Data intelligence: why Data Protection Day is becoming increasingly important

The problem with data, whether it’s a report, an email, a spreadsheet or any other file type, is that internal personnel have to deal with it, typically through the uses of multiple applications in different locations with no real control. This raises significant questions around how this data is stored, shared and analysed.

Every business must consider where and how their data is stored and shared, and make sure their processes are GDPR-compliant.

• Satya Nadella calls for global GDPR
• Majority of companies still aren’t GDPR-compliant
• Tim Cook praises GDPR, warns about “weaponised data”

Managing data

The first aspect to look at is the encryption level. Low standards of encryption make it easy to hack sensitive information. However, even a system that has bank-level security encryption is only as strong as the permission levels assigned to the people who need to handle the data. For example, even if there are platforms preventing spreadsheet data leakage, one can still take a picture of a computer screen.

Accountability and data governance are becoming more and more scrutinised. Consider this case: British bank Barclays sent an offer to purchase another firm in 2008 that hid—instead of deleted—nearly 200 spreadsheet cells, resulting in unneces