What is Personally Identifiable Information PII#

A collection of information known as personally identifiable information (PII) can be used to identify a particular person. It is classified as sensitive information and is the data used in identity theft. The user’s name, address, and birthday can be considered PII, as can other private information like their complete name, address, social security number, and financial information. PII is a target for attackers in a data breach because of its high value when sold on darknet markets.

There is no specific formula for what defines PII and what does not. PII is a collection of data, therefore any piece of data might qualify. For instance, a social security number may be used to uniquely identify a specific person, but a complete name is useless for an attacker to use. First and last names help identify someone, but without an address and other details, they might still be anonymous. In order for PII to be useful, it must have sufficient details that might precisely identify a person among millions of others.

The following list might be classified as PII if enough data was leaked in a cyberattack, even though there is no definition for PII. The following details might be used in a data breach, one or all of them.: First name, last name, billing address, home address, social security number, Passport information, Driver’s license number, credit card data, date of birth, and telephone number.

How to Secure Personally Identifiable Information (PII)#

Data should not be secured in the same way for every kind. Based on how it classifies PII in its levels of confidentiality impact, organizations must implement the necessary measures to protect the confidentiality of PII.

Even some PII does not have to be secured. Imagine that your company runs a public phone directory where plumbers are able to release their phone numbers. The PII (phone number) in this situation does not need to be secured because your company is allowed to make it public.

You should implement operational, privacy-specific, and cybersecurity measures for any sensitive PII you need to secure. Rules and regulations: Create appropriate rules and processes to ensure the privacy of PII. Training: By requiring all employees to fulfill the necessary training before being given access to information technology that contains PII, you can decrease the probability that PII will be accessed, used, or disclosed without approval.

Comparing sensitive and non-sensitive PII#

It is important to recognize between sensitive and non-sensitive PII since sensitive information is governed by compliance requirements and must be safeguarded by many cybersecurity regulations established by regulatory organizations. To secure highly sensitive data, such as social security numbers and financial information, significant protection should be provided.

What identifies sensitive data has no specific criteria or standards. Verifying if the information is available to the public versus what cannot be found in a phone book or public database is a good practice. Contact information can be considered private, but public phone numbers and names are not. Employee names and email addresses provided in a company directory are not classified as sensitive data, but the employee’s private phone number and address are.

Conclusion#

In conclusion, companies have to reduce the use, collection, and storage of personally identifiable information (PII). When companies lower the level of PII they use, collect, and retain, the chance of harm caused by a data breach involving PII is decreased. Your company should limit its inquiries for PII to those that are absolutely essential. It should also review what personal information it has and if it is still relevant and essential on a continuous basis. Generally:

  • Analyze current PII holdings to confirm they are accurate, relevant, timely, and comprehensive.

  • Minimize PII holdings required for operation.

  • Regularly audit your PII holdings.

  • Make a plan to avoid any inappropriate collection and misuse of PII.

See also

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