Data Security
Data Security
- Data security refers to the practices and measures put into place to prevent unauthorised access, alteration, or destruction of data.
- It is crucial to an individual, organisation, or company’s credibility and operations, and to protect privacy.
Types of Data Threats
- Data threats could be internal or external and can include human errors, malicious insiders, cyberattacks or natural disasters.
- Phishing attacks, ransomware, malware and hardware failure are specific examples of data threats.
The Impact of Data Breaches
- The impact of data breaches can be significant, including financial losses, damage to reputation, and legal penalties for not complying with data protection laws.
- It also exposes sensitive data, which could result in identity theft.
Data Security Measures
- Encryption transforms data into a code to prevent unauthorised access. When the data is to be read, the system must decrypt or interpret the data using a decryption key.
- Backups are copies of data that are stored separately from the original. These are beneficial if the original data is lost, stolen, or damaged.
- Firewalls monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on pre-established security rules.
- User access controls restrict access to data to authorised users only.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA) significantly enhances security by requiring two types of credentials before granting access.
Personal Measures for Data Security
- Regularly updating software helps protect against potential threats since updates often include patches for security vulnerabilities.
- Strong, unique passwords reduce the risk of unauthorised access.
- Be cautious with email attachments and links, as these can be common sources of malware and phishing attacks.
Data Security and Legislation
- The Data Protection Act 2018 is the UK’s implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It sets out the seven key principles for data protection.
- Companies must ensure that personal data is processed lawfully, transparently, and for a specific purpose.
- Individuals have a right to know what data is held about them, and to have incorrect data corrected. They also have a right to have personal data deleted, within certain circumstances.