Although used interchangeably, security and privacy are not the same things. Primarily, the former is about safeguarding of data whereas later one refers to safeguarding user identity.
Here is a simple example: To open a bank account, you shared your personal information with bank. From this point on, the following scenarios can occur:
- Case 1, Your privacy and security are maintained: The bank uses your information to open your account and provides you with products/services you requested and goes on to protect that data.
- Case 2, Your privacy is compromised, and your security is maintained: The bank sells some of your information to a marketer. Note: You may have agreed to this in the bank’s privacy disclosure. The result? Your personal information is in more hands than you may have wanted.
- Case 3, Both your privacy and security are compromised: Cyber criminals penetrate the bank’s database which resulted in a data and security breach. Your information is exposed and could be sold on the dark web. As a result, your privacy is gone and you have become victim of cyber fraud and identity theft.
Although concepts of security and privacy are intertwined, it is possible to have security without privacy, but impossible to have it the other way around. Think about the data that you consider to be solidly secured: it’s encrypted, access is restricted, and you have put in place multiple overlapping monitoring systems. Such data- in all meaningful sense of the world- data can be called as secure. However, when you add privacy into the mix, it becomes a little more convoluted. For example, while the customer service agent may have the rights to access your account details after going through some security questions, he can’t be stopped from passing on this information to someone else. Considering the frequent instances of data breaches, organizations are increasingly becoming aware of multiple layers of security protocols (two-factor authentications, VPN, privilege-based access etc.). However, the aspect of privacy needs a lot more attention and focus.
Irrespective of the progress made in either field, both topics have become an integral part of our lives as they are connected to our personal and financial well-being. While it maybe impossible for us to gain complete control of how data is used, we may track our online activities in a cautious way and apply the best measures to protect our privacy & ensure our security.
A part of this content was originally published for my TechTuesday’s initiative on LinkedIn.
