Why the Data Security is a need ?

 

Data Security

The information about anything in digital form (structured or unstructured) is known as data. Data has become a power that can affect many markets, businesses, human beings, economies, politics, processes, lives, health, etc. in positive as well as negative ways. It's good and beneficial till it's getting utilized positively, but it's very dangerous if it goes into the wrong hands. We know the power is good if it's in good hands, but dangerous if it's in bad hands, and Data is the Power.

for e.g. if you have all information about anyone, you can hack his privacy, accounts, life, etc. even you can predict well about his behavior and next steps. Is it dangerous so?

Let's understand a few important facts about data -

>> What are the types and forms of data?

There are three forms of data and can be multiple types of data, let's start with three Data Forms -

Digital (Text, Image, Video, Graphics) Form

The digital form of data can be the binary form of data, in normal language some signals for 0/1 or Yes/No, or True/False, the data you read, write, watch, capture, etc. through a computer or mechanical device that is the digital form of data. e.g. Image, Text, Video, Graphics, etc.

Analog (Sounds) Form

The data can be saved and used in the form of waves and layers that is analog or sound data, this can be also converted into a digital form. e.g. Voice, Noise, Calling, etc.

Documental Form

A file in different formats, pdf, excel, HTML, etc., can be uploaded and downloaded anywhere again into a digital form or printed, that is the documental form of the data. 

Personal Type

Your personal information from your birth to the present, your schooling, your DOB, your family, background, profession, earning, expenses, interest, growth, downfall, occasions, health status, relationships, etc. all information is personal, and that can be the data for anyone.

Accounts and Finance Type

There are many accounts in your life, your official accounts, social media accounts, bank accounts, etc. that information is very confidential for anyone, so this is also a type of data.

Organizational/Business Type

Your business-related, up-downs related, turnover-related, finance-related, productions related, funds-related, persona related, etc., there are many things in an organization which is data for other people and for you too, based on that it can be made big and small decisions with a great impact.

Political Type

This information is extremely confidential and based on that it can be made political decisions for any city, country, or state. There are many things with such a location, like some new plans, executions, rules, etc. That is also the type of information.

Behavioral Type

How do you talk, how do you choose, how do you purchase, and how do you make other activities, these all are behavioral data types, where you can generate your data by your activities.

Environmental Type

Things are related to your activities in your surroundings, changes depend on your activities, which can affect the environment, and atmosphere and those changes can be a type of data.

Security Type

It's about your security, house security, border security, kid security, etc., or any security, this is very important data for any individual, organization, association, or nation.

>> What can be the Data Sources?

Any source which is passing or generating the data that is the data source, it can be in different forms -

Computer Devices or Machines

There are many computer devices, and machines, like mobile phones, computers, laptops, machines, cameras, tablets, drives, disks, sensors, etc. The list is huge it's hard to count, but hope it's clear, a device that is input-supporting, can steal the data.

e.g. you have a mobile phone, all your banking, personal, business, etc. information can be fed there.

Internet

The internet also can be the source of data, from Wi-Fi connection to IP, Mac, browsing, cache, etc. all can be the reason or source of data capturing, which can affect you.

e.g. When you will up any form, you find all information is already there, or when you check something on device A using Wi-Fi X, the same suggestions you get on device B using Wi-Fi X.

Cloud Saved

Nowadays it has become a trend for people to save their data on the cloud, like Google Drive, One-drive, Apple Cloud, Mi cloud, etc. because they can access their information or data from anywhere, and it saves their space as well. But it can be risky, even though sometimes people save their contact information and bank information too on the cloud.

Keywords Search

Keywords or any information that you search online via any search engine. that can be a source of data, Nowadays companies purchase high search rates keywords at very high costs, Now you can understand the power of data. 

Public Interaction

Through communication with people you can collect or share data, whether it is telephonic,  direct, email, social media, chat, etc., or any way of communication, single or double, it can be a source of data

Clicking, Posting, Time Spending 

Nowadays it has become a part of life, you keep receiving URLs or other links, you keep posting information about yourself or others, or you keep spending time on different platforms, which also can be a source of data.

Manual

You give your data by yourself, by filling out many forms, information, social media profiles, interviews, posting, shopping, etc., this is somewhere an uncontrollable thing, so you need to be very careful to do that.

e.g. you manually fill forms, your account information, addresses, interest, etc.

Feedback & Survey

This is another way of data collection, even a few companies are ready to pay for surveys, This can be a very direct approach to data collection, and you can think, when companies are paying for this thing, how much they would have been earning, and how it can drag you to problems.

