Moving operations online comes with risks, but many businesses have made the change. It could be said that the pandemic forced companies to move online, with 45% of businesses increasing their use of digital technologies. However, once moving online, these businesses need to ensure both their staff and their consumers are safe; this extends to the organization’s private information, too.
Threats to private data can be very concerning to all parties involved, especially if personal information such as addresses and bank details are involved. Businesses must protect this data to preserve their reputation and ensure customers continue using their services. Thankfully, to help businesses, this post has outlined three of the best ways to combat potential privacy threats.
Connect Data Authentication Systems
A strong firewall will serve at the first line of defense between your network and the rest of the world. It will help to prevent cyberattacks and data breaches, ensuring your business is protected from all types of unauthorized access. This will decrease the risk of malware and ransomware attacks.
Yet, companies should also install data authentication systems to secure their data. This type of system is vital to further protect against unauthorized access. With data authentication, only authorized parties will be able to access your data. Without it, anyone could access sensitive information, which puts the company at risk of being compromised or tampered with.
By installing a strong firewall and data authentication systems, your business will be better prepared to prevent potential privacy breaches.
Use Synthetic Data to Train AI Models
The use of synthetic data removes the risk of exposing personal data to third parties to test and/or develop software. This is accomplished as synthetic data is information either generated by algorithms or through the augmentation of real data. Any data generated will mimic real-world information without compromising an individual’s privacy, although how much data is artificial can vary.
Synthetic data can be used by businesses to simulate various scenarios and allow AI models to learn how to make relevant predictions. Some of the other ways AI can be trained with synthetic data include image recognition, natural language process, and reducing bias. Without having to use real data for these processes, businesses can advance their operations without putting staff, users, and other individuals at risk.
If used legitimately, synthetic data can be used to advance AI models and other systems, which will benefit the business greatly.
Stay Up-To-Date on Industry Developments
Like other aspects of life, there will be changes to your industry. This might include the laws and regulations being amended, technologies advancing, or new risks developing. All of these examples can lead to privacy breaches, so keeping up-to-date is a necessity for your business. Without doing so, you could be putting sensitive data at risk.
There are several ways that your business can stay up-to-date on industry developments to combat potential privacy risks. One of the best methods is to ensure continuous learning and professional development. This means finding and attending conferences and webinars that are related to your field and privacy. Through these experiences, you will meet experts and peers in your sector that can share their knowledge with you.
You can also make it mandatory for your employees to follow this training, and this will further reduce the threat to your business and any secure data it may hold.
By following the tips outlined in this post, such as connecting data authentication systems, using synthetic data to train AI models, and staying up-to-date on industry developments, your business will have a better chance of combatting potential privacy risks.
