Security Pros: Bigger Privacy Threat from Corporations than Cyberattacks

The Black Hat Europe Attendee Survey has released some interesting information about privacy from the prospective of IT and security professionals. For example, according to 58% of respondents, the greatest threat to privacy is the collection and/or sale of personal information by enterprises that don’t properly protect privacy. This answer was selected by security professionals more than either cyberattacks or ignorant end users.

The survey was conducted in September 2018 among 132 European IT and security professionals from organizations in more than 20 industry sectors. Respondents covered more than 15 European countries and the United States. The majority work at companies with 1,000 or more employees.

Although I haven’t reviewed the survey results from last year, I imagine the threat to privacy from corporations saw a sizable jump this year as a result of the year’s attention on data privacy issues as a result of GDPR, the California Consumer Privacy Act and Facebook-Cambridge Analytica.

Here are a few other interesting statistics on privacy from the survey:

Only a third of organizations are very confident they are fully compliant with GDPR.

The respondents considered accidental data leaks by end users who fail to follow security policy as one of the threats and challenges that concern them the most. 24% selected this answer, up from a response of 17% last year.

70% of European security professionals are advising internal users and customers to rethink the data they’re sharing on social networks.

Fewer than one in four believe that GDPR will substantially improve individual’s privacy. Additionally, slightly more people disagreed with the statement that it will be possible for individuals to protect their online identity and privacy in the future. 43% disagreed with the statement about the possibility of protecting privacy, while 41% thought it possible in the future.

Other Blog Posts on Privacy Breaches:

More Privacy Breaches in Healthcare from Provider Leaks than Hackers
New PIPEDA Rules for Data Breach Reporting in Canada
Google Plus Privacy Breach: Europe to Investigate; Senator Blumenthal Calls for FTC Investigation
SEC Issues First Fine for Delayed Data Breach Disclosure to Yahoo Remnant
FTC Expands Uber Privacy Settlement Over 2016 Data Breach

Contact Clarip for Help with Your Privacy Program

The Clarip privacy software and team are available to help improve privacy practices at your organization. Click here to contact us (return messages within 24 hours) or call 1-888-252-5653 to schedule a demo or speak to a member of the Clarip team.

If you are working towards GDPR compliance, we can help through our modular GDPR software. Whether you are starting the process with GDPR data mapping automation, need privacy impact assessment software, or looking to meet ePrivacy requirements with cookie management software, Clarip can help strengthen your privacy program.

If CCPA compliance in 2020 is on your radar, ask us about our California Consumer Privacy Act software. Improve efficiency of responses to data subject access requests with our DSAR software, or provide the right to opt out of the sale of personal information with our consent management platform.

Click here to contact us (return messages within 24 hours) or call 1-888-252-5653 to schedule a demo and speak to a member of the Clarip team.