In the past, most software applications were all about “data processing.” In the parlance of old-school management information systems, that meant an almost exclusive focus on keeping accurate transactional records alongside any master data necessary to complete that mission. Transaction processing is important, of course, but in today’s world, applications are expected to deliver a lot more than that.
Information technology has been at the heart of governments around the world, enabling them to deliver vital citizen services, such as healthcare, transportation, employment, and national security. All of these functions rest on technology and share a valuable commodity: data. Data is produced and consumed in ever-increasing amounts and therefore must be protected. After all, we believe everything that we see on our computer screens to be true, don’t we?