Key Issues On Data Protection

With the explosion of information in our computer systems, computer data protection is an important issue for your home and business. There are various tools available in the market to serve the purpose. Some of these tools are: firewalls, virus protection softwares, backup softwares that secure our data both online and onsite. Protection is basically a step-by-step process. An effective way out of this insecurity of data loss is to employ layered data protection.

"With the explosion of information in our computer systems, computer data protection is an important issue for your home and business."

The first step is to protect the data from infected e-mail messages called a virus. A virus is a program that makes a copy of itself. It multiplies like a virus and infects our files and thus corrupts them. The second step could be to program the operating system in such a way that it takes care of the data losses or leakages itself. The third step is to employ a firewall software program. This software restricts the hackers and other users from trying to view vital information.

Sometimes the data still gets lost and there is no way to recover that data. In order to avoid such circumstances, backup procedures could be done consistently. Backup software helps to take backup of your data everyday or every week and use this data at the time it is lost. Thus, this forms another layer of protection.

There are some renowned companies in the market like- Symantec, Zone Alarm, CA PC, Mac Afee that offer good virus protecting and firewall softwares.

There is also a Data Protection Act that lays down eight principles for the organizations which process data. The act came in to existence in the year 1998 and came into force in 2000. The Data Protection Act discriminates personal data related to employees, suppliers, customers, business contacts from personal sensitive data like an individual's medical conditions, ethnic origin etc. The act only holds good for personal data.

Data protection is a key issue and there should be someone within the organization to take care of data and its protection.

Data controller is one such person whose duty is to take care of the organization's data and also protect it from losses or leakages by adopting relevant data protection measures. A Data controllers responsibilities include:

  • Taking care of personal data of the organization.
  • Deciding when and how the data to be processed.
  • Complying with the eight data protection principles of information handling.
  • Adopting relevant personal data security measures.
  • Ensure notification. It means that an organization cannot process any personal data unless it is being notified by the Information Commissioner of certain particulars.

The data protection issue looks tedious but it is important that we carefully plan the data protection measures in order to protect our data from leakages and losses. With these measures in place, there is a level of confidence that data is protected and not at risk.