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Personal data has become like gold in our digital world. Your data belongs to you, but you share it all the time. From shopping to banking, to going to the doctor or simply posting on social media, the exchange of personal data has become an unavoidable part of everyday life. Knowing more about your personal data can help you make smart decisions about privacy.
Thursday, January 28 is Data Privacy Day, recognized globally as a time to remind us just how much data about ourselves we share and how to do it safely.
Here are a few quick data privacy tips:
For Individuals
Treat personal information like money. Your personal information (IP address, purchase history, location) is extremely valuable. Do a cost-benefit analysis before sharing your data.
Pay attention to your apps. Apps often ask for access to personal information such as location, contacts, and photos. Take care not to share information that isn’t required or relevant to the services you are using. Delete apps you don’t use and update apps frequently for security.
Manage your privacy settings. Check your privacy settings and set them to your comfort level. Check out the National Cybersecurity Alliance website to learn how: https://staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/managing-your-privacy/manage-privacy-settings/.
For Businesses
If you collect it, protect it. Take reasonable security measures to keep personal information in your possession safe from inappropriate and unauthorized access. Collect personal information only for legitimate and relevant purposes and process it in a fair manner.
Consider adopting a privacy framework. Adopt a privacy framework to help you manage risk and create a culture of privacy in your business.
Assess your data collection practices. Understand which privacy laws and regulations are applicable to your business. Educate your employees about their obligations to protect personal information.
Build trust through transparency. Tell your customers how you collect, use and share their personal information.
According to the 2020 American Bar Association Cybersecurity Report & Survey[1]:
36% percent of respondents have committed to cyber liability insurance policies, compared to 33% in 2019, 34% percent in 2018, and 26% in 2017.
29% of respondents have experienced a security breach (such as a lost/stolen computer or smartphone, hacker, break-in, website exploit), compared to 26% in 2019.
36% of respondents responded that they have had systems infected, and 26% were not aware whether any such infection has ever occurred.
Did you know that your Lawyer Professional Liability insurance policy now offers cyber liability coverage to protect you and your firm in the event of a cyberattack? It’s our goal at AIM to provide our policyholders with leading-edge insurance solutions that not only provide state-of-the-art protection but also help reduce risk and keep your business safe. Your new AIM lawyer professional liability policy offers cyber coverage for first-party exposures like ransomware attacks, as well as third party coverage for claims alleging liability for a data breach.
For more information, visit https://www.attorneysinsurancemutual.com/cyber-liability-insurance.
[1] As in past years, the 2020 Survey collected information from attorneys in private practice on a host of topics concerning the use of technology in the practice of law. Responses came from attorneys practicing in a wide range of settings: solos (26%); firms of 2-9 attorneys (30%); firms of 10-49 attorneys (17%); firms of 50-99 attorneys (5%); firms of 100-499 attorneys (10%), and firms of 500+ attorneys (12%).