Establishing a master data governance framework is key to smooth operations in data management, especially for large organizations handling millions of pounds worth of information. This blog explores essential components and strategies of an effective master data governance framework tailored to data professionals.
Understanding Master Data Governance
Master data governance refers to an organization's policies, standards, and processes used to oversee critical data assets with the aim of maintaining accuracy, consistency, and accessibility across the enterprise. At its core, master data governance aims to establish one source for key business information like customer details, product specifications, and financial records. Effective governance relies on well-defined roles and responsibilities, robust stewardship practices, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation activities.
Data Modeling in Data Governance
Data modeling plays a central role in data governance, providing the blueprint for how data should be structured, stored, and utilized throughout an organization. By visualizing relationships among data assets, data models help ensure they're organized coherently while helping identify discrepancies or redundancies quickly and efficiently.
Effective data modeling helps organizations define data standards, streamline integration processes, and increase interoperability between systems and departments. Furthermore, robust models facilitate effective data stewardship practices by providing clear guidelines for data entry, management and usage. This supports the objectives of a master data management framework.
Formulate A Data Governance Policy
Crafting an effective data governance policy is essential to any organization looking to efficiently manage their data assets. A good policy starts by outlining its objectives and significance within an organization. This foundational section sets the tone and helps employees grasp its importance in meeting business goals.
A properly structured data governance policy must also outline the scope of governance activities, specifying which data assets fall under its purview and within what parameters the policy operates. This allows efforts to focus on those that matter most while ensuring resources are allocated efficiently and that governance activities have an impactful outcome.
As part of any data governance framework, roles and responsibilities must be clearly delineated for accountability. A policy should identify key stakeholders such as data stewards, owners and committees with detailed descriptions of their duties and expectations so that all parties involved are aligned and equipped to maintain data quality and integrity.
Implementing Data Quality Measures
Implementing rigorous data quality measures is integral to maintaining the integrity of an organization's data governance framework. Organizations should establish thorough data validation and cleansing procedures to ensure only accurate, relevant information is used in decision-making processes. These procedures must encompass various stages of data management, from initial entry through transformation and storage. Part of these practices should be built-in checks and balances that detect anomalies, inconsistencies, and errors instantly. For instance, using automated tools and technologies for data profiling and error detection can significantly boost efficiency and effectiveness measures for data quality measures.
Leveraging Technology for Data Governance
Technological advances are indispensable to effective data governance in today's data-centric environment. Advanced data management tools, including data catalogues and metadata management systems, play an instrumental role in organizing and protecting data assets. Tracking capabilities provide organizations with insight into data flow from its origin and lifecycle. Profiling tools provide organizations with invaluable insight that guide corrective measures. Profiling tools also offer robust capabilities for tracking lineage of assets such as lineages. Additionally, profiling tools allow organizations to assess the quality and consistency, allowing organizations to take corrective actions if necessary.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies also support data governance efforts by automating routine tasks and spotting anomalies that human oversight might miss. AI-powered data quality solutions can quickly identify patterns and inconsistencies across large datasets to ensure data accuracy and reliability, while predictive analytics enable early intervention and reduce risks related to breaches or compliance failures.
Cloud-based data governance platforms provide organizations with scalability and flexibility, enabling them to efficiently manage data governance processes no matter their size or complexity. These platforms facilitate real-time collaboration among stakeholders to ensure data policies are consistently applied throughout an organization. Adding such tools with existing business intelligence and analytics platforms gives decision makers accurate and timely information.
Establish Data Stewardship Programs
Establishing data stewardship programs are an integral component of effective data governance and management within an organization. Data stewardship involves assigning accountable individuals or teams who oversee the proper handling, usage, protection, and upkeep of data from its inception until completion. This ensures accurate, accessible and secure information throughout its lifecycle thereby increasing its value across an enterprise. Appointing dedicated data stewards allows organizations to foster accountability.
Online Threat Alerts Security Tips
Pay the safest way
Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.
Guard your personal information
In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.
Be careful of the information you share
Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with
Know who you’re dealing with
Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.
Check your accounts
Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.
Don’t believe promises of easy money
If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.
Do not open email from people you don’t know
If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.
Think before you click
If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.
Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond
If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.
Be careful with links and new website addresses
Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.
Secure your personal information
Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.
Stay informed on the latest cyber threats
Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.
Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are critical to online security.
Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs
Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.
Update the operating systems on your electronic devices
Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.
What if You Got Scammed?
Stop Contact With The Scammer
Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.
Secure Your Finances
- Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
- Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
Check Your Computer
If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.
Change Your Account Passwords
Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.
Report The Scam
Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.
Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:
- Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
- Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
- Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.
How To Recognize a Phishing Scam
Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.
Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:
Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might
- say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
- claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
- say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
- include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
- want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
- say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
- offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real
About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)
Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.
By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.
With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.
Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.
Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).