Security threats are everywhere. Important data—like names, passwords, and account information—is frequently compromised.
The most significant data leak to date occurred in 2024 at National Public Data (NPD) where nearly 2.9 billion records were impacted. While data breaches have grown in frequency and severity, their average cost per occurrence rose to $4.88 million in 2024.
Ransomware impacts companies of all sizes. No matter who you are or what your organization does, you need to make sure your data is safe. That’s why it’s time to get serious about IBM i security – especially when it comes to data access.
Business users, from managers to analysts, require real-time access to data to drive operations forward. However, without a secure framework in place, this access can expose organizations to significant risks, including data breaches and compliance issues.
There are a lot of ways you can go about locking down access to your data, but knowing where to start can be a challenge. IBM i data access expert Greg Schmidt explained how you can get your users and data access security on the right track in his recent webinar:
Does IBM i Need Extra Security?
A lot of people consider those outside the firewall to be the biggest threat to the company’s data. But the truth is, many cybercrimes and cases of data theft are perpetrated by people inside the network.
How do we stop this?
We need to make sure data access is limited to only those who need it to do their jobs.
IBM i is a great place to keep your data because it’s one of the most securable platforms around. But one key mistake that shows up time and time again is that most people assume IBM i is secure on its own. While the controls and capabilities are there, they’re not customized and preconfigured for your systems.
IBM i is highly securable, but you can’t rest your data’s safety on built-in IBM i security alone. The second your data leaves IBM i and goes into another tool—like a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet—your green screen security won’t help you.
So, yes, you do really need that extra security.
How to Make IBM i Data Accessible and Secure
Limit Data Access to Only What Users Need
The Fortra State of IBM i Security Study found that 13% of users held *ALLOBJ authority – a special authority that provides users with the unrestricted ability to view, change, and delete every file and program on the system. This is well above the prescribed 3% of users who should maintain this authority.
Other authorities like *ROOT and *IOSYSCFG are frequently granted at rates in excess of prescribed ranges. Having an abundance of overprivileged users poses a major threat to data security. Information can easily be stolen, altered, and deleted.
Organizations can significantly reduce this risk by granting special authorities to only those users that absolutely need them to perform their jobs.
From there, Sequel Data Access can ensure that business users only access what they’re authorized to, streamlining access while minimizing risk, enabling:
- Protection of Sensitive Data: Avoid unintentional exposure of confidential information.
- Regulatory Compliance: Meet legal requirements by restricting access to sensitive or regulated data.
- Operational Efficiency: Provide users with easy access to relevant data, ensuring faster decision-making without compromising security.
Let Users Analyze Data—Without Making Changes to It
Your users need access to data because sharing data leads to more analysis and more opportunities for your organization.
But not all data should be open to everyone.
That’s why it’s important to have different levels of security—and keep the right doors closed and the right doors open for the right people.
It starts with IBM i security. Then you can add Sequel and Sequel Web Server security to customize the settings to meet your needs.
Distribute Data to Users—Without Compromising Data Integrity
Users need to see data in a format that makes sense to them. Microsoft Excel is one example of a popular formatting method.
But there’s always a tug of war between keeping your system secure and sharing data. Users want it to be as open and available as possible. But whether it’s an industry regulation (like HIPAA), a government mandate (like GDPR), or simply a best practice, you need to ensure that data is handled appropriately.
Sequel serves all industries, including:
- Financial Services: Securely grant access to sensitive financial data while complying with regulations.
- Healthcare: Enable secure reporting on patient data to improve operational efficiency without compromising confidentiality.
Manufacturing\Distribution: Provide teams with real-time sales and inventory data while ensuring sensitive customer information remains protected.
The Benefits of Using Sequel for Secure Data Access
With Fortra’s Sequel Business Intelligence, organizations can strike the perfect balance between user empowerment and data security.
Sequel doesn’t just give your team access—it ensures they have the right access, every time. With advanced security features, user-friendly tools, and real-time insights, your business can unlock its full potential. The benefits of using Sequel include:
- Empowered Employees:
When users have secure and seamless access to the right data, they feel more confident in their roles. Empowered employees are more engaged, innovative, and productive. - Streamlined Collaboration:
Sequel enables secure collaboration across departments. With clearly defined access permissions, teams can share insights without exposing sensitive information. - Improved Decision-Making:
Real-time access to accurate data leads to informed decisions. With Sequel, users can generate detailed reports, identify trends, and uncover opportunities—all with minimal IT intervention. - Cost Efficiency:
By reducing dependency on IT for data access and reporting, Sequel saves time and resources, allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives. - Compliance Confidence:
Sequel simplifies compliance with strict data protection regulations and others by ensuring secure access to live and historical information.
Elevate Your IBM i BI and Security with Sequel
Sequel Data Access makes it easy to maintain IBM i security and have the right amount of data access. See the benefits for yourself with a personalized demo.
