As businesses collect and process huge amounts of personal data, we are seeing privacy ad cyber security as more and more intertwined. The methods malicious people use to access sensitive data are also evolving with time. So is a company's commitment to privacy enough without a strong cyber security foundation?
Privacy meets cyber security
Noé Collet, a privacy consultant at Approach Cyber, emphasises the need for strong cyber security to complement data protection. In a recent interview, he pointed out the limitations of focusing only on privacy: "I can work with a company to ensure they are fully committed to confidentiality, secrecy and transparent use of data," he said. "But without strong cyber security, there's always the risk of data breaches, potentially exposing years of carefully protected data."
Ethical hackers: testing security
In his interview, Noé highlights the importance of seeing cyber security and privacy as complementary. Even if organisations follow industry standards and all data protection regulations, a data breach could destroy years of work and customer confidence. This is where ethical hackers play a crucial role. They are hired to evaluate a business's security, searching for openings that could be used by hostile actors.
Noé Collet explains that the effectiveness of these hacker teams lies in their diversity, with members from different generations bringing unique skills to the table. "Junior hackers often take a more exploratory approach, finding unexpected solutions to penetrate a system," he noted. "In contrast, senior hackers bring a wealth of experience and a broader understanding of cyber security." This mix of experience and innovation allows organisations to build robust cyber security defences that support their privacy commitments.
Building customer trust with strong security
Combining privacy and cyber security both helps to prevent data breaches and fosters customer trust. Companies that show a commitment to protecting the personal data they process are more likely to earn and keep the trust of their customers.
At Approach Cyber, we provide organisations with an extensive range of privacy and cyber security services to help them achieve cyber serenity.