and balances to ensure accountability for network and online actions.
Use of proper security at the perimeter levels and at data levels to protect their data
Implementation of a third-party solution, like Netwoven’s Govern 365, to provide umbrella data protection coverage.

If you have a substantial investment in the Microsoft 365 (M365) cloud platform for email, collaboration, intranet, chat, conferencing, and community sharing, you may find that Govern 365 provides a layer of additional protection, above and beyond what is incorporated into Microsoft 365.

Govern 365 leverages something called Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies. Though these have been in existence for quite some time, the market has been quite fragmented, and solutions were siloed by departments. With Microsoft’s entry, DRM technology has become enterprise-ready, and together with Govern 365, companies can benefit from military-grade protection without any loss in collaboration inside and outside the organization.