Data Privacy, Security,
and Protection in
Software Development

Online shopping, website authorizations, social media surfing, and a variety of other digital steps people make every day might expose them to major risks related to cyberattacks and personal data leaks. According to the latest statistics, 2021 was abundant in successful hacker attempts resulting in $4.24 million in damages and 30,000 websites being attacked every day of the year. Do you still feel safe about your customers who blithely share their data within your company ecosystem and the consequences that might follow?

Why Data Privacy Strategy Integration is a Two-Way Benefit Solution

Data-protection-compliant software is not just some state-initiated whim. Each year millions of customers end up with their credit cards, emails addresses, or accounts stolen. However, they are not the only ones who lose as a result of a breach. Companies that unintentionally jeopardize their users’ data privacy are liable to legal action and severe financial penalties, followed by loss of customer loyalty.

It’s obvious that data privacy protection is a must for any kind of organization that functions in the digital environment. Incorporating the right security model is beneficial for companies for a number of reasons.

Sustainability

The other type of smart software is an on-premise system. This ERP is installed directly on hardware and servers in the office and is controlled by the staff of your company and the management of the organization lies only on your shoulders. With such a type of system, when the core software was purchased only once, the additional costs to maintain and upgrade hardware can become your routine expenses. Most likely, you will need to hire an expert to support your smart infrastructure because, without regular refreshment, the company misses out on great improvements in many core aspects.

Safety

No company can provide 100% security against breaches. But every organization can improve data privacy and strengthen internal cybersecurity teams to ensure quick and targeted actions in case of an attack. Efficient emergency recovery strategy adoption is the key to the true safety of your company and customers’ data privacy.

Automation

Integration of security-focused models such as data monitoring into your infrastructure will inevitably lead to simpler and safer processes automation. Besides, information security efforts made by cybersecurity experts are sure to establish the proper conditions for data storage and safe transportation between different company units.

Breach Prevention is Better than Cure

Cyberattacks are the worst disease of the whole world of big data. And like with any other disease, it’s easier to make preventive steps than to deal with it during the flare-up.

Data Protection through Technology Design

Introducing major alterations to a product that is already launched and currently operates is not only a costly but also a highly complicated idea. Data security standards introduced by the governments of European and North American states require specific features to be incorporated into the company software. The easiest and cheapest way to avoid future over-expenditure is to take care of building a data security laws-compliant product from the very beginning. At the designing stage, memory limitation and data removal, which are two of the key features to be envisaged in an application dealing with sensitive personal data, can be added with no excessive trouble. By choosing credible and experienced software security experts you not only ensure meeting the data privacy regulations and creating a safe reliable product but averting litigation, reputation damage, and revenue losses.

The 9 Holy Principles of Data Protection

Trends in cybersecurity don’t seem to be getting less data-focused, so it’s time to embrace the concepts that run the world of software development. The following information security framework represents the general requirements one should abide by according to GDPR, the Data Protection Act, and the CCPA.

Lawfulness

Data collection and processing are crucial for business strategy development and overall customer behavior understanding. However, such harmless information gathering might be considered illegal if carried out without direct user consent, against one’s will, or without proper user notification. Apart from these, you should make sure not to collect underage childrens’ information without the consent of their parents and stop processing the data if a user has revoked its approval. At its core, data privacy legislation aims to secure sensitive information that might be accidentally or unintentionally opened up to websites and organizations, as well as to protect the latter from frivolous legal actions.

Fairness

A law can’t fully describe what it means to be fair with your customers. But it doesn’t mean that the idea of fairness can be omitted. Collecting records secretly, via actions that aren’t usually expected to expose personal info or using strategies to make a user uncover the data you need are the cases that oppose the concept of fair play. Data collection and processing are mostly offenseless means of getting business-boosting information. However, as a responsible company owner, you are to make sure that even in case of a breach the info leak won’t hurt any of your users.

Transparency

Data protection in software development is primarily based on transparency. It means that a user should know what information is collected, how it will be processed, and who else, apart from the website or service one uses, is going to see it. Transparency of information processing can only be achieved through a direct request for the right to obtain the necessary records and a detailed overview of the stages, third-party companies, and institutions that might get the extracted personal data. Shadowing and invisibility tactics are counter-effective when it comes to sensitive personal data.

Purpose limitation

The scope of information an organization can obtain from a digital user is huge. However, a lot of data brings along a lot of responsibilities. That’s why it is safer both for users and companies to stick to the idea of purpose limitation when collecting private information. Putting constraints on the range of goals that can be used as data collecting pretexts is vital since not all of the companies pursue legal and harmless objectives. Unclear purposes of user information processing are a red flag for auditors and an alarm signal for users.

Data minimization

They sometimes say “the less you know - the better”. It’s hard to agree with the idea from the perspective of data analysts or company strategy builders. But on the other hand, the surplus of records is considered unlawful in the above-mentioned info privacy regulations documents. A company can only collect and store the info needed for specific lawful purposes and should strive to decrease the amount of personal vulnerable information they use to meet their business goals.

Storage limitation

They sometimes say “the less you know - the better”. It’s hard to agree with the idea from the perspective of data analysts or company strategy builders. But on the other hand, the surplus of records is considered unlawful in the above-mentioned info privacy regulations documents. A company can only collect and store the info needed for specific lawful purposes and should strive to decrease the amount of personal vulnerable information they use to meet their business goals.

Accuracy

The right to collect and process user data doesn’t mean the privilege to change or alter any part of it unless a user makes adjustments by himself. In fact, who even needs to amend the original records that are precious because of the very fact that it’s actual?

Integrity and confidentiality

These two notions should lay the foundation of any company’s cybersecurity strategy. Integrity implies the creation of a complex security system that covers all the internal processes and leaves no chance for a breach to appear. Apart from the technical side of the issue, security-focused awareness training is the key to minimizing the risks of successful cyberattacks.

Accountability

According to the new security standards, the organization that performs data collection is fully responsible for further record safety. It seems logical that the one who extracts the information is the one who should be held accountable. However, before the latest regulations appeared, companies could shift the responsibility to third-party organizations that performed mostly information processing tasks. Today data privacy concerns and increased accountability make companies keep records of every users’ data-related action to avoid penalties and show respect to their informational self-determination.

The Bottom Line

The widespread statement about the mutual exclusiveness of data protection and technology seems to be losing its firm ground. The newly introduced data privacy legislation shows that a user should and can be protected without leaving digital companies without enough information to analyze. Planning to establish a company in the new realities, look for a software building vendor that is well-aware of the data protection compliance requirements, goes for secure software architecture, chooses the right security methodology, and has sufficient expertise in its safe and successful integration. Creating a safe and solid product from the ground up is a proven way to avoid challenges that might threaten your business success.