The average organization collects a massive amount of data from its customers and users. While the information may add value, it’s also a potential security risk that needs to be addressed. Taking steps to safeguard this information not only demonstrates accountability but builds trust with consumers who have come to expect privacy as a fundamental human right.
A data breach can cause irreparable damage to a business’ reputation and brand loyalty, not to mention costly remediation efforts and fines. Moreover, the loss of customer trust has the potential to wreak economic havoc, potentially resulting in lost revenue, diminished competitive edge and even financial ruin. This is why organizations need to prioritize data privacy and ensure that sensitive information is secure at all times, not just in production environments but in development, testing and QA environments as well.
In order to protect personal data, an organization must have a clear purpose for collecting it and communicate this to its consumers. Furthermore, it should only keep the data needed for that purpose and dispose of it once the need has been fulfilled. Finally, it should only share the data with parties who have a valid reason to do so and provide its consumers with a means of raising concerns about, or objecting to, any such sharing.
In addition, it’s important to keep in mind that the security measures used to safeguard personal information should be continually fine-tuned. The threat landscape is always changing, and it’s up to organizations to stay on top of the latest threats and vulnerabilities.