Information protection ensures that individuals’ personal data stays private and secure from malicious actors such as hackers. It’s a fundamental right that is legally protected in dozens of countries. In the end, protecting privacy of personal data can help boost economic growth by helping consumers feel safe with their credit card numbers and home addresses. This trust encourages them to shop online, sign-up for more informational services, and engage with companies.
Information security is a set practices and processes designed to safeguard against the unauthorized access, modification, or loss of data whether it is in storage or transmission. It includes both technical and operational aspects, from the structure of the system to information governance and security audits.
Password-protected documents, for example will prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. Encryption is another way to protect confidentiality. It is a method of securing the information so that even when it is in the wrong hands, the person can’t extract any value from it. And it’s important to inventory all devices that could have sensitive information stored on them, from file cabinets to employees’ homes computers, mobile devices and flash drives.
Information protection is typically element of an organization’s assurance program. Together, the aim is to balance the protection of information’s confidentiality, integrity and availability (known as the CIA three-point system) while allowing for efficient policy implementation that doesn’t hinder the efficiency of the organization. The MIT’s revised Written Information Security Program is built on this idea of classifying Institute research and administrative data in accordance with its risk.
