When integrating different systems, the real security risk lies not in your databases, but in how data travels across networks. Learn how to apply key ISO 27001 controls to protect your sensitive information effectively, even without full certification.
Hey WondTech readers! Have you ever thought about the security of your data when connecting different systems, like your e-commerce store to an ERP system? The key takeaway here is that the real security risk isn’t in the database itself, but in the data’s «journey» as it travels between these systems across the network. And that means a lot for you and your data. While we often focus on protecting databases, security experts point out that the moment data leaves its protected home and moves across a network you might not control, that's when it's most vulnerable to attacks. Imagine customer names, tax IDs, addresses, and product prices traveling along an exposed path; that's the true attack surface. The good news is, you don't need full ISO 27001 certification to care about this. What truly matters is applying the practical security controls this standard offers. Here are some of the most important controls you can put into practice on your next integration project: First, encryption is your best friend. Remember, data moving across a network you don't own, if unencrypted, can be read by anyone along the path. The golden rule is to use TLS 1.2+ encryption end-to-end on every call, and never use plain HTTP between services. Also, any temporary copies of data (like in queues or caches) should be encrypted while at rest. Second, API keys are like the keys to your house. Whoever holds them gets in. So, these keys must be stored in a secret manager, never hardcoded into your software or bundled into the browser. Rotate them regularly and at any suspicion of a leak. Crucially, assign one unique credential per integration, so you can revoke a single key if needed without affecting others. Third, access control and identity management. It's tempting to reuse a general admin key because 'it works with everything.' But if that key leaks, your entire ERP system could be compromised. The solution is the principle of «least privilege»: each data flow should get access permissions scoped to exactly what it needs. If it only needs to read data, grant read-only access. This decision should be deliberate, not a default. Finally, information transfer. Lazy integrations often pull a full record from one system to another 'just in case.' Every extra field you transfer is another potential point of vulnerability for a leak. Only move the fields truly necessary for the integration to function. Less data transferred means less risk. By implementing these simple, practical steps, you can significantly boost your data security in all integration processes and effectively protect your sensitive information.
