With hacks and data breaches becoming increasingly rampant nowadays, the underlying need for governments and organisations to have privacy training programs cannot be overstated. A CIPM certification has also been created to ensure Data Protection Officers (DPOs) can develop strong data protection compliance programmes.
A CIPM certification can also help those who are looking to get an international certification in data privacy. Data compliance programmes nowadays are seen as a process instead of a project. Understandably, many employers now opt to hire professionals that are skilled in data privacy.
There are several reasons for privacy training. There’s ethical considerations, regulatory mandates, and best practices to protect organisations from unnecessary risks and potential threats, to name a few. There are also three basic awareness program perspectives: business, personal, and regulatory.
Below are some of the ways business professionals can benefit from privacy training:
- Privacy training can provide business professionals with the awareness that they can be held personally liable if they mishandle sensitive and personal data at work. The penalties can vary from one organisation to another.
- Privacy training can teach individuals the ramifications of pirating software like videos, games, and music.
- Employment status. Not following the right security policies can get employees reprimanded, penalised, and even fired. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the organisation and its data is protected at all times.
- When business professionals are aware of the organisation’s and the law’s regulatory compliance requirements, they can become more law abiding and can mentor others. Information that is shared with others include how to avoid phishing and email scams, personal safety practices, reactive and preventative action to take in the event of a cyber emergency, and tricks used by cyber predators, among others.
- System access. A privacy training programme can help business professionals become more aware of the protocols and system access rules that relate to password length, composition, and strength, entry duration, and number of attempts allowed. It is important to remember that access training is not only limited to the devices that are used but to the network services as well. Access training provided at work should also be taught in the household to ensure intrusion to home/family environment and personal information are prevented.
- Computer weaknesses. Privacy trainings can also teach business professionals about any vulnerabilities in desktop computers and personal mobile computing devices. It will also highlight the need for software upgrades and patches.
- Social media. Social media software applications like Twitter, Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. can expose users to several malicious threats like cyberbullying, kidnapping, identity theft, and other malicious threats. Privacy training can also teach people information or data they should not put into the public domain as it can be used against them.
Benefits to Business Organisations
Apart from the benefits privacy training can provide to business professionals, business organisations can benefit from them as well. For instance:
- Establishes organisation programs and policies. It is considered best practice for organisations to have privacy training as it can teach the staff about proper management of data and information, as well as goals, objectives, and strategies. It can also help the management support and promote its commitment to protect the organisation.
- Ensures a secure environment. Privacy training can help promote good information security practices in the workplace (i.e., patient data, proper disposal of credit card applications, etc.). A secure work environment will not only protect the organisation’s sensitive data, it also teaches the importance of denying access to confidential information to unauthorised individuals.
- Protects the organisation’s reputation. Privacy training can reinforce the organisation’s procedures and effort to protect data. If not property protected, data breach can lead to reduced stock value, public embarrassment, and loss of market share.
