The IT Nerd

Data Privacy Day is today. Led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), this event is a key part of a yearly global campaign focused on safety, security, and privacy. The theme for this year is “Take Control of Your Data.” It represents a worldwide endeavor to raise awareness about the significance of privacy respect, the protection of personal information, and the cultivation of trust.

Executives from Appdome, Datadobi, DH2i, Folio Photonics, Mission Cloud had this to say about this important day, and the incredibly important topic it represents:

Carl D’Halluin, CTO, Datadobi: 

“On January 28, we celebrate Data Privacy Day. Initiated in the United States and Canada in 2008 by the National Cyber Security Alliance, its aim is to raise awareness and promote privacy and data protection best practices. 

I would say the number one data privacy best practice is pretty simple: make sure you can get the right data to the right place at the right time. Wherever the data is in its lifecycle, it should be protected and only accessible as needed. Of course, this tends to be easier said than done. But, there is perhaps nothing more critical and imperative than implementing the right strategies and technologies to do so. After all, while data is an organization’s most valuable asset (in addition to its people), it also represents its greatest potential risk. 

Balancing these two aspects is key. In other words, effective data management enables you to optimize your business intelligence, make faster and smarter decisions, and gain a competitive edge, as well as better meet business requirements such as internal governance and legal mandates, external regulations, and financial obligations and goals.” 

Don Boxley, CEO and Co-Founder, DH2i: 

“Data privacy isn’t just important for businesses – it is a matter of corporate survival. A company can make just one small mistake, neglect one small security check-box, and the consequences can be catastrophic. One small mistake could lead to a data breach that causes legal and regulatory fines, as well as irreparable damage to the company’s reputation — a nightmare from which recovery is near-impossible.

A software-defined perimeter (SDP) solution could be the answer! Many SDP solutions are engineered to provide secure network connectivity across on-prem, cloud, and hybrid environments. SDP enables its users to transform their traditional network-based perimeter security with a more sophisticated one that creates micro-perimeters around data. SDP enables secure connections between data centers and across private and public cloud platforms without needing a VPN or direct connect, thereby significantly reducing security vulnerabilities even further. In addition, for those focused on data protection and privacy, SDP enables the ability to create secure tunnels for specific applications, as opposed to entire network access. Ideally, such a solution would be streamlined and straightforward to manage, equipped with an intuitive interface that eases the configuration, and ongoing management of secure connections. This combination — increased security, ease-of-use, and adaptability – makes SDP the ideal choice for protecting data and ensuring data privacy.”

Steve Santamaria, CEO, Folio Photonics:

“On Data Privacy Day, we are reminded of the business-critical importance of safeguarding sensitive information – both professional and personal – at a time when data breaches and cyber threats have become all too common. For data protection professionals, this should not be viewed as a gentle nudge but rather a polite – yet strong shove toward reviewing and fortifying the technology and policies that serve as the underpinnings of your data protection strategy.

How can anyone not admire those responsible for their organization’s data protection? As we in the business know – it’s no walk in the park! The good news is of course, that smarter and more powerful technology solutions continuously enter the marketplace, ready to take their place in the data protection professional’s arsenal. Active archives built on an optical storage foundation can offer an ideal data protection solution for several compelling reasons. Firstly, they provide a high level of security as data stored on optical discs is read-only, rendering it resistant to cyber threats like ransomware. Optical storage is also highly durable — able to withstand physical damage from factors like magnetic fields, moisture, and temperature fluctuations, ensuring the safety of critical data. What’s more, optical storage media boasts a long lifespan, making it ideal for data archival and compliance requirements while also being cost-effective in the long term. And last but certainly not least, it can be easily air-gapped – adding a virtually impenetrable defense against a cyber-attack. 

Retrieving data from optical storage is quick and reliable due to fast read speeds, making archived data readily accessible. And if that isn’t enough — it is environmentally friendly, consuming less energy and having a lower carbon footprint compared to alternative storage options.”

Alan Bavosa, VP of Security Products at Appdome:

In the spirit of Data Privacy Week, we should champion initiatives that prioritize security and resiliency.  

Protecting consumer data and privacy isn’t just about how a company uses their data internally or with partners, it is how it’s guarded from wider threats, such as cyber attackers. In fact, data privacy and cybersecurity are intrinsically interlinked – you can’t ensure consumer data is kept private if you don’t prioritize cybersecurity. And this includes the protections on a brand’s mobile app offering, especially as mobile stands as the dominant channel for people’s interactions, fueling criminals to eagerly infiltrate apps.  

If brands don’t pay attention to how they protect their consumers via mobile apps, they are putting themselves at a huge commercial and reputational risk as customers may leave. For instance, nearly three-quarters of global mobile consumers stated that they’d be likely or very likely to stop using an app and tell their friend to stop using it too following a data breach or if they discovered that it didn’t protect their data. 

Clearly, brands that do have privacy and security built into their mobile applications have a lot to benefit. Not only will it address cybersecurity fears and build consumer trust, but it will put them on course to comply with regulations such as DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) and NIS 2 Directives that both require cybersecurity resilience.

Ryan Ries, Chief Data Science Strategist at Mission Cloud:

Data Privacy is a very difficult topic to try and understand because there are so many rules and regulations that are constantly changing and are different state to state and country to country. People have to look at what kind of data they have and understand all the rules associated with it which is very time consuming and a serious endeavor. We often see customers that had this under control when they were a smaller company, but as they grow they have to really focus on ensuring they are doing the right things with the data and understanding what rules it falls under. There are so many different layers to data privacy and how you handle it, does it fall under PII, PHI or HIPAA? Do I need to worry about GDPR or data residency? There is a lot to consider and you need to be diligent that you are handling your data properly.