The need for laws regulating the use of personal data by companies has become a priority as technology has advanced. This standardization was necessary for the population to understand how important their privacy was , and how companies are subject to punishments and fines for inappropriate data processing. All this dynamics made data security, compliance and LGPD work harmoniously.
Inspired by the GDPR ( General Data Protection Regulation ), the General Data Protection Law brought in its text several regulations and standards to be followed to ensure the appropriate treatment of personal information. By bringing more transparency and efficiency to the processing of this information, the LGPD seeks to inform users regarding the use, consent to the processing of this information and access to the data as the holder deems necessary.
In recent years, companies from all sectors have started to transform the way this information is stored, manipulated and used to adapt to the regulations that recently came into force. But how does this Law relate to data security and compliance? First of all, we need to understand the concept of data security and how it applies to your company.
Data security
Data security consists of a set of processes, strategies and tools used to guarantee the privacy and integrity of information within companies. This entire process includes not only the way data collection is carried out, but also the storage structure and security monitoring aimed at greater protection.
Compromising information is one of the biggest concerns for companies that deal with the personal data of customers, consumers, partners and employees. We can understand compromise as any situation where inappropriate modification, leakage or loss of information related to customers or even the business itself occurs.
This means that data security seeks to monitor and guarantee the integrity of this information and prevent any loss of credibility or problems involving breaches of confidentiality . Faced with a highly technological reality, investing in data security is one of the priorities within the company's strategic planning.
The growth of cyber attacks and data breaches has led to more and more national companies seeking to invest more consistently in information security strategies.
Data security for companies
Protecting information within organizations, regardless of their sector of activity, is a priority. The adoption of measures to protect personal data needs to be established according to the type of information that is collected and handled by the company and the business needs.
For example, companies that handle patient data and health information need to be aware of the sensitivity of the information that is stored. Data considered sensitive requires an extra layer of protection as its compromise can cause numerous problems for its holders.
Find out what data is considered sensitive:
The same applies to companies that store financial information about their consumers or employees. The leakage of financial data favors the application of very harmful scams, in addition to causing a major impact on the company's image in the market.
One of the most used measures to guarantee the integrity of information is data encryption , a process that transforms information into codes to increase security. This way, only accredited users can have legible access to this stored information.
Combined with an encryption strategy, it is also necessary to adopt specific security tools to guarantee a robust layer of protection for information. In this sense, it is essential that all standards stipulated by the LGPD are adopted as a way of increasing security and ensuring compliance within your company, a process that we will detail throughout this article.
Below are some basic data security items that can be implemented within your company:
Weakness mapping
To be able to determine the best strategy to increase security within your company, mapping weaknesses must be a priority. Through it, it is possible to identify possible vulnerabilities in your business network and devices that could cause problems and compromise information.
This mapping can be done through security tests and specific tools to identify problems.
Updating systems and equipment
Updates are designed to ensure systems and equipment are prepared to deal with the most modern threats. Failure to perform these updates will create vulnerabilities that could compromise the information stored by your company.
Backup system implementation
We know that no matter how prepared the company is, it is still possible to suffer from threats spread in the digital environment. Compromising information can harm the smooth running of your activities, and most importantly, the good image of your business in the market. To avoid these problems, it is necessary to adopt a backup policy that guarantees a backup copy of all data stored by the business.
Implementation of Firewall rule systems
A firewall is an extremely valuable tool that helps control the flow of information on your company's network. With the help of this tool, you can filter traffic and ensure that only information considered safe and fundamental passes through the network. The Firewall rules system will function as an extra layer of security against possible attacks and data leaks.
Create a document on the internet use policy within the company
The internet usage policy is a document that establishes behavioral guidelines for all users who use the company's networks and devices. Through it, it is possible to communicate the usage rules and behaviors expected by users. This way, all employees and partners will know the importance of conscious and safe use of the business's technological tools.
Internet access control
There are many pitfalls that can cause cyber problems within your company's network. Indiscriminate access to certain pages and platforms can increase vulnerabilities in addition to harming the productivity of your workers . Blocking access to certain tools within the company's network will prevent the device from being contaminated by viruses and malware and help keep business activities up to date.
Using secure remote support tools
After the pandemic, many companies began to adopt remote working. Although this modality is very efficient for certain companies, it can also represent a risk for your business. Having a secure remote support tool will help maintain the security and protection of information even during remote work.
Some fundamental security specifications for companies were introduced by the LGPD as a way of guiding and providing a standard of protection for companies that deal with confidential data. Understand how this legislation is essential below:
LGPD: General Data Protection Law
The General Data Protection Law was developed based on the growing need for digital security regulation. This legislation contains in its content all the norms, rules and paradigms that must be followed by companies in order to increase the protection of information.
