What is the best definition of personally identifiable information PII )?
Personally identifiable information (PII) is any data that could be used to identify a specific individual. Examples include driver’s license numbers, social security numbers, addresses, full names etc. Show
PII doesn’t only include obvious links to a person’s identity, such as a driver’s license. Data fragments which, when combined with other data sets, reveal an individual’s identity could also be classified as PII. Even data that could be used in de-anonymization techniques could be considered PII. By understanding the conditions that warrant a PII classification, your organization will understand how to use information security to store, process, and manage PII data correctly. You can’t protect PII if you don’t know how to identify it. In this article, we cover a broad definition of PII and outline a framework to help you easily distinguish PII in your IT ecosystem. What’s the Difference Between Sensitive PII and Non-Sensitive PII?Sensitive PII includes any data set that includes your full name, address, or financial information. Non-sensitive PII is any generic data accessible from public resources (such as social media profiles) that cannot be used to identify a specific individual. such as zip code or date of birth. Non-sensitive data sits in a grey area. While it’s generic enough to apply to a broad segment of the population, it could be used alongside other data sets to reveal an individual’s identity - like multiple puzzle pieces contributing to a developing image. Because non-sensitive data could still contribute to a broader effort of identifying an individual, protecting this data with the same degree of security as sensitive PII will only further distance you from potential data privacy law violations. Examples of Sensitive PIISensitive PII includes, but is not limited to, the following unique identifiers:
Examples of Non-Sensitive PIINon-sensitive PII is any information that could potentially link to an individual. Examples include:
How to Categorize Personally Identifiable Information (PII)Like any form of data, not all PII is equal. PII should be evaluated by determining its PII confidentiality impact level. PII confidentiality impact levels range from low, moderate, or high to indicate the potential harm that could result to an individual or organization if the data is compromised. Each organization needs to decide on what factors it will use to determine impact levels and then create and operationalize the appropriate policies, procedures and controls. That said, there are six general factors:
This classification framework will also inform the definition of your overall risk appetite. Learn how to calculate your risk appetite. PII can be further broken down into two classification tiers - PII and Sensitive PII. Who is Responsible for Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information (PII)?In most jurisdictions, PII must be protected with additional security requirements, and many industries have data privacy laws or compliance requirements. From a legal perspective, the responsibility for protecting PII may range from no responsibility to being the sole responsibility of an organization. Generally, the responsibility is shared with the organization holding the PII and the individual owner of the data. That said, while you might not be legally responsible. Most consumers believe that it is your responsibility to protect their personal data. This means you could suffer from reputational damage even if your organization is not legally responsible. In light of this, it's commonly accepted best practice to protect PII. The ever increasing occurrence of data breaches involving personally identifiable information (PII) has contributed to billions of dollars of shareholder loss, millions of dollars of regulatory fines and an increased risk of identity theft for the individual's whose sensitive data was exposed. Data breaches are hazardous to individuals and organizations:
To protect the confidentiality of PII, organizations need to use cyber security risk assessments, third-party risk management, vendor risk management and information risk management. If we guard our public information and sensitive information with equal zeal, we'll expose less public information and more sensitive data. Organizations need to have a risk-based approach to protecting the confidentiality, integrity and accessibility (CIA triad) of its and its customer's PII. Learn more about regulatory risk in cybersecurity. Tips for Securing and Protecting PIIThe likelihood of harm caused by a data breach involving PII is reduced when organizations minimize the use, collection, and retention of Personally Identifiable Information. Your organization must minimize its requests for PII to only what is absolutely necessary. It should also regularly review what personal information it holds and whether the personal data is still relevant and necessary. In general:
Security policies limiting access to sensitive data, such as the Principle of Least Privilege, will also decrease the potential of its compromise. Learn more about the Principle of Least Privilege. Do You Need to Protect All Data Equally?Not all data should be protected in the same way. Organizations must apply appropriate safeguards to protect the confidentiality of PII based on how it categorizes PII in its confidentiality impact levels. Some PII does not even need to be protected. Imagine your organization operates a public phone directory that allows plumbers to share their phone number. In this case, the PII (phone number) does not need to be protected because your organization has permission to release it publicly. However, if a cloud solution has not been given permission to share information, all submitted data would be classified as PII that needs to be protected, even if some of it is currently displayed in public directories. For sensitive PII you do need to protect, you should use operational, privacy-specific and cybersecurity controls such as:
What Privacy Laws Relate to Personally Identifiable Information (PII)?PII exists in legislation in most countries and territories:
What are Common Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Security Controls?
Use UpGuard to Protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII)UpGuard monitors the entire attack surface for security risks putting your PII at risk of compromise. The UpGuard platform scans both the internal and external attack surface for data leaks, facilitating data breaches, software misconfiguration, and other cyber threats based on the characteristics of over 70 critical attack vectors. UpGuard helps you identify, address, and continuously monitor emerging security vulnerabilities, keeping PII belonging to you and your vendors safe. Get a preliminary evaluation of your data breach risks. Click hereto request your free instant security score now! What is the best definition of personal information PII )?Personal Identifying Information (PII) is any type of data that can be used to identify someone, from their name and address to their phone number, passport information, and social security numbers.
What is the best definition of personally identifiable information PII quizlet?Personally Identifiable information (PII) is any information about an individual maintained by an organization, including information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity like name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother's maiden name, or biometric records.
What is the best definition of personally identifiable information PII )? data that is collected by businesses to track the digital behavior of consumers?Explanation: Personally identifiable information (PII) is data that could be used to distinguish the identity of an individual, such as mother's maiden name, social security number, and/or date of birth.
What does PII stand for quizlet?PII stands for. Personally Identifiable Information. What is PII ? information that can be used on its own, or with other information, to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context.
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