In this article, we will learn about Information Confidentiality Definition and how to maintain confidential information
Information Confidentiality Definition
Table of Contents
The information which cannot be shared with others due to security concerns is known as information confidentiality. Information such as bank statements, credit card numbers, business documents, identity proof, etc are very important and personal.
Protecting this information from unauthorized access comprises a major part of the Confidentiality of Information as leaking of this information can cause financial loss, identity loss, and privacy loss. Confidentiality of Information ensures that only authorized that can access the sensitive data.
Best 10 Practices to Maintain Confidential Information
The best practices used to protect confidential information, which will help you to safeguard your information include:
1. Build strong passwords
It is important to create strong passwords for all your online accounts. A strong password:
- Should contain both uppercase and lowercase chracters, as well as digits and punchtuation.
- Should be at least eight characters long.
- Should not be a word in any language, slang, dialect, or jargon.
- Should not be based on personal information, names of family members, and so on.
- Should be hard to guess but easy to remember.
2. Use Multifactor Authentication
If you want to secure the web then choose a user ID and strong password. Multifactor authentication is one the simplest and the most effective ways to secure data, which adds an extra layer of protection.
For example, when a user enters a UserID and Password, the website sends an OTP to the user’s mobile device.
3. Be suspicious of unsolicited E-mail
To maintain confidential information do not click on ads and unsolicited e-mails from unknown sources. Try not to open any attachments that a along with such messages and do not reply to such messages. Some sites seem to be legible but are not the original ones. These sites may ask us for our personal and confidential data. At times there are sites that send wrong messages and tell us that it originated from an organization we work with or from a companion we deal with.
Always confirm to protect yourself from this situation by calling the source specifically to validate from whom it was sent. Remember, the primary motivation behind sending such emails/messages is to track your private information.
4. Be Aware of your Online Posting
One should be very careful about what one is sharing online. Sometimes, people have the habit of sharing the location now and then. This would lead to risk location tracking and can even lead to serious mis-happenings. If possible, keep the mobile tracking or location tracking feature off. This will not allow anyone to know your current location.
5. Engage in safe web browsing
Just like our phone requires updates regularly, so does our web browser. An outdated browser can open up security gaps that cybercriminals may take advantage of in accessing our data. Do not open any link from unknown sources or any pop-up that appears. Both could be spyware used to plant tracking cookies on our machines, which can steal our information, direct us to bogus phishing sites, and pound us with pop-ups.
6. OS and Software Must be up to date
To protect your computer, you should keep your operating system updated and if you are using any software like browser, tally, Above, or any other software, it should be up to date.
To check whether your OS is up to date or not, follow the process given below. If there is any pending update, then install it.
STEP#1. Navigate to Windows Settings.
STEP#2. Click on Update & Settings.
STEP#3. Click on Check for updates. If any updates are pending then should be updated.
7. Protect your Mobile Devices
Remember, to protect our device from an external attack, keep updating the mobile software regularly. This will mitigate the risk of a cybercriminal exploiting a hole in your system devices simplify this process for us by offering automatic update options for apps, as well as notification systems that let us know as soon as an operating system update is available
8. Avoid accessing Non-SSL websites
Always use the sites that start with ‘https:\’. The letter ‘s’ specifies that it is a safe site to be browsed. This should be taken into consideration, especially when online transactions are to be made. This helps in checking the credibility of the website.
9. Use a firewall
Windows Firewall protects your computer from external attacks, so your Windows firewall should always be on so that your computer data remains secure. Follow the procedure given below to check whether your computer’s Windows firewall is on or off.
10. Avoid using computers in public
Avoid using computers in public places like cybercafé or labs, to access private data like e-mails or sharing private information like credit/debit card details. In case, you have to use the public systems, make sure that:
- Private browsing option is used.
- Always log out properly after the work is done.
- Remove the account from the system after log out.
- Never share any personal information.
- Never save any personal passwords on the system.
- Delete the browsing history.
So that’s all about Information Confidentiality Definition | Maintain Confidential Information.
Techniques to Secure Data | Security and Integrity of Information