Last Updated on August 7, 2023 by sourav sahu
Privacy and security are huge concerns today for both individuals and businesses. In fact, more than 60% of adults in the United States found out that their private data could be in the hands of criminals.
From data breaches such as Equifax to other hackers, privacy has become essential for businesses and individuals.
As companies are held to a higher standard when it comes to managing the data they collect, it is important for businesses to prioritize security.
To get an idea of what tools are available, these are the latest developments.
Facial Recognition Software
Facial recognition data and technology were initially only used in law enforcement until fairly recently when a significant advance in artificial intelligence and deep learning pushed this technology forward so that it could be more broadly applied.
With algorithms averaging only about a 0.08% error rate according to a 2021 NIST report, there are a number of uses for this technology.
It’s been used for passwordless authentication and has a number of additional promising cybersecurity applications that continue to grow.
Some companies have already started integrating facial recognition into their systems to deter hackers and keep data safe.
In September 2021, Microsoft announced that users can access Windows, Xbox, and Xbox 360 with facial recognition tools through their official authenticator apps. Meanwhile, Apple users can enjoy password-less authentication with their device’s FaceID feature.
While facial recognition technology can help to keep an individual’s or a company’s data safe, it’s important to know that hackers are also finding ways to get around this system.
Recently, a TikTok trend raised concerns as experts said that this trend may be used by hackers to access sensitive information.
The seemingly harmless TikTok videos show thousands of TikTok users’ eyes up close, revealing the colors and patterns of the irises.
Data experts fear that hackers may use these videos to collect people’s iris images, which are biometric identifiers, to harvest sensitive data.
Everyone should be aware that while facial recognition can make a difference in data security, exercising extreme caution while using certain apps or software is a must to prevent hackers from getting access to personal data.
Application-Level Encryption
Data that are sent or received can be hacked, so encrypting the data within the applications you use is an amazing privacy tool.
It allows for fine-tuned encryption policies and protects any sensitive data at each level of computing and storage, especially when data may be transmitted.
Only users who are authenticated and authorized can access this data. Even administrators of the database can’t access this encrypted data. This is a great security tool for any sensitive material or work being done.
Application-level encryption can be useful in most types of businesses, but it’s particularly beneficial for the financial tech sector.
It can keep data encrypted as long as a financial institution, such as a bank, chooses to do so, and it prevents data-related leaks, such as physical access to disks.
This type of encryption can also protect all the places where data is stored and prevents insiders or adversaries from gaining access to a bank’s database.
It is expected that more companies will be using application-level encryption as the ALE market is predicted to reach $800 million by 2030.
Moreover, the adoption of the work-from-home model across tech companies worldwide is likely to increase the demand for application-level encryption.
Some ALE providers such as IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Dell, Futurex, Blue Star Limited, and McAfee LLC, among others, are already gearing up to meet the demand.
Cloud Data Protection
With more companies and individuals storing their information on the cloud, there has been increased concern about privacy with this storage option.
However, encrypting any sensitive data before it even goes to the cloud allows individuals or companies to be in charge of their own privacy.
This not only will help to prevent any third-party surveillance, but it also works to remove many of the largest barriers to cloud adoption.
From security, privacy, and compliance concerns, encrypting data before sending it to the cloud will improve all of these areas.
Data security experts warn that while cloud data protection can keep sensitive data safe, organizations and tech personnel should also be responsible enough to further protect their systems.
Organizations should make sure to identify security gaps when using cloud data protection and ask about a cloud vendor provider’s course of action in case of a breach.
Meanwhile, those who have access to confidential information are advised to transfer data securely when using the cloud and restrict certain data from being transferred outside of the workplace.
Moreover, consistently creating backups of data can save a company millions of dollars in case of a data wipeout or a cloud lockdown.
Conclusion
Finally, keeping up to date with the latest technology with security and privacy is an ongoing and active task. Both individuals and companies who are concerned about privacy should note these new technologies and adopt the ones which will decrease their risk of losing sensitive data.
What are some common technology tools for protecting data privacy and security?
Some common technology tools for protecting data privacy and security are – encryption, password managers, virtual private networks (VPNs), and firewalls.
How can these technology tools help protect my personal data?
These technology tools protect your personal data by encrypting it, making it difficult for any unauthorized parties to access it. Password managers can help you create strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts. Sometimes VPNs also help to protect your online activities by preventing the tracking and hacking of data by third parties. Firewalls also work to some extent to protect your devices from malicious software and network attacks.
