INTRODUCTION TO IT CYBERSECURITY
Your company may be subject to various national, supranational, and/or international laws, regulations and standards (collectively, "Data Privacy Laws") that govern the use of personal data. These laws typically require companies to implement certain safeguards for the personal data they collect and process.
Depending on the jurisdiction, these safeguards may include ensuring that individuals have access to their personal data; providing individuals with an opportunity to correct or delete their personal data; restricting the collection, use or disclosure of personal data; ensuring the security of personal data; and transferring personal data in compliance with applicable law.
In addition to Data Privacy Laws, your company is also subject to information security laws, which may require you to take steps to protect the security of personal data, including implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect against unauthorized or unlawful access, use, disclosure, destruction or accidental loss of personal data.
Your company should review all applicable Data Privacy Laws and information security laws to ensure compliance. Depending on the jurisdiction, failure to comply with these laws may result in civil and/or criminal penalties.
What is data security and data protection?
Data security is the practice of protecting electronic information from unauthorized access. Data protection, on the other hand, is a subset of data security that deals specifically with the protection of personal data.Personal data is any information that can be used to identify an individual. This includes, but is not limited to, names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and financial information.Under most Data Privacy Laws, companies are required to take steps to protect the security of personal data and to ensure that it is only used for the purpose for which it was collected.What are some common data security measures?
Which laws govern data security and data protection?
There are a number of national, supranational, and international laws that govern data security and data protection. These laws typically require companies to take steps to protect the security of personal data and to ensure that it is only used for the purpose for which it was collected.
Some of the most common laws that govern data security and data protection include:
- The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): This is a European Union (EU) law that came into effect in May 2018. The GDPR applies to any company that processes the personal data of EU citizens, regardless of whether the company is based inside or outside of the EU.
- The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): This is a US state law that came into effect in January 2020. The CCPA applies to any company that does business in California and processes the personal data of California residents.
- The Australian Privacy Principles (APPs): These are principles that govern the handling of personal information by organizations in Australia. The APPs are contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), which is federal legislation.
- The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA): This is Canadian federal legislation that came into effect in 2001. PIPEDA applies to any company that processes the personal data of Canadians, regardless of whether the company is based inside or outside of Canada.
What are the penalties for violating data security and data protection laws?
The penalties for violating data security and data protection laws can vary depending on the jurisdiction in which the violation occurred. In some jurisdictions, such as the EU, violations may result in fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of a company's global annual revenue, whichever is greater. In other jurisdictions, such as the US, penalties may be less severe, but can still result in significant financial penalties.
What are some common data security threats?
There are many
different types of data security threats. Some common threats include:
1) Hacking:
Hacking is the unauthorized access of a computer system or network. Hackers may use a variety of methods to gain access, such as exploiting software vulnerabilities or guessing passwords.
2) Malware:
Malware is malicious software that can infect a computer and cause damage. Common types of malware include viruses, worms, and Trojans.
3) Phishing:
Phishing is a type of online fraud where criminals pose as legitimate businesses in order to trick people into sharing personal or financial information. Phishing scams are typically conducted via email or fake websites.
4) Social engineering:
Social engineering is the act of manipulating people into revealing confidential information. Social engineers may use a variety of techniques, such as pretexting (posing as someone else), tailgating (following someone into a secured area), and dumpster diving (looking through trash for sensitive information).
5) Insider threats:
Insider threats are a type of security threat that comes from within an organization. Insider threats can include employees, contractors, or business partners who have authorized access to company data but misuse it for personal gain or to damage the company.
6) Denial-of-service attacks:
A denial-of-service attack is an attempt to make a computer or network resource unavailable to users. Denial-of-service attacks can be conducted by flooding the target with traffic or by damaging the hardware or software.
7) SQL injection:
SQL injection is a type of attack that allows attackers to execute malicious code on a database. SQL injection attacks exploit vulnerabilities in web applications that use Structured Query Language (SQL).
8) Cross-site scripting:
Cross-site scripting (XSS) is a type of attack that injects malicious code into a web page. XSS attacks exploit vulnerabilities in web applications that allow attackers to execute malicious code on the victim's machine.
9) Physical security threats:
Physical security threats are a type of security threat that comes from the physical world, such as theft, vandalism, or natural disasters.
