Data Privacy: Now and Moving Forward

Clicking “Accept” has become a routine. We all must accept the terms and conditions, privacy policies and now cookies from every site and mobile app we use. Everyone is supposed to read the details in order to be aware of what they’re accepting. On the flip side, no one can move forward if they don’t. And so, the majority of us have the tendency to “Accept” automatically and immediately start handing over our private information.

Why does everyone want to collect the data? Because “All Data is Valuable,” according to the National Cybersecurity Alliance. But, when you’re the one collecting it, the question then becomes: “how do I keep the data private?”

What Data Privacy means for Small to Mid-Size Companies

All data is valuable. As a company, it’s up to you to keep it protected. Unfortunately, the smaller your operation, the more your hands are tied. Here are a few ways to evaluate your data beyond its every day use.

Track Your Data.

Identify the data you create, then collect and store. Data comes from:

• Information customers and employees give you.
• Information you access or transmit.
• Information you can gather from marketing tools and cookies of your own.

Analyze Your Data.

By analyzing your data, you can spot trends, react to customers, and improve your decisions. You can also begin to see the data for its value. For example, employee social security numbers, customer preferred payment methods, competitor analysis, among the many other bits of data you have, are all worth a lot.

Assess the Value of your Data.

What is all of this data worth? The valuation of your data can help you determine:

• What you need to do to protect the data.
• Which data you might want to sell.
• Which data you need to keep private.
• How much cyber insurance to buy.

Protect Your Data.

You need your data. Competitors, other companies and worst of all, cybercriminals all want your data. So, you must protect it. To begin, you need a Cybersecurity Plan, no matter the size of your business. Your Cybersecurity Plan needs to address the following:

• Detection – This part of the plan outlines which tools to implement to protect your customers and employees. It also identifies how to create awareness of threats, limit risks and how employees are trained to protect the data.
• Response – Breaches and data-theft can happen to anyone. Therefore, this plan clearly states what your company needs to do in the case of attack or loss. For instance, how to determine which data was compromised, how to alert the authorities, and who all needs to be notified.
• Recovery – Explains what to do to retrieve your data, how to return uncompromised data and how to make the data more secure going forward.

As a company, you are responsible for the data you collect, especially, the data you need to keep private. Fortunately, implementing the tools you need for data privacy and implementing a cybersecurity plan are much more affordable than you may think.

To begin protecting this valuable asset, contact our team of experts at Midnight Blue. We’re here to serve as an extension of your business and support you with all of your cybersecurity needs. is. Fill out our online form, send us an email, or call us at 412-342-3800.