Five Tips For Protecting PII In Digital Environments
Rich Vibert is the CEO and cofounder of Metomic, a next-generation data security solution for SaaS and GenAI tools.
Data is everywhere—and not just big data, your personal data too. Protecting personally identifiable information (PII), or personal data, has become a major issue for businesses and governmental bodies alike. With more PII being generated, shared and stored daily, the risk of exposing sensitive information only increases. That’s why security leaders whose businesses are handling large amounts of sensitive personal data, and who are as such subject to PII compliance regulations, are adopting a comprehensive, multilayered approach to safeguard this critical information.
Here are five tips for protecting PII and other sensitive data in digital environments.
Encryption is a business' first line of defense, whether at rest or in transit. Encrypting data to unauthorized users. Data stored in databases like Google Drive or other storage mediums and transmitted over networks ensures that it remains unread and should always be encrypted. This protects information from unauthorized access, even if physical security measures are breached.
One way to protect personally identifiable data within a business is by data masking. Data masking happens when data is obfuscated with scrambled yet statistically equivalent data, making it functional and safe to use. There are situations in which teams would need access to real PII to contact a customer or validate a customer’s identity, for example, but there are many cases in which masked and, therefore secure, data could just as easily be used to do the same job.
Access controls, or IAM, play a crucial role in data security, as they are designed to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to critical data, such as PII. Whether access is limited to specific job roles (RBAC) or by restricting user access rights to the minimum necessary for their tasks, organizations reduce the likelihood of unauthorized access to sensitive information such as PII.
Modern businesses are using SaaS and Gen AI productivity tools to collaborate and be productive. But these tools retain vastly expanded the threat surface, leaving businesses open to untold security breaches. Risks can come from employee error, insider threats or from stale data left forgotten in drives. In a recent study, we found that 86% of files in Google Drive hadn’t been touched in over 90 days, highlighting the lack of data management happening in organizations. That’s why it’s critical that businesses implement data security, or DLP tools to monitor, detect and block potential data breaches and unauthorized data transmission.
Most modern businesses run IT security training, yet 95% of data breaches are still caused by human error. That’s why IT security teams need to make data security a shared responsibility across the organization, educating employees about data security best practices and the importance of protecting PII. Running phishing simulations and using technology to alert employees when they are about to share PII or other sensitive information so that they understand when they are taking a risk and whether that risk is necessary. Organizations that train employees to recognize and handle PII properly will undoubtedly reduce their risk of being breached.
We know that data breaches are increasingly common and the average cost of a breach has been reported to be $4.43 million. That’s why security leaders need to employ a multifaceted approach to protect PII and other sensitive information. The risk of not doing so is simply too high. By implementing these steps, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches, ensuring the safety and integrity of their most critical data. Your personal data.
For organizations dealing with PII and who are committed to safeguarding their data, these practices are not just recommended—they are essential.
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