10) Data breaches:
A data breach is a unauthorized access or disclosure of sensitive information. Data breaches can occur when attackers gain access to systems or networks, or when companies fail to properly secure their data.
What are some data security best practices?
There are many steps that companies can take to protect their data from security threats. Some common data security best practices include:
Creating strong passwords:
Passwords should be at least 8 characters long and contain a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using easily guessed words, such as names, dates, and dictionary words.
Encrypting data:
Data should be encrypted when it is stored and transmitted. Encryption is a process of transforming readable data into an unreadable format. This makes it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to access confidential information.
Implementing access control measures:
Access control measures should be implemented to restrict access to information and systems to authorized individuals only. Common access control measures include user IDs and passwords, biometric authentication, and security tokens.
Deploying firewalls:
Firewalls help to protect networks from unauthorized access. They work by blocking incoming traffic that does not meet certain criteria, such as coming from a trusted IP address.
Keeping software up-to-date:
Software should be kept up-to-date to reduce the risk of exploitation. Companies should install updates for all software, including operating systems, applications, and web browsers, as soon as they are available.
Backing up data:
Data should be backed up on a regular basis to prevent data loss in the event of a system failure or attack. Backups should be stored in a secure location, such as an offsite server or cloud storage service.
Training employees:
Employees should be trained on data security best practices, such as creating strong passwords and recognizing phishing scams. They should also know how to report suspicious activity.
What is Personally Identifiable Information (PII)?
PII is information that can be used to identify an individual. This includes things like your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. PII can also include other information like your medical history or financial records. When you share your PII with someone, you expect them to keep it private. However, data breaches can occur when companies fails to properly secure their data. This can put your PII at risk of being accessed or disclosed by unauthorized individuals.
What are some steps you can take to protect your PII?
There are many steps you can take to protect your PII from being accessed or disclosed without your consent. Some of these steps include:
Keeping your information confidential: When you share your PII with someone, you expect them to keep it private. Only share your PII with people or organizations that you trust.
Checking privacy settings: Be sure to check the privacy settings on all of your online accounts. This will help to ensure that only authorized individuals can access your information.
What is sensitive data?
Sensitive data is information that is confidential or private. This includes things like your financial records, medical history, and personal correspondence. When you share your sensitive data with someone, you expect them to keep it secure and protect it from unauthorized access or disclosure.What are some steps you can take to protect your sensitive data?
There are many steps you can take to protect your sensitive data from being accessed or disclosed without your consent. Some of these steps include:
Keeping your information confidential: When you share your sensitive data with someone, you expect them to keep it private. Only share your information with people or organizations that you trust.
Checking privacy settings: Be sure to check the privacy settings on all of your online accounts. This will help to ensure that only authorized individuals can access your information.
Encrypting your data: Encrypting your data makes it unreadable to anyone who does not have the encryption key. This is an effective way to protect your sensitive data from being accessed or disclosed without your consent.
Storing your data securely: Be sure to store your sensitive data in a secure location, such as a locked file cabinet or encrypted flash drive. This will help to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing your information.
Destroying your data: When you no longer need your sensitive data, be sure to destroy it in a secure manner. This includes shredding paper records and wiping digital files from your computer or other devices.
What is data collection?
Data collection is the process of gathering information from a variety of sources. This information can be used to create reports, analyze trends, or make decisions. Data collection can be performed manually or through automated means.
There are many different methods of data collection. Some common methods include surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, and database records.
Data collection can be used to improve security by identifying risks and vulnerabilities. This information can then be used to develop mitigation strategies and ensure that resources are allocated appropriately. Additionally, data collection can help to track the effectiveness of security measures over time.
Conclusion:
Data privacy and information security laws are designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access or disclosure. These laws vary from country to country, but they all share the same goal of safeguarding people's data.
Organizations that collect, store, or use personal information must take steps to ensure that this data is protected. This includes implementing physical, technical, and organizational security measures. Additionally, organizations must ensure that their employees are trained on these security measures and understand their roles in protecting personal data.
Compliance with data privacy and information security laws is critical to protecting personal information. By taking these steps, organizations can help to prevent data breaches and safeguard people's data.
