Segregation of Data
In any business or personal environment cyber threats and data breaches are a constant concern, there is always a need to safeguard sensitive information. This need will only get more impactful to industry and businesses as technology evolves. One of the best ways to prevent cybercrime from impacting you is the segregation of personally identifiable information (PII). Segregation is the practice of separating types of data to prevent unauthorized access and minimize the risk of exposure. The best practice is to segregate any PII from any vulnerable software or application. By segregating financial data, legal documents, and personally identifiable information (PII) from users’ or business email accounts, social media profiles, SMS, and communication channels, businesses and individuals can significantly reduce the likelihood of falling victim to phishing attacks.
Email is the Target
Phishing, a prevalent form of cyber attack, relies on deceptive tactics to trick businesses and individuals into divulging sensitive information such as login credentials, financial details, and personal data. Email is the most prevalent avenue for cyber criminals to attempt to gain access to your business and your PII. ProofPoint an IT security company found “96% of phishing attacks are delivered using emails.” Additionally, according to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2021, phishing attacks were involved in 36% of data breaches. IT security specialist know that email is one of the most vulnerable resources that businesses and individuals use daily, so why are we still transmitting important PII and our customers PII thru email?
Segregation in Practice
Segregation is how security focused businesses and individuals are mitigating the risk of phishing attacks. Segregating all business and personal PII, financial data, and legal documents away from your email provider limits the exposure of sensitive information, if you fall victim to an email breech. This proactive approach not only enhances data security but also helps businesses comply with regulatory requirements such as The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, FTC Safeguard rules, The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Navigating Segregation
If you can’t use email to send and receive PII and sensitive information, how should you?
To effectively segregate and protect sensitive information when sending or receiving PII, businesses and individuals should use an end-to-end encrypted secure file sharing service. The service should not only encrypt information at rest, but also in transit using advanced cryptographic encryption. Additionally, the level of encryption should be AES 256 or comparable to send and receive PII or sensitive information. GiraffeDoc, a secure file sharing platform, offers businesses a comprehensive solution for segregating and managing sensitive data securely. With GiraffeDoc your customers can get you their PII without the use of passwords, pins, and usernames. GiraffeDoc offers role-based access controls, that introduce an additional layer of segregation, ensuring only the people meant to see PII, will see it.
Encrypted secure file sharing services empowers organizations and individuals to safeguard financial records, legal documents, and PII from unauthorized access and cyber threats. By segregating all personal and business PII, financial data, and legal documents into an encrypted secure file sharing platform, businesses can strengthen their data security, mitigate the risk of phishing attacks, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
Segregation in Action
Segregation is a vital component of effective data security strategies, particularly in the fight against phishing attacks. By segregating sensitive information away from email providers and limiting its exposure across communication channels, businesses and individuals can minimize the risk of data breaches and protect against cyber threats. With GiraffeDoc’s secure file sharing platform, businesses can take proactive steps to enhance data security, mitigate the risk of phishing attacks, and safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access.
