Data Privacy Day 2022: 5 Tips To Keep Your Data Safe

At a time when end-users are demanding greater accountability and trustworthiness from organizations regarding how their data is used and accessed, it’s time IT leaders examine the importance of data collection, compliance and the challenges of securing data in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

According to the Pew Research CenterOpens a new window , 79% of Americans report being concerned about how companies are using their data. Given the U.S. does not have a law covering privacy for all data types, existing data privacy laws continue to fluctuate, creating confusion and complexity among tech companies who are trying to follow them. In addition, the hybrid work model has significantly changed the privacy game as well. That’s why we asked security leaders how companies should improve their privacy regulations to keep data private.

Here are their top 5 recommendations:

1. Break Down Silos and Consolidate Data Into One Repository

“IT companies must break down their silos of personal information, consolidating them into one repository with enterprise-wide visibility. Companies can then continuously monitor to identify risks or compliance violations across the many regulations they must adhere to. They can also more easily track customer data requests to ensure a timely and accurate response. Having a consistent, repeatable process in place allows companies to scale and adapt to change more easily and effectively communicate at all levels. The reduction in redundant, time-consuming, and inconsistent manual processes to consolidate regulations and prove compliance increases efficiency and reduces cost.”

Vasant BalasubramanianOpens a new window , VP and GM of risk, ServiceNow

See More: Golden Copy: The Key to Fortifying Your Backup Strategy

2. Work With the Leadership To Run Regular Compliance Checks on Data Privacy Laws

“IT and security teams can work with their company’s management to leverage functions like compliance checks that ensure they are following new data privacy laws. Effective IT teams need more than just subject matter expertise – they need to understand the role that security plays in advancing the business and its interaction with other parts of the organization, and how legislation impacts their operations. Implementing technology solutions to automate routine security functions can improve productivity by allowing the team to focus on its core responsibility of protecting the organization against cyber threats, while keeping a close eye on how local and regional laws evolve.”

Anant AdyaOpens a new window , SVP of cloud, infrastructure and security (CIS) services, Infosys

See More: Worried About Online Privacy? Check Out These 5 Privacy-Centric Browsers

3. Put Emphasis on Regulatory Alignment for Improved Data Privacy Compliance

“Tech companies will have to shift their focus on data sovereignty clouds to keep data within their geographical location. For many companies, the mounting pressure to respect data privacy will be seen as an obstacle, but consumer privacy becomes the core of business strategy once implemented.

Meeting the new legislative requirements is the responsibility of each business, and this is ultimately the responsibility of CIOs and business leadership. Organizations have to navigate data control (which many shared responsibility models place on tenants) and the efficiency; with the economics to match business needs. This means that our digital economy will need greater regulatory alignment to drive improved compliance, service levels, and cloud economics to pave the way forward.”

Rick VanoverOpens a new window , senior director of product strategy, Veeam

See More: 6 Ways To Recover Data From Ransomware Attacks

4. Turn New Privacy Regulations Into an Opportunity Rather Than a Restriction

“Compliance is a top priority in 2022. In addition to strict compliance, focus will increasingly be put on data governance and data quality programs, with workflows in place to identify data silos and other potential problems. Historically, data governance has fallen on IT, but to turn new regulations into an opportunity rather than a restriction, all business leaders must be prepared to manage an implicit contract with customers – a value exchange of personal data for a relevant, personalized customer experience. Focusing on preferences and quality stewardship will go a long way to meeting both legal and customer expectations for data.”

Stephen ZiskOpens a new window , senior product manager, Redpoint Global

5. Reinforce Data Protection Efforts By Understanding How Data Is Processed

“From the perspective of a software producer, changing data protection legislation is particularly challenging without a clear understanding of how data is processed by the various elements in our software supply chains. For example, if you consider a software library created by a supplier that logs its activity, it’s entirely possible that those log entries might contain data considered sensitive under specific legislation. Knowing what software capabilities exist within the software supply chain is just as important to data protection efforts as it is to software security.”

Tim MackeyOpens a new window , principal security strategist, Synopsys Cybersecurity Research Center

See more: Why Security Does Not Equal Privacy

Which of these tips are you implementing in your organization? Comment below or let us know on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!

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