The main focus of the LGPD is to ensure that user data remains protected and confidential even when under the supervision of companies. With this, all businesses that collect any type of information – such as personal data, financial information, number of documents, health data, etc. – need to keep up to date with security resources aimed at the confidentiality of this information.
Already in force, this legislation helps to increase the security of the information collected and ensures that companies that handle this data are prepared to maintain its confidentiality.
Importance of adapting LGPD for companies
The dynamics between companies and their respective customers have changed a lot after digital transformation . The use of technological tools and the collection of personal information has meant that businesses have added new responsibilities.
This information is extremely valuable, especially when it comes to generating insights through Big Data analysis. Even though only 26% of companies claim to adopt a data-driven culture , especially regarding decision-making and strategy development, there is an immense volume of information that is collected and used, with an estimated value of US$77 Billion, in 2023 alone. .
Adapting to the LGPD will ensure that this valuable information is not lost due to carelessness or lack of preparation by organizations. Furthermore, the company can also avoid the punishments implemented by the LGPD , which can reach up to 50 million reais depending on the infraction and its severity.
This means that compliance with the LGPD is not just about protecting information. This suitability will also protect your business from suffering substantial financial losses.
In this sense, compliance is a vital strategy for businesses that seek to maintain quality standards and security protocols to maintain data protection.
Compliance
Compliance refers to the implementation of procedures, tools and policies aimed at applying standards and laws relating to the company's sector . To better understand, we can use an example: technology companies that need to collect and manipulate their customers' sensitive data need to adopt protection policies to consent to the collection of information and block attempts at improper access or data leakage .
The implementation of a compliance system will help verify the identity of consumers, monitor transactions considered suspicious, deliver consolidated reports on activities, among others. Therefore, compliance contributes positively to maintaining the company's credibility and compliance with applicable legislation, such as the LGPD.
And this goes far beyond just using technologies and tools aimed at data security. It is also essential to adopt a regular training and training strategy for employees , assess internal and external risks and carry out audits.
How to implement a compliance strategy
Now that we understand how compliance is related to LGPD compliance, we can begin the process to implement this strategy within your organization. See some tips we prepared:
Involvement of managers
The first step is to engage managers to implement their compliance strategy. It is essential that all leadership understands that adapting to this new legislation impacts the company's strategy and reputation in the market and consumers.
Just as employees must be prepared and undergo training on the subject, the management team also needs to be trained. It will only be possible to ensure that all established rules are followed if leaders are able to guide their teams in the face of the new policies that have been defined.
Challenge assessment
Implementing a compliance strategy also depends on new technologies to ensure the effectiveness of processes. In this sense, the IT team needs to understand the challenges to be faced by the business and the best ways to deal with these situations.
It is necessary to carry out an audit of all tools and technologies that are currently used and identify possible needs for adaptations. In this step, managers will understand what the priority areas are and what changes must be established.
Creating a data protection strategy
Your data protection strategy is directly related to the type of information that is collected by your company. It is essential to clarify what the rules for using the system are and how the data should be treated according to the activity that is carried out.
The most important point regarding the collection of information is the consent of its respective holders . In this sense, it is necessary to have a consent form that allows the company to use the data and transparently introduce the rules regarding how this information will be handled.
Implementation of a reporting channel
Even though every team is prepared in the best possible way to adapt to the LGPD, failures can happen. These failures can cause immense problems for the company and damage its image in the market.
For this reason, creating a tool to monitor and ensure that all users comply with the adopted compliance strategies is essential. Based on the information collected in this channel, managers are able to implement new training to ensure that all rules are followed as expected.
Data security, compliance and LGPD: what is the relationship?
The main objective of adopting a compliance strategy and adapting to the LGPD is to ensure a legal commitment that all information collected and stored by a business is being treated securely. It is the responsibility of the compliance area to establish control measures and preventive strategies to identify vulnerabilities and identify risks.
It is essential that a complete change be implemented in the company's organizational culture focused on data security. Taking into account a survey carried out by SurfShark , Brazil ranks 12th among the countries with the most data leaks, according to data from the last year.
Many of these leaks stem from lack of security issues related to user behavior. Creating weak passwords, opening links received from untrustworthy senders, downloading malicious files, among others, are common security problems that are related to a lack of care when dealing with the company's technological resources.
In this sense, it is essential that there is preparation and a training strategy to ensure that employees understand the need to adopt a more preventive stance regarding the use of data. There is no point in adopting resources to protect this information, such as encryption, if users are not prepared to handle this data in a more secure way.
Compliance with LGPD for data security
As we saw previously, the LGPD included in its content several rules, paradigms, strategies and methodologies to ensure that the stored data collected and manipulated by companies remains confidential. Compliance with this legislation is directly related to the security of your company's information.
