It seems almost impossible to read the news in this day and age without seeing some mention of a data breach. Now, more than ever, everybody needs to be hyper-conscious of data privacy. Not having customers' data privacy and security and the forefront of planning could spell disaster for many businesses.
In 2021, it was estimated that only 10% of data globally was governed by modern laws. The current estimate is that by 2023 at least 65% of global data will be managed by these modern practices. This considerable increase shows how serious governments are about data privacy.
Considering the wide variety of data rules governing business at a local, national, and global level, this could become a minefield for organizations that handle privacy as an afterthought.
Prioritize data privacy
For modern businesses to thrive in this space requires more than simply acknowledging which rules apply to the organization. Instead, it is best to take a holistic approach that includes training team members, giving them the technology to make it simple, and having the processes and policies to back it up.
Create a security-conscious culture
Ensuring that cyber security is front and center, it is best to ensure employees understand why security is everyone's responsibility actively. Training staff to be on the lookout for nefarious activity helps them identify possible attempts to gain company data as cybercriminals are generally highly professional, so know how to illicit a response that will get individuals to bypass the process when they feel pressure from a supposed priority.
On the other hand, an estimated 22% of data breaches are as simple as human error. For example, sending personally identifiable information to an incorrect recipient.
Making data privacy easy
Though all team members are responsible for data privacy, it is not always possible to use the same approach to ensure everybody is compliant. The greater the potential loss, the higher the priority is securing the data. Processes and the technology used to assist in enforcing them should be as simple as possible. Unnecessary complexity will lead to people attempting to circumvent the processes and tools to make their lives easier. Rogue actions like this will leave loopholes that could be easier to exploit.
Conclusion
Ensuring data privacy is one of the highest priorities for any business. Unfortunately, defending customer data must be gotten right every day; attackers only need to get lucky once to spell potential disaster.
