Data protection begins with visibility and control – Cloudera

By Carolyn Duby (pictured), Field CTO and Cyber Security GTM Lead, Cloudera

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) drives up both the volume and value of enterprise data, cybercriminals are matching pace with increasingly sophisticated attacks. This is evident in Australia, where investments in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud are expected to drive IT spending to $172 billion by 2026. Australian organisations are not only prioritising innovation but also recognising the urgent need to secure and govern their data environments – particularly amid amendments to Australia’s Privacy Act.

At the same time, organisations operate across sprawling data environments, where each platform enforces its own security and governance models. This creates complexity, data silos and inconsistent controls, making it harder to pinpoint where sensitive data sits, who has access, and how it’s being used. These gaps not only open the door for attackers but also create mounting liability for organisations navigating stricter regulatory oversight.

Strong data governance provides the antidote: consistent guardrails for access, accountability and control across the entire lifecycle. You cannot defend what you cannot see. Unified visibility enables organisations to detect anomalies, assess risk, and prevent breaches before they occur.

Cloudera’s acquisition of Octopai underscores this approach, automating the discovery and mapping of data across complex ecosystems, showing exactly how it flows, transforms and is used. By establishing reliable lineage, organisations can reduce reporting errors, mitigate risk and ensure their AI models remain accurate and dependable.

Governance must be “secure by design”. Automation and AI make this possible at scale, dynamically adjusting permissions, flagging unusual activity, and enforce zero-trust principles while minimising overheads for end-users. Ultimately, organisations that make visibility and governance the backbone of their cybersecurity strategy can move beyond defence, transforming cybersecurity into a driver of confidence, resilience and innovation.