Whether you like it or not, sharing data has become a fact of life. Data can be shared in many forms, the most common being filing taxes, sharing and exchanging important documents using a smartphone, social media and online shopping. This has become quite beneficial as it allows for many everyday tasks to be easily completed as they can be conducted online. While data sharing may seem to have endless benefits, there are some risks associated with this practice. Whether it be identifying data such as social security numbers or financial statements, keeping this data secure is crucial. Data can reveal a lot about an individual, and unfortunately, can also be used for harm.
Data privacy is the ability for someone to determine on their own terms how, when, and to what extent personal information about them is shared with others. Examples of this can include contact information, your whereabouts and financial records. As technology advances, data collection and surveillance capabilities infringe on one’s ability to ensure their data privacy. This has led many governments to pass laws regulating what kind of data can be collected, how it can be used and how it should be stored and protected. In Europe, data privacy is considered a fundamental human right, enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights, Article 8, and the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, Article 7. This is because if someone’s identity is stolen, the cyber attacker can impersonate them, removing control over how their data is disseminated. While these concepts are quite important, many people are not versed in data privacy and cannot ensure their privacy. Furthermore, the digital environment is constantly growing and changing, leading many to be unsure of where to begin with data privacy. At the same time, others may feel as if data privacy is too difficult to understand.
In my experience, data privacy was a complex topic to approach, even though it was something I was interested in. Fortunately, I was able to land an internship as a Content Marketing Intern at NextLabs, which offers data-centric security solutions to companies. Unfortunately, I learned that there is no easy way to approach this, and one must simply dive into learning about data security and privacy. In doing so, I began to understand the ins and outs of data privacy and how to ensure my data remains secure.
It has become standard practice that websites, applications and social media sites collect information on their users. While most people are aware of this, many are not aware of how these sites and apps collect data on their consumers. This can be seen through Facebook, where many are left with much less privacy than they think. In addition, other platforms may not have adequate safeguards around the data they collect, which could lead to one’s data being compromised through data breaches. With this, it is important for one to be smart about their digital usage — consider which sites and platforms collect data on its users, how it is handled, and if the site used appears to be legitimate. If there is concern about any of these items, consider the consequences before sharing information.
"For a business to maintain a reputable status, data privacy needs to be demonstrated..."
Though data privacy takes different forms with individuals and businesses, the underlying principle remains the same, as reputations can be destroyed. In the sense of a business, critical data generally refers to customer data, financial records and intellectual property over an individual’s identity or fundamental data. For a business to maintain a reputable status, data privacy needs to be demonstrated, which keeps the organization safe and keeps customers’ information safe and allows the customer to feel comfortable interacting with the business.
By “diving” into the information presented to me at NextLabs through white papers, webinars and datasheets, I learned about data privacy and why it is important to individuals and organizations. While I must admit this was not easy, through reading this information, I slowly began to understand the products NextLabs creates and the problems they solve.
One of the first products I became versed in is Data Access Enforcer (DAE) for SAP. DAE for SAP is a product that allows enterprises to apply attribute-based policy, which uses attributes of the user, environment, and data to create “rules” to ensure that the business is releasing data only to the intended users. These “rules” can then be implemented easily and quickly without any coding. In addition to this, DAE for SAP addresses critical cybersecurity requirements, improves business agility, and reduces security and compliance management costs. DAE for SAP enables employees and external partners to share vital information and collaborate in business processes to improve workforce productivity and business agility. While this is just one of the many products that NextLabs offers, learning about DAE allowed me to begin this journey in becoming versed in data privacy.
Given the ever-changing digital environment, it is crucial to understand how to maintain data privacy as technology evolves. While data privacy may seem unapproachable, with time and effort, one will realize that comprehending data privacy does not have to be difficult and can make life easier as they will know how to safeguard their data. Gaining knowledge on data privacy will help both individuals and businesses keep their critical data safe. It will also improve collaboration to achieve efficiency and allow data to be used more effectively to create advantages for businesses. It is important to note that knowledge on safeguarding data and data privacy is not simply a prerequisite to do business; it is also a practice that is necessary to thrive in the future. With this, I urge you to learn about the intricacies of data privacy. The sooner this is done, the sooner you’ll excel and less likely to become a victim, as the world is accelerating toward the digital economy.