A broad spectrum of privacy regulations governs how companies can collect, store and use PII. Organizations have to make sure that they treat data confidentially and avoid data breaches.
If data gets lost or leaked, the consequences can be very serious, resulting in hefty fines for the organization involved. This is on top of the potential harm caused to any individuals concerned from identity theft and its associated costs.
So, what’s the best way to be compliant and protect PII? Read on to find out.
Some Top Recommendations for Protecting PII
On top of any fines after a data breach, there are costs incurred related to investigating the issue. Customers can feel left with a lack of trust that’s very tough for an organization to recover from.
Around 12 years ago, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a publication. We now commonly refer to it as a Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information.
Although this report is over a decade old, its recommendations still act as a base for PII protection plans today. These are some of the key recommendations for keeping on top of the security of PII.
1. Only Collect What You Need
In the majority of cases, an organization can only use PII in verification processes. For instance, they can only use a Social Security Number (SSN) to check the identity of a person.
Once that part of the process has happened, a company should avoid storing the SSN. If they fail to do that, it would increase the chance of a data breach.
NIST suggests that organizations carry out reviews from time to time. This should happen on several occasions a year to make sure that any data saved is really necessary for daily operations.
2. Come Up With a Scale for Sensitivity and Impact Level
Organizations that collect and store data should review what kinds of PII they have. For example, they may simply collect SSNs, the addresses of individuals or both.
Understanding what types of information they keep is vital. That’s because every kind of PII when compromised carries with it a different risk to the individuals and companies involved.
NIST recommends assigning the categories low, moderate, and high risk levels. An organization can determine the risk level through any previously researched list of impact factors.
3. Put in Place Safeguards Based on Impact Levels
Not all PII is equal. That means different types need different levels of protection that are relevant to them. For instance, a public directory lists phone numbers with the permission of individuals. This makes its protection less critical compared with other kinds of PII.
Organizations, therefore, need to come up with and implement an assortment of safeguards. These need to be appropriate to the different risk levels. These could include:
- Establishing PII protection policies
- Implementing employee training
- Encryption during storage and transit
- Access controls on hand-held devices if used to gain access to work networks
- Conducting regular audits
Risk Assessments and Privilege Controls
When classifying PII into categories, companies should ask themselves these questions:
- Where does sensitive information currently live at any given point?
- Is the current storage model of any sensitive PII insecure?
PII risk assessments help identify and prioritize where a company’s weak spots are. Here are some more key questions to ask:
- What are the gaps in your overall security strategy?
- What impact do your current risks have on the sensitive data you hold?
- What is the potential impact if certain files get leaked or lost?
Companies should also Implement a “least-privilege’’ model for any online communication access. This is so that employees can only see the data they need in order to perform their work. Role-based access models mean that managers can limit the assignment of access to sensitive data for greater protection.
Organizations should have a policy for destroying records securely when there is no need to keep them. This needs to be a controlled process in order to avoid:
- Any accidental deletion of important data
- The chance of traces of sensitive data left in unsecured locations
An organization’s data protection policies need to include:
- The kinds of data you store ie: PII sensitive v non-sensitive
- The storage and protection procedures for different types of data
- Ongoing training for all users about internal policies and government regulations
Appoint a PII Compliance Manager and Have a Plan
Companies should choose an employee to oversee PII compliance. This should be someone who can work across departments and see all perspectives.
PII tends to move from one department to another. It’s important to have excellent communication between all areas of an organization when developing a PII protection plan.
There should always be a plan of action for when a breach happens. It’s far better to prepare than to get caught with no strategy in place.
Use an Online PII Checker
Many PII plans and strategies within any organization have drawbacks. This is partly because implementing them can take up valuable time and staff effort. They’re also prone to human error.
One recommendation is to use smart technology that does the job instead. iDox.ai uses smart technology that will do exactly that. It can bulk scan all types of files and documents.
It will pull out any sensitive information that any organization can then redact or dispose of. It’s simple to use and cost-effective given the number of man-hours it would take to accomplish the same results.
This is going to mitigate any risk to an organization and its employees. It frees up valuable effort that an organization can better spend in other ways. Critically, it improves efficiency by allowing employees to collaborate simultaneously.
Find Out More About iDox.ai
All organizations could benefit from using smart technology to help them stay PII compliant. iDox.ai offers a range of products. These incorporate artificial intelligence as a way to make staying on the right side of PII regulations simple and easy.
Get in touch with iDox.ai now. Find out how you can get started today with a service designed to help you and your employees achieve maximum data compliance.