Glossary:
Protect data: Put security measures in place to keep data from being accessed or disclosed without consent
Data protection tools: Technologies and processes used to protect data
Data security: The practice of protecting data from unauthorized access or disclosure
Data privacy: The right to control how your personal information is collected, used, and disclosed
Sensitive data: Information that is confidential or private
PII: Personally identifiable information
Personal and sensitive data: Data that can be used to identify an individual, such as name, address, Social Security number, etc.
Non-sensitive data: Data that cannot be used to identify an individual, such as gender, age, race, etc.
Regulatory compliance: Meeting the requirements of data privacy laws and regulations
Data governance: The process of managing data to ensure its accuracy, quality, and security
External and internal threats: Threats to data security that can come from inside or outside of an organization
Malware: Software that is designed to damage or disable computers
Phishing: A type of cyberattack that uses fraudulent emails or websites to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers
Spam: Unsolicited email messages
Virus: A type of malware that replicates itself and spread to other computers
Trojan horse: A type of malware that disguises itself as legitimate software in order to trick users into downloading it
Denial-of-service attack: A type of cyberattack that prevents legitimate users from accessing a system or service by overwhelming it with traffic
Hacking: Gaining unauthorized access to a system or data
Identity theft: Stealing someone’s personal information in order to commit fraud or other crimes
Data breach: unauthorized access or disclosure of sensitive data
Incident response: A plan of action for addressing and managing a security incident
Disaster recovery: A plan of action for restoring systems and data following a disaster
Cybersecurity: The practice of protecting computer networks and systems from cyberattacks
Private data: Confidential information that is not intended to be disclosed to the public
Preventing unauthorized access: Taking measures to keep data from being accessed or used without consent
Controlling access: Granting access to data only to those who need it for legitimate purposes
Restricting access: Limiting data access to certain individuals or groups
Encrypting data: Scrambling data so that it can only be read by those with the proper decryption key
Tokenization: Replacing sensitive data with a non-sensitive equivalent, such as a randomly generated number
Masking: Modifying data so that it is not fully exposed, such as replacing characters with asterisks
Hashing: Converting data into a fixed-length value or “hash” using a mathematical function */
Data subject / Data subjects: The individuals whose data is being collected, used, or disclosed. Data subjects have certain rights under data privacy laws, such as the right to access their personal data or the right to have their personal data erased.
Data controllers: The entity that determines the purposes for which and the means by which personal data is processed.Data controllers must comply with data privacy laws and regulations.
Data processors: An entity that processes personal data on behalf of a data controller. Data processors must comply with data privacy laws and regulations.
Data protection officer (DPO): An individual who is responsible for overseeing an organization’s compliance with data privacy laws and regulations. The DPO may be an employee of the organization or a third party.
Compliance Training:
Data Privacy Protection and Information Security
Course overview:
This course will provide you with an overview of compliance with data privacy protection and information security laws. You will learn about the various legal requirements that apply to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data, as well as the steps that organizations must take to ensure compliance with these laws. In addition, you will gain an understanding of the importance of information security in protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.
Learning objectives:
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Understand the key concepts of data privacy and information security
- Identify the major stakeholders in data privacy and information security compliance
- Understand the legal framework for data privacy and information security
- Understand the role of information security in protecting data
- Implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with data privacy and information security laws
This course is designed for:
Individuals who are responsible for compliance with data privacy and information security laws, including in-house counsel, privacy officers, and information security professionals.
Course Outline:
1. Introduction to Data Privacy and Information Security
- What is data privacy?
- What is information security?
- Key concepts of data privacy and information security
- Major stakeholders in data privacy and information security compliance
2. The Legal Framework for Data Privacy and Information Security
- Overview of the legal framework for data privacy and information security
- Applicable laws and regulations
- International perspectives on data privacy and information security
3. The Role of Information Security in Protecting Data
- Overview of information security principles
- The importance of information security in protecting data
- Common threats to data confidentiality, integrity, and availability
- Information security controls to protect data
- Physical controls
- Technical controls
- Administrative controls
4. Implementing Policies and Procedures to Ensure Compliance with Data Privacy and Information Security Laws
- Developing policies and procedures for data privacy and information security
- Establishing a compliance program
- Training employees on data privacy and information security
- Investigating and responding to incidents
- Managing third-party service providers
5. Conclusion
- Summary of key concepts learned in the course
- Importance of data privacy and information security in today's business environment
