Data breaches are an unfortunate side effect of the contemporary, data-driven economy.
This problem persists in the face of organisations complying with data protection laws in adopting cutting-edge security measures.
Low digital literacy rates further distance end users, being the data subjects, from the basics of data breaches and other fundamental aspects of data privacy.
This article focuses on the end users who may be out of touch with accessible nuances of data security.
Informational Security
Organisations in the data-driven economy adhere to informational security by ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the information at its disposal. Unauthorised parties should not be able to access and alter an organisation’s database.
Security controls should also be in place to deal with the risks and lapses that threaten assets.
The classes of security controls are generally administrative, technical and physical. Information may also be classified, confidential, or available for general access.
It must be noted that breaches do not cover all privacy contraventions.
Security Incidents and Personal Data Breaches
A security incident is one which culminates in the contravention of an organisation’s security policies, thereby occasioning risk.
Conversely, a personal data breach is a security breach which largely results in the deletion, modification, or divulgence of the personal data at an organisation’s disposal.
Breach Register
It is imperative for organisations to maintain records of every instance of its data being compromised. These records give full context to data breaches to inform future corrective measures. It follows that these records must also include the full effect of the data breaches and any corrective measures which followed.
