In the News
Companies are not claiming responsibility for protecting all of your data. In Global Study Finds Orgs Are Failing to Protect Data in the Cloud, Michael Hill at InfoSecurity Magazine discusses that despite more and more companies using the cloud for data storage, companies feel a decreased sense of responsibility to protect their user’s data once it is in the cloud. Hill explains that only 32% of organizations claim to have the responsibility of safeguarding user information stored in the cloud. Hill furthers that 51% of businesses do not protect user information with encryption before using cloud storage.
Our Take
The controversy over who should be held responsible for protecting user data is a complex and nuanced topic. Ideally, both the companies collecting data and the companies creating the cloud space should equally share not just the responsibility but also the desire to keep user data safe and protected. However, because of the disconnect between the share of responsibility, user data is less secure than it would be if one of both parties took control of said responsibility. What might be more disappointing than only 32% of companies believing the burden falls on them is the 51% that do not encrypt user data. This is a basic security essential for large amounts of personal data not stored on site. While it would be ideal for companies to change their mindsets full–heartedly, changing the data storage practices to include encryption is a simple yet vital way to protect user privacy further. Hopefully, future regulation of consumer sentiments will drive companies to increase their level of responsibility in protecting the privacy of user data in the cloud.
Recommendations
How can you protect the privacy of your personal information?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Use safe password practices, and take advantage of Multi-factor Authentication where possible
- Utilize additional security/privacy measures and settings on apps, accounts, and platforms whenever possible
- Research and read a company’s data privacy practices before utilizing their services
- Know your rights when it comes to data storage both on a company and legal level