Privacy, Policy, Encryption

 Privacy, Policy, Encryption

Https Encryption

Since before the invention of modern technology, privacy was a major concern for organizations and individuals. Locks on filling cabinets and renting safety deposit boxes were used to protect sensitive data such as proprietary research materials. However, with the advancement of technology much of privacy concerns have moved to data privacy.

In the digital age, data privacy refers to the personal identifiable information (PII) of an individual or, in the case of businesses, besides the PII of customers and employees, it can refer to financial information or the proprietary research and development data. Leak of such information can result in misuse of personal data to cause scams and fraudulent activities. Or release the companies’ proprietary data to the competitors.

How can data privacy be protected?

There are many policies set by government agencies and agreed upon by experts. Once such is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). “the GDPR requires organizations to incorporate data encryption or a substitute that will protect consumer data and mitigate the risks associated with data transfer such as data sprawl or cyberattacks.” (1)

Besides encrypting data during transfer, data should also be encrypted during rest.
“To keep sensitive information confidential, data stored locally on a computer, on a drive or in the cloud, or shared via email or file sharing service, must be encrypted. Data encryption is an important stride towards data privacy, helping organizations comply with regulations like GDPR.”(2)
Companies and Organizations can also benefit by storing backups of valuable data on an encrypted drive in case of ransomware attacks. Even individuals can protect their personal data by storing it in secure vaults protected by passwords or pins.

References

1. https://www.cmswire.com/information-management/where-does-encryption-fit-in-privacy-regulations/
2. https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/respecting-data-privacy-encryption/
3. https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2020/07/28/what-is-privacy-and-why-does-it-matter/
4. Featured Image by skylarvision from Pixabay