Browse Definitions :
Definition

data in use

Data in use is data that is currently being updated, processed, erased, accessed or read by a system. This type of data is not being passively stored, but is instead actively moving through parts of an IT infrastructure. Data in use is one of three states of digital data -- the other two states are data in motion and data at rest.

Data states are used by information security professionals to identify endpoints where data should be encrypted. In addition to encryption, some important ways that data in use is protected include user authentication at all stages, strong identity management and well-maintained permissions for profiles within an organization.

Examples of data in use include data that is stored or processed in RAM, databases or CPUs. Requesting access to transaction history on a banking website or authorizing user login input are applications of data in use.

Security of data in use

Due to data in use being directly accessible by one or more users, data in this state is vulnerable to attacks and exploits. Additionally, security risks become greater as permissions and devices increase. Oftentimes, data in use could contain digital certificates, encryption keys and intellectual property which make it crucial for businesses to monitor. Common practices for protecting data in use include:

  • Tracking and reporting data access to detect suspicious activity and potential threats. For example, monitoring login attempts to platforms with sensitive information.
  • Strict access control and endpoint security management with authentication measures in place.
  • Full disk or memory encryption.
  • Well documented data loss prevention (DLP) and disaster recovery plans (DRP).
  • Non-disclosure agreements (NDA) for employees and stakeholders.

This was last updated in February 2019

Continue Reading About data in use

Networking
  • remote infrastructure management

    Remote infrastructure management, or RIM, is a comprehensive approach to handling and overseeing an organization's IT ...

  • port address translation (PAT)

    Port address translation (PAT) is a type of network address translation (NAT) that maps a network's private internal IPv4 ...

  • network fabric

    'Network fabric' is a general term used to describe underlying data network infrastructure as a whole.

Security
  • DNS over HTTPS (DoH)

    DNS over HTTPS (DoH) is a relatively new protocol that encrypts domain name system traffic by passing DNS queries through a ...

  • governance, risk and compliance (GRC)

    Governance, risk and compliance (GRC) refers to an organization's strategy for handling the interdependencies among the following...

  • total risk

    Total risk is an assessment that identifies all the risk factors associated with pursuing a specific course of action.

CIO
  • enterprise IT (enterprise-class IT)

    Enterprise-class IT (also known as enterprise-grade, or enterprise IT) is hardware, software and other IT services designed to ...

  • microtargeting

    Microtargeting (also called micro-niche targeting) is a marketing strategy that uses consumer data and demographics to identify ...

  • business process

    A business process is an activity or set of activities that accomplish a specific organizational goal. Business processes should ...

HRSoftware
  • employee onboarding and offboarding

    Employee onboarding involves all the steps needed to get a new employee successfully deployed and productive, while offboarding ...

  • skill-based learning

    Skill-based learning develops students through hands-on practice and real-world application.

  • gamification

    Gamification is a strategy that integrates entertaining and immersive gaming elements into nongame contexts to enhance engagement...

Customer Experience
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365

    Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based portfolio of business applications from Microsoft that are designed to help organizations improve ...

  • Salesforce Commerce Cloud

    Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a cloud-based suite of products that enable e-commerce businesses to set up e-commerce sites, drive ...

  • Salesforce DX

    Salesforce DX, or SFDX, is a set of software development tools that lets developers build, test and ship many kinds of ...

Close