Did you know that “80% of data is unstructured?” (Gartner) This data is commonly found in the form of lost and misfiled emails, documents, PDF’s and spreadsheets. While structured data is often tucked away in firewall protected servers, unstructured data is a substantial security risk for all businesses. It is not only hard to track down when needed, but harder to secure. Many businesses are aware of unstructured data, but unaware of the value and amount that is unprotected in the cloud or their servers. By following a few parameters when dealing with unstructured data, you can not only make this data easier to locate, but protect it.

Cybersecurity is a huge issue in the tech community so knowing the proper way to protect your data is key to not letting important information get into the wrong hands. Being informed about unstructured data is important is because of the traces of key information found in lost emails, PDF’s and documents. Filing these documents in a secure environment protects against hackers and other cybersecurity threats that result in stolen data.

Many companies are not protecting unstructured data because they simply don’t know how much unstructured data they have or where to locate it. Because of this, “71% of enterprises are struggling to manage and protect unstructured data.” (Forbes) Since most unstructured data is free flowing, having a proper management system is paramount in the security and filing of unstructured data. By setting guidelines for who has access to data, where to store the data and the classification of data, you can drastically improve the security and maneuverability of your data. To learn more, check out this article!