This means that, although it is not possible to guarantee that data is fully protected, adapting to the LGPD helps to optimize security within your business. Companies need to adopt a proactive and preventive stance to prevent vulnerabilities from causing problems and damaging the integrity of stored information.
Data security linked to compliance strategies
Just as data security is directly related to LGPD compliance, compliance also plays a fundamental role in this process. The adoption of strategies and measures aimed at adapting to current rules and legislation is an essential step for companies that wish to increase data security within their organizations.
This means that, in addition to adopting the ideal tools for this process, it is also necessary to establish a security plan aimed at mitigating damage and preventing risks . This security plan will serve as a guide for all actions and activities aimed at strengthening the company's relationship with the data that is stored and collected.
Constant monitoring is a necessary step to ensure that all rules are being followed and that the company complies with current legislation.
Importance of implementing strategies to ensure the confidentiality of confidential information
Based on everything we were able to demonstrate throughout this material, we can understand the importance of implementing strategies for the confidentiality of information. The LGPD provides, in addition to the strategies and measures to be implemented to increase security within your company, also the penalties to be applied for non-compliance with these rules.
The losses to be suffered if the company fails to comply with any of the protocols established by the LGPD go far beyond just financial losses. Although the fines are substantial, the damage to the organization's image can often be irreversible.
Your company's image may be damaged in the eyes of consumers and the market, and it is the company's responsibility to use all necessary resources to avoid these problems. The simple inadequacy of LGPD can result in the company colluding with the risks present in the digital environment , and being held responsible for the damage caused by cyber attacks of all types.
IT compliance combined with data protection
Compliance in the IT area refers, for the most part, to the strategies and methodologies applied to data security. To achieve this, a new organizational culture focused on protecting information can be implemented , in addition to more modern and efficient solutions to strengthen the security of the company's devices and networks.
With the advancement of digital transformation, IT compliance has become a priority within companies. This strategy will help increase confidence that the company complies with current laws and regulations related to information protection, such as the internet civil framework, GDPR, ISO and LGPD.
The larger the company, the greater the risks it can be exposed to. A greater number of employees means that the chance of points of vulnerability is even greater, and it is extremely important that the company adopts all strategies and solutions aimed at protecting information.
The LGPD establishes clear rules on the collection, processing, storage and sharing of personal information. This means that your business needs to adapt and be prepared to achieve this high standard of protection in order to avoid penalties and damage to your image.
Data security, compliance and LGPD: an overview in Brazil in 2023
Brazil has been experiencing substantial growth in the number of cyber attacks suffered in 2023. These cyber attacks cause immeasurable losses for companies in all segments , highlighting the need for protection and the establishment of security-oriented strategies. With 23 billion cyber attacks reported in the first half of the year , data security is at an unparalleled level.
Cyber threats multiply daily, and cybercriminals use technological advances to deceive even the most attentive users. Artificial intelligence has proven to be, in addition to being a very useful tool, a potential threat to data confidentiality . This is because unsuspecting users have been providing personal data to these tools and causing major security vulnerabilities.
With so many threats available in the digital environment, it is extremely necessary for companies to be increasingly prepared to increase security and deal with problems of vulnerability and information exposure. Personal data can be used in countless ways, so the more complete a business' security strategy is, the lower the chances of favoring the action of cybercriminals.
The importance of data security for national companies
Research has shown that in the first half of 2023, Brazil was placed as the main target for cyber attacks in Latin America. Whether due to the exponential growth of companies, or the lack of preparation of these organizations to block security threats , this data causes immense concern.
According to the report prepared by Fortinet, Brazil recorded 36% of all security incidents recorded in Latin America in the first half of 2023, resulting in 23 billion attacks. To understand the size of the risk that this information demonstrates, second place, Mexico, reported 14 billion attacks.
With increasingly prepared cybercriminals specializing in causing this type of problem, it is necessary to adopt all available strategies to strengthen cybersecurity within your organization. Implementing a compliance strategy and adapting to the LGPD are just the first steps in a strategy that must take into account the entire company culture.
Faced with increasingly intelligent and efficient threats, your company needs to carry out a comprehensive analysis of all strategies and solutions that are adopted, as a way of finding possible points for improvement and ensuring even more complete protection for your information. Considering the large number of cyber attacks that occur every year, it is essential to keep a close eye on all the risks and vulnerabilities that can impact the growth and success of your business.
Investing in data security is a necessity in the modern world, and it is the responsibility of companies to ensure that the information stored is away from access by cybercriminals. This strategy will strengthen the business's image before customers and the market.
Improper access, data leaks and vulnerability problems can cause immeasurable damage to your company. The time has come to invest in compliance strategies so that your business can stand out from the competition and achieve the expected growth and success.
