Every organization on the planet is currently pushing for a more holistic approach to data governance. Not merely because it improves organizational efficiency, but secures the organization’s data and its future.

As the world of work moves increasingly to a digital framework, attacks on that framework have increased exponentially. It’s endemic to the point where governments are mobilizing teams of experts to counteract this threat. NOW Vertical have taken direct action to bolster the NOW Privacy platform in light of these ongoing data breach issues. 

Better data in, means clearer data out. 

Improving Your Data Security Posture

Improving your data security posture is of paramount importance to the NOW Privacy team, so, with the release of NOW Privacy V4.5.5: we took the approach of increasing usability with a broader view of increasing security for your organization. The average cost of a data breach is currently around $15 million, with outliers removed, according to Black Kite Research. If we include outliers (organizations that have been attacked multiple times), the figure is closer to $75 million per organization. 

Clearly, this is not sustainable in the future and we feel we need to do our part in addressing this threat. As always, NOW Privacy is determined to be a stonewall solution for your organization in the ongoing struggle against data security breaches. 

Introducing NOW Privacy Version V4.5.5

Our goals for NOW Privacy V4.5.5. were:

• A simpler, streamlined, user-friendly user experience for out-of-the-box ease of use. When the search experience is made easier, clients find the software more rewarding. This increases security and productivity of your organization through enhanced UX
• Enhanced Windows file connectivity through an improved (Server Message Block), SMB connector tool 
• Simplify connector development capabilities so new data sources can be introduced with less friction  
• Overall enhanced control over your data estate.

As a leading edge VI (Vertical Intelligence) software provider to defense industries, banking and healthcare/pharmaceutical companies, we felt that addressing core security and user experience issues would be the best direction for V4.5.5.  

Overall Improvements

Improvements to the existing platform include: 

• BugFix: Crawled on date range is now increased by one on the first Query 
• Support engineers can now limit the maximum and minimum SMB (Server Message Block) dialects used by the SMB-connector-tool. Accelerating access to specific data
• Improved unit tests for our Google Drive connector tool. 

We found that as the platform becomes easier to initiate and utilize, the better the overall customer experience. Simplifying the data query tasks allows faster access to the data you need when you need it. Enhancing the configurability of the platform was also a core issue for us.  

Allowing legacy or unexpected dialects in Windows file shares positions the end user to draw useful data from previously hard to reach sources. Those enhanced connectors were vital as the majority of users had Windows as part of their tech stack. 

Enhanced Connector Availability

Finally, with the constant introduction of data sources to draw from, we felt that overhauling the connector testing features would be a fundamental change without performance or reliability trade-offs. The ability of the platform to prototype, develop and implement new connectors means that NOW Privacy is truly at the forefront of, and omnipresent in, your data estate.  

Automations

Script automations and a clearer, more forgiving user experience were the key here. Improving those naturally improves security via data transparency. Increased and more reliable connector access allows cleaner, more usable data to enter the system, which in turn improves your overall data experience. 

The cost of data breaches, both financial and legal, is reaching a nexus point within organizations across the globe. NOW Privacy will always be your partner in that cause, a cause that is having increasingly worrying outcomes like healthcare patient data theft.  

NOW Privacy is positioned to help your organization harness the power of Vertical Intelligence to build confidence, make bold decisions, and create data-backed solutions with ease.