Data Security: Perception vs Reality
Knowing the difference between perception and reality can help protect you and your data.
Everyone is involved in data security whether they think so or not. It’s part of our daily life and it is becoming an increasingly important aspect to maintain our data privacy and integrity.
In this article, we will discuss 5 data security perceptions, the reality, and how knowing the reality can keep you and your data safer.
Perception #1 — Thinking your information has never been compromised.
Most people I talk to are not aware that their information may have been compromised in a security breach.
This information can range from usernames and passwords to home addresses and Social Security numbers.
Reality #1 — Your information has most likely been compromised.
We have all gotten emails or have seen the news where companies have been breached and your information may have been stolen. Usually, we think nothing of it and move on with our lives. The reality is that this stolen information can negatively impact you in the long-run.
In 2017, the Equifax data breach impacted 145.5 million accounts including names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and addresses (Varonis 2020).
Luckily, there are websites like Have I Been Pwned that allow you to enter your email address to display all of the different breaches your email address has been associated with will be displayed. Many banks and credit cards now offer similar services at no additional cost.
Knowing this information may save you from long-term impacts — especially if a password you use across multiple sites has been stolen.
Perception #2 —Using the same password across multiple accounts is okay because no one knows my password.
I believe the majority of people use the same or a very similar password across multiple accounts. It’s easier to remember and no one knows that password…until they do.
Reality #2 — You are increasing the likelihood that your password will be compromised across multiple accounts.
While it is certainly convenient to use the same password across multiple accounts, you are increasing the number of compromised accounts if that password is ever stolen in a breach.
Using a password manager, such as LastPass, makes having different and strong passwords for every site much more convenient. You no longer have to remember 50 different passwords that are 16 characters, and if a company has a breach and your password is stolen, at least you only have to worry about 1 account being compromised.
Using the same passwords across multiple sites should be a thing of the past.
Perception #3 — I’m not a technical person. I don’t know where to start.
The perception is that you have to be an IT or cybersecurity guru to keep yourself and your data safe.
Reality #3 — There has never been a better time to obtain information and learn how to do something.
A lack of understanding certainly makes IT and cybersecurity look very daunting. No one starts as an expert.
The internet has made learning about anything a very simple thing to do. There are endless helpful articles on Medium to help guide you and teach you about IT and cybersecurity. YouTube is also full of resources from companies and people showing you how to accomplish anything you can think of.
The IT and Cybersecurity communities are very willing to pass on any knowledge when asked. We enjoy passing on skills that make you and your data safer. Please, do not hesitate to reach out for help.
Perception #4 — Big companies keep my data safe.
There is a perception that big companies will always keep your data safe and that you don’t have to worry about anything.
Reality #4 — There is a shared responsibility to keep your data safe.
The reality is that this is more of a shared responsibility. Yes, companies do have a responsibility to keep your data safe. Working for a large company, I believe most people try to do the right thing. However, companies are made up of people and people do make mistakes. In the past 10 years, there have been over 9,000 data breaches in the US exposing over 1.2 billion records (statsita 2019).
Your responsibility comes in to play with your account and password. Be sure to keep separate passwords for each account and know how you are impacted if a company you use has a breach.
Perception #5 — There is no risk in using public WiFi.
Everyone loves to see an open WiFi connection when they are away from home. Typically, WiFi is faster than a cellular connection, it helps save your battery, and you aren’t using up all of your data plan.
Reality #5 — Public WiFi may put your data at risk.
Be cautious when connecting to public WiFi. Some WiFi connections may not keep your data as private as you’d like.
A good way to ensure your data is protected is to use a VPN such as NordVPN. A VPN will ensure your data is sent over a secure connection.
It’s typically best practice to avoid logging into accounts with sensitive data, such as bank accounts, while on public WiFi.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, this article altered your perception of data security and gave you an introduction into some of the things you can do to keep you and your data safer.
You shouldn’t fully rely on someone else to keep your data safe. Taking small measures can today can help you manage your data and keep it protected.
If you have any questions feel free to Tweet or PM me @mrkmety
Note: This article does include affiliate links in which I may be compensated.
