Protection of Personally Identifiable Information

Protection of Personally Identifiable Information

  1. Overview

ISO/IEC 27018:2019 is an international standard that provides guidelines for protecting the privacy of personal data in the cloud. It is based on ISO/IEC 27002, which is a general standard for information security management systems and includes additional controls specific to the protection of personal data in cloud computing environments. The standard covers areas such as data protection impact assessments, data subject rights, and data security incident management. Organizations that implement ISO/IEC 27018 can demonstrate to customers and auditors that they have implemented best practices for protecting personal data in their cloud services.

  1. Approach

Protecting PII data in public clouds requires a multi-layered approach. Encryption, access control, data classification, multi-factor authentication, and monitoring should all be implemented to ensure the security and privacy of sensitive information. Approaches to protecting PII in public clouds involve encrypting PII data while in transit or at rest is one of the most effective ways to protect it in public clouds. It is important to note that compliance requirements for PII protection vary depending on the industry and region, so it is important to consult with legal and compliance professionals to ensure that appropriate controls are in place to meet specific regulatory requirements.

  1. Benefits

Protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in public clouds provides several key benefits, including:

  • Enhanced security: Protection of PII in public clouds ensures that sensitive personal data is protected from unauthorized access, theft, and misuse. Public cloud providers implement strong security measures, including encryption, access controls, and multi-factor authentication to protect data.
  • Regulatory compliance: Public cloud providers adhere to industry-specific regulations such as HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI-DSS. Protecting PII in public clouds ensures that organizations comply with these regulations, avoiding costly penalties and legal issues.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Public cloud providers offer cost-effective solutions for PII storage and management. Organizations do not have to invest in expensive infrastructure, hardware, and software to protect PII. Cloud providers offer scalable solutions that can be customized according to an organization’s needs.
  • Disaster recovery: Public cloud providers offer disaster recovery solutions that ensure that PII is protected in the event of a disaster, such as a natural calamity or cyber attack. Public cloud providers have multiple data centers located in different regions, ensuring data availability and continuity.
  • Collaboration: Public clouds enable secure collaboration and sharing of PII among team members, departments, and external stakeholders. Public cloud providers offer secure file sharing, document management, and collaboration tools that ensure PII is protected and accessible only to authorized personnel.
  • Flexibility: Public clouds offer flexibility in terms of storage, access, and management of PII. Organizations can choose from different cloud deployment models, such as private, public, or hybrid clouds, depending on their security and regulatory requirements. Public cloud providers offer customizable solutions that can be tailored to an organization’s specific needs.
Protecting PII in public clouds provides several benefits as listed above.
  1. Deliverables

Protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in public clouds is an important concern for organizations to ensure compliance with regulations and to protect individuals’ privacy. Some ways to protect PII in public clouds include:

  • Encryption: Encrypt PII both in transit and at rest to protect against unauthorized access.
  • Access controls: Restrict access to PII to authorized individuals only, and implement strict identity and access management controls to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to PII.
  • Data segmentation: Segment PII data from other data to limit the potential impact of data breaches.
  • Data minimization: Minimize the amount of PII data collected and stored in the cloud, and only retain the PII data that is strictly necessary for the intended use.
  • Regular monitoring: Regularly monitor the cloud environment for suspicious activity and potential data breaches.
  • Incident response plan: Have a plan in place to respond quickly and effectively to security incidents involving PII.
  • Compliance validation: Regularly assess the cloud environment to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards for PII protection.
  • Third-Party audit: Consider using third-party audits or certifications to ensure that cloud service providers are meeting regulatory requirements for PII protection.
  1. Training

Here are some training courses that you may find useful:

    • Microsoft Azure Security Technologies: This course provides an overview of security features and capabilities in Azure. It covers topics such as identity and access management, encryption, network security, and monitoring. This course is designed for individuals who want to learn how to secure data on Azure. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/azure-security-engineer/
    • AWS Security Fundamentals: This course provides an overview of security concepts and best practices for securing data on AWS. It covers topics such as identity and access management, encryption, monitoring, and logging. This course is designed for individuals who are new to AWS security and want to learn the fundamentals. https://aws.amazon.com/training/course-descriptions/security-fundamentals/
    • Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure: This course provides an overview of the core infrastructure services in Google Cloud Platform (GCP). It covers topics such as virtual machines, storage, networking, and security. This course is designed for individuals who are new to GCP and want to learn the fundamentals of cloud computing and security. https://cloud.google.com/training/course/cloud-fundamentals-core-infrastructure
    • Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP): This certification course is designed for professionals who have experience in cloud security and want to validate their knowledge and skills. The course covers topics such as cloud architecture and design, data security, identity and access management, and compliance. The CCSP certification is offered by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)². ttps://www.isc2.org/Certifications/CCSP
    • Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Training: The Cloud Security Alliance offers a variety of training courses and certifications focused on cloud security, including the Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK). These courses cover a wide range of topics related to cloud security, including PII protection.https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/education/

It’s important to note that each cloud provider has their own security features and capabilities, so it’s important to choose a training course that is specific to the cloud platform you are using. Additionally, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest security threats and vulnerabilities and implement best practices for securing PII in public clouds.

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