CISSP Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Prep Guide

The Data Custodian holds primary responsibility for the maintenance and protection of data. This role typically involves managing and safeguarding data assets on behalf of the Data Owner, who is ultimately accountable for the data's integrity and utilization. The Data Custodian implements policies and procedures determined by the Data Owner to ensure proper handling, storage, and security of the data.

In this context, the Data Custodian's duties encompass activities such as backup, recovery, access control, and security measures to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or breaches. They often work in conjunction with IT and security teams to ensure that the physical and logical environments are appropriate for the data they manage.

While the Data Owner is responsible for defining data policies and determining data usage rights, their focus is more strategic and oversight-oriented, rather than operational. The Data Processor is responsible for processing data as per instructions but does not manage its protection directly. Lastly, a Network Security Analyst typically focuses on the security of the network infrastructure, which is different from the responsibilities of data management and protection that fall within the Data Custodian's purview.