In today’s hyper-connected landscape, data is the lifeblood of modern enterprises and powers much of today’s smart businesses. Today’s organizations are collecting, processing and storing increasingly huge volumes of data to leverage in their business, and this trend is eyed to accelerate even more.

Protecting and securing data is, therefore, a top priority for businesses around the world. In essence, data security is all about safeguarding an organization’s data from unauthorized access, use or changes, as well as theft and tampering throughout the data’s lifecycle, from collection to deletion.

Organizations that fail to effectively secure their valuable or regulated data expose themselves to significant risks, ranging from reputational damage and regulatory fines to operational interruptions and bankruptcy.

Data Security for Organizations In China

IT managers face data security challenges on a daily basis, from mitigating cyber-attacks to complying with new data localisation policies. On top of that, roadblocks related to maintaining optimum performance connection to the cloud and across its global satellite offices can hold organizations back from strengthening their data security posture from end to end.

In 2021, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) reported some 143,319 information system vulnerabilities on its information-sharing portal for cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. MIIT classified 86,217 of these as ‘medium risk’, while 40,498 as ‘high risk.’

Chinese companies are responsible for an ever-increasing number of information and data transactions, which are constantly being targeted by bad actors. These businesses are currently the main targets of cyberattacks, and when issues are left unaddressed, the company’s key assets and customer data will remain vulnerable to threats.

When it comes to data security, organizations need to be cognizant of both the domestic cybersecurity landscape and legislative frameworks such as the Cybersecurity Law, Data Security Law, and Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL). While there is no simple and one-size-fits-all solution to data security, IT managers must actively and creatively implement data protection strategies and solutions that are up to par with today’s standards.

Balancing Network Connectivity with Data Security

While organizations in China will definitely need to be highly vigilant about data security and cybersecurity measures, this also needs to be balanced with ensuring round-the-clock data access to the parts of their business that requires it.

For corporate IT decision-makers, that means enabling their business units to access the data and apps they need anytime, anywhere across the corporate network, while ensuring fast and reliable speeds and enhanced network security.

While China’s digital infrastructure is fast improving, businesses operating in the country still must contend with unpredictable Internet infrastructure, congestion and technical outages. Key issues IT decision-makers face include:

• inconsistency of Internet services and SLAs across different regions
• high latency within China due to limited peering between different providers
• international congestion due to limited bandwidth
• lack of familiarity complying with cross border and data protection policies
• lack of network visibility impacting manageability

Offering Best of Both Worlds

In response to these challenges faced by businesses in China, we have seen major networking and cybersecurity entering the markets with solutions combining network connectivity with security.

For example, Zscaler launched in 2022 the ZIA Public Service Edge for Premium China Access using CBC to further enhance network connectivity and cloud security for organizations in China.

This means companies operating in China that are looking to deploy Zscaler’s Zero Trust architecture can now leverage CBC’s Congestion-Free IP Backbone, to add on a service level agreement (SLA) and predictability to international network performance, addressing some of the technical and compliance challenges of operating in China.

What’s more, this Zscaler – CBC networking solution creates a better user experience when accessing domestic and global applications from within China. With CBC’s China network expertise and Zscaler’s comprehensive security stack, enterprises achieve a consistent and optimized Zero Trust network, deploying a global cloud backbone connecting users, office branches, data centers, and public clouds.

In conclusion, businesses looking to grow and expand in the China market will need to balance network connectivity and data security, considering their own business IT needs, the country’s unpredictable Internet infrastructure, cybersecurity landscape and data security regulatory frameworks.

Established in 2008, CBC Tech is a next-gen Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) provider with its own patented SD-WAN fabrics across 25 markets in China and internationally.  For businesses looking to enhance their growth in China, we offer network infrastructure solutions that are secure, resilient, and robust enough to cope with the demands of your on-going expansion.