According to a recent survey, 68% of business leaders feel their cybersecurity risks are increasing—not good news for government agencies that handle sensitive data on a daily basis.
Navigating the dangerous waters of protecting data is challenging, especially with all the recent changes and unprecedented issues. So, how can government agencies provide secure environments for their remote employees while ensuring the best practices in data privacy?
It’s no secret that government organizations need to adhere to a number of data privacy laws, based on their location and the type of data they collect. Having a data management system to keep all the information secure, especially when it comes to sensitive data from citizens, is extremely important.
From payment information to social security data, the data that government agencies collect has become a target for cyberattacks. The only way to avoid a disaster is to improve best practices in data privacy and security regulations.
Why understanding data privacy regulations is important
Making sure that regulations are followed and updated is only possible when government agencies empower their employees with a solid understanding of all regulations.
Employees and agencies need to follow the highest standards of data protection, regardless of their location. Because, if the laws are not followed, the government faces a number of risks, such as:
- Compromised or stolen data
- Lawsuits
- Non-compliance penalties that are expensive
- Criminal investigations
- The loss of citizens’ trust
How to make sure government data is protected
Government organizations can also face hurdles from lawyers of data privacy regulations, if the data they rely on to carry out their processes is not compliant. However, there are some best practices that help organizations enhance their protection, as well as empower them to collaborate with vendors that are practicing the same standards when it comes to data privacy.
These best practices include:
- Creating a data breach response plan—before a breach occurs
- Ensuring that all data is encrypted for an extra layer of security
- Using various administrative regulations to keep data in the right places and ensure it is handled by the right staff
- Working with the best data management tools
- Making sure that all citizens receive the same level of privacy
- Training the employees on data privacy laws
Unfortunately, government agencies face the ever-present threat of data breaches, theft, and disclosure of sensitive and private data—which will continue to be a vast challenge for their IT departments.
So, going beyond the best practices is necessary if government organizations are to protect against these risks and ensure data privacy and compliance.
They will have to:
- Be proactive in their incident response strategies
Data incidents are almost inevitable today, as information continues to sprawl across the network—so being proactive when planning for these incidents is absolutely crucial. The sooner agencies can identify risks, the less impact they may have. To be proactive also means having good communication across the organization and working with other internal teams to respond to incidents as fast as possible.
- Ensure data visibility
Another important aspect is ensuring complete visibility for the sensitive information that the agency is collecting. Knowing where this data resides will reduce the occurrence of security breaches in the future. Also, it’s essential that employees know if any sensitive data is stored in unauthorized devices.
- Deploy the right tools
Remediation tools are vital for taking immediate action in case the agency needs to fix any potential risks or vulnerabilities. Government agencies will need to ensure that they pick the right cybersecurity solutions and data loss prevention tools to have the advantage of remediation whenever needed.
Today, significant changes in the ways that personal information is used and regulated are affecting everyday life across the globe. However, knowing how to deal with the changes is one of the most important challenges facing government agencies.
To stay compliant with new regulations and trends in data privacy laws means to successfully navigate the data privacy landscape and keep citizens informed—and their data protected.