Portals

Nowadays, there are many web or mobile portals, where you need to do some registration whether you want that solution or not, such portals also can be a source of data.

e.g. Mobile Banking, Net-Banking, Government Sites, etc.

History

So this is again a work done by yourself, behavior, and activities, based on your history and trend some new predicted data can be generated, and it's all from your history, it can be a trackable data source.

>> What is the use of Data?

Presentation: To represent anything, to introduce, anything, to target any market, to get the attention of people, to make your presence, etc. data can be used.

Business: For business purposes, like selling, purchasing, inventory, dealing, production, processing, manufacturing, etc., data is very useful.

Relationship: With data, you can make and maintain strong relations with anyone, you have ideas about all things and needs, and problems, that can improve your relationship.

Marketing: Data can help you with strong marketing and it can make you a brand very quickly if you have data and you know how to use that.

Risk: Data decreases the level of any risk or disaster, data can help you to be prepared and make smart steps.

Discovery and Research: Without data discovery and research are useless, data makes them meaningful and useful.

Management and Controlling: Data helps you with magnificent management and it gives you controlling capability.

Decision Making: Data helps you to make decisions, small or big you can make all good decisions if you have good data and you know how to transform that into KPIs.

>> How data can be misused?

Bank Account: If your data is in the wrong hand then it can be used for banking and financial purposes, Money can be deducted without your permission through educated thieves.

Deep Fake: Data can be used for fake and duplicate things, even your identity can be used by other people using your data.

Demarketing: It can be caused by defaming or demarketing using the data, which can affect your life, business, etc.

Fraud: Many frauds are possible using data, like banking fraud, identity fraud, blackmailing, selling, etc. so be aware of your privacy.

Control: With data anyone can control you, from a bank account to social media account, buying habits to investing habits, your daily routine, etc., can be controlled using data.

Business: Data brings the business up as well as down, if any confidential data leaks, it can be very harmful to any business. e.g. you already know about a company's stock status for the next day.

Crime: Fraud, Kidnapping, Hacking, Theft, Blackmailing, etc. all crimes are possible using data, so be careful about everything. 

>> How to protect ourselves?

There are many ways to protect your data, and here I am discussing a few of them 

Encryption

You can encrypt your data, if you want to protect your data so that no one can understand or open that, you can encrypt your all data.

e.g. Apple = A34PdgpdfLdfge

Access Control

Your credentials and access to your files must be very limited and don't share them with anyone, that way can help you to protect your data, Always make restrict access and don't share your credentials with anyone, nor save it in the device.

Backup and Recovery

Keep set some backup and recovery for your database, in case it gets hacked or you lost it so you can flash your device and get your data back.

Security Software

Use a good antivirus and better software which have high security to protect your devices and database.

Good software really matters for data safety, recently we heard about Yahoo's security too.

Less Posting and Updating Publicly

Don't post everything, every time on social media, or other sites, people are sharing their all activities and information through social media, by posting, updating, statuses, communications, etc.

Trusted Sources

Always use trusted sources to capture data and data saving, e.g. Apple phones are more protected than Android, and even Apple can't get the data by itself. Microsoft Azure, AWS, Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, GPay, etc. are also examples of trusted sources.

Avoid Clicking Everywhere

Nowadays, people see something interesting and they click on that, if you do that, then you are trapped because they know your interest, and you click on that, and sometimes it can drag you towards trouble.

Avoid Unknown Links

Usually, friends keep sharing links, sometimes greedy links, sometimes referral links, sometimes survey links, sometimes political links, sometimes news links, etc. This habit also can push you toward.

Protected Passwords

Always use hard passwords and keep changing your passwords from time to time, this practice can help you to protect your database. Because hackers think very smartly, you have to think one step ahead of them.

2FA

Two-Factor Authentication, use additional contact to protect your accounts, you can use your phone, email, and other ways and ON your 2FA for your accounts where you can recover your account or data.

Avoid uploading everything

Don't upload your private pictures, or information publicly unless you are a celebrity, uploading the information, pictures, videos, locations, etc., can get you in trouble.

Firewall

Keep on your firewall security on and keep avoiding unnecessary links, and files, this can help you to protect your data from dangerous entities.

Clean Hard Drive

When you are planning to change your device, please clean your hard drive carefully, if you think you have deleted all things, then sorry, it's just an illusion, data is also existing there, so keep overriding the data, add false data, and keep deleting until device leaves your previous data.

Overall, it depends on your activities, and precautions, as well as habits to be dependent on technology.