In both small and large businesses and companies, a lot of data changes hands regularly and on a daily basis. And Data privacy is of utmost concern for any entity that is involved in providing goods and services to the population.

Here are a few common data security issues and how to deal with them;

• Not being aware of where the data is and who has access: You will not be able to secure your data properly if you are not in the loop about where it all is stored and who has access to them. This can be addressed by starting with an exhaustive inventory of all sensitive data. Afterwards, document the findings in a Sensitive Data Utilization Map. A flow chart is of help in these cases which shows how data moves through the various nodes in your company.

• Treatment of all data with the same weightage: Data has to be classified according to its degree of sensitivity. Data asset valuation offers very high return in investment. A whole set of different criteria, like compliance with mandated regulation, application utilization, frequency of access, competitive vulnerability and update cost has to be met to ensure strict data privacy.

• Sole focus on compliance: A good many organizations attach importance only to compliance procedures. Instead of this focus should also be given to security centric processes, people and policy. These have to be reinforced by security methods like automated enforcement of policy, strong encryption, access to data based on role in organization, and also system auditing.

• Retaining unwanted data: The risk associated with retention of sensitive customer data can be reduced if electronic and paper records are removed from files and systems. A mere deletion of files with sensitive information will not do the job alone. You would end up violating the multiple data retention regulations in effect and also put your marketing team on edge. The best way to go about this is to approach the issue with a mind on specific data retention and also the protection regulations that govern these highly sensitive elements of data. This will require that you work with the legal department, as well as the custodian of data; the data librarian, who can usually update you with policy and regulations.

Conclusion
Data privacy is very important in all aspects of life, especially in corporates and businesses. Reach out to Netrika Consulting who can help you with resolving data privacy issues with the correct advice and the technical knowhow.