Security’s Take on Privacy Protections

Data privacy laws, such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), portray the increasingly complex environment corporations must adapt to, tailoring their practices to a slew of different regulations or legislations. Nations across the globe are developing data protection and privacy guidelines, rules, and laws, all with the potential to levy financial penalties or open a door for a lawsuit.

The GDPR is arguably one of the most significant changes to privacy laws in decades, impacting any company with EU customers across various industries. Such regulations—aimed at improving personal data protection—can be viewed as another obstacle for an organization’s security team or as a helping hand.

One Wednesday session, “The Scan4You Takedown: Best Practices in Public/Private Sector Collaboration,” (#6207) offers attendees a look at a three-year partnership between a private company and an FBI Washington field office.

Here, technological solutions and active participation complemented the shared goal these private and public operators had: to take down a counter antivirus service, one that allowed cyber criminals the chance to test their malware against antivirus programs.

Offering a different perspective of attitudes toward advances in technologies, “Secure and Safe Cities: Emerging Technologies and the Law,” (#6204) also on Wednesday, will look at how some communities and their lawmakers are regulating against recent developments, such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, and advanced sensor platforms.

Another area that keeps trending within the privacy sector is the convergence of biometrics with access. Iris readers, fingerprint and palmprint scanners, and facial recognition can all work to ensure that only authorized and approved individuals have access to sensitive data.

Security continues to work to find a balance with privacy, however, and professionals need to understand the complications and intricacies that rise parallel to developing technologies. “Can Privacy be Disrupted? BioDigital Convergence and the Evolved Identity” parts 1 (#X-63), 2 (#X-64), and 3 (#X-65) are scheduled for today, and panelists include representatives from Armor Scientific, Endera, SOS Security, 911 Cellular, and more.

Professionals in the security industry should also consider the shifting cultural attitudes towards blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies. Attractive not only for their inherent offering of privacy and variety, these increasingly popular avenues for companies can also offer security teams a variety of solutions.

For a better understanding, head over to “Can Technology Eliminate Trust? Blockchain and Distributed Authorities-Industry Perspective and Collision/Opportunity” (#X-66). Speakers will include Brent Barker of Barker Global Security, Joy Chen of Outland, Blake Sanders of Domineum, Jason Sikora of SOS Security, and Masseh Tahiry of Toffler Associates.

Given the growing complexities, attitudes, and convergence surrounding privacy regulations, attendees may want to listen in on “Five Ways Security Managers Can Get Sued” (#6306).

To avoid developing tunnel vision—focusing on a sole area that could open an organization up to a liability—it may be useful to look out for a broader range of early warning signs that someone is sizing up the company for a lawsuit.

On Wednesday, attorneys specializing in security from Armstrong Teasdale, LLP, will present a simulation on the three most likely interactions that can result in litigation and how to avoid these common—but expensive—pitfalls.