In the context of data protection, what does "defense in depth" refer to?

The term "defense in depth" refers to a comprehensive security strategy that involves implementing multiple layers of protection throughout an information system. This approach ensures that if one layer of defense is breached, additional layers are still in place to safeguard the data. It emphasizes the importance of not relying on a single security measure but rather employing multiple strategies to protect against different types of threats.

In the context of data protection, this can involve measures such as firewalls, encryption, access controls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits. Each of these defenses serves a specific purpose and collectively builds a robust security posture that mitigates the risk of data breaches or unauthorized access.

The other options do not capture the essence of "defense in depth" as well as the idea of protecting every layer surrounding data. For example, minimizing data modification focuses solely on preventing changes rather than the overall security framework, tracking data access is more about monitoring than layered protection, and analyzing data efficiency pertains to performance rather than security measures.