The term “personal identifiable information,” or “PII,” is widely used in connection with data breaches. It refers to any information that can be used to identify a person.
Considering this, PII is regarded as confidential and must be protected accordingly. Businesses spend money on cutting-edge data protection technologies to keep these details private.
When hackers breach a company’s database or network, they often aim for your clients’ PII. They can steal identities, take out loans, drain bank accounts, and commit other crimes with this private information.
What Data is Included in PII?
NIST says name, biometrics, and social security numbers are the most important personally identifiable information in the US.
The NIST list includes a person’s home address, email, passport number, driver’s license number, vehicle plate number, date of birth, and other information. These are sometimes referred to as “quasi-identifiers” or “pseudo-IDs.”
A random birthdate can belong to more than one person, so it can’t be used to identify a single person. But when added to other information on the list, it could be used to find a certain person. In the US, pseudo-identifiers are not categorically classified as PII on their own, but in Europe and a few other places, they are.
Methods for Keeping Personally Identifiable Information Safe
The company that collects and stores data and the person who provides and owns it must secure PII. Thus, data breaches can cause damage beyond businesses.
Despite this, everyone agrees that the business must keep customer information private and safe. So, as a business owner, it would be safest for everyone if you took the necessary steps to protect all the PII in your database.
Using a tried-and-true Data Privacy Framework will make this simple. Many are easily accessible, such as the PCI DSS, the EU GDPR, and ISO 27000. But we strongly recommend that you make a data protection framework unique to your business and that fits your needs.
Identifiable information: Developing a Custom Data Privacy Framework
If you don’t have a dedicated IT team to build and run your business’s security system, it can be hard to protect the privacy of your data. But if you work with a professional managed services provider, they can quickly design a practical way to protect your data’s privacy and hide it from prying eyes.
We can help you build a framework that protects your identity, financial transactions, and intellectual property and suits your business. We will carefully check how your business is set up and create a system that meets all your unique needs and goals.
Just let us know when you’re ready to take the necessary steps to safeguard your data and increase your level of protection from hackers, and we’ll be there immediately.
If you believe you were hacked, download our FREE Infographic, and follow the instructions carefully. Then give us a call so we can start enhancing your cyberattack protection.
