Tag Archives: New Data Protection Commissioner

Data Protection & Data Protection Service

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Data protection service AND DATA DESTRUCTION

In today’s world “data is king” and protecting that data is queen. A secure document shredding service provide businesses and organisations with confidentiality and security needed to ensure data is protected. Data breaches can be extremely damaging to your business reputation. Get more details about Secure Data Destruction

What is Data Protection? 

“Data protection is the safeguarding of the privacy rights of individuals in relation to the processing of personal data. The Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003 confer rights on individuals as well as responsibilities on those persons processing personal data.”

 

How can I protect my identity?

  •  Keep your documents such as your driving licence, passport, birth or marriage certificate in a safe, preferably in a lockable cabinet or safe.
  • Regularly request a copy of your personal credit file from your financial institute to see if it includes any credit applications you do not recognise.
  • Change of address. You can register with An Post for Irish resident customers (or equivalent if you live outside of Ireland) redirection service to help prevent identity fraud when you move.
  • Be careful in shared buildings, if others have access to your post. Contact An Post if you think your post is being stolen, or redirected elsewhere without your approval.
  •  Avoid throwing documents away which include your name, address or other personal information. Bills, receipts, statements or even unwanted post in your name can be misused in the wrong hands. Where possible, documents should be securely shredded beyond reconstruction, to minimise the risk of criminals obtaining information.
  • Report the loss of any important documentation immediately – for example your passport or driving licence. Inform the organisation that issued it, and if stolen contact the Gardaí.
  • Check your bills and statements as soon as they arrive. If any unfamiliar transactions are listed, contact the company concerned immediately.

How can I spot identity theft?

  • Your bills and statements do not arrive as expected, or you stop receiving any post at all.
  • An important document has been lost or stolen, for example your passport or driving licence.
  • Transactions you do not recognise start appearing on your statements
  • Bills, invoices or receipts addressed to you start arriving, for goods or services you have not requested.
  • You receive statements in your name, relating to accounts that you have not opened.
  • A loan or credit application is unexpectedly rejected despite having a good credit history; or you apply for welfare benefits and are told you are already claiming when you are not.
  • You are contacted by solicitors or debt collectors for debts that are not yours.

What should I do if I think I am a victim of identity theft? 

  • Act quickly. This will help in ensuring you are not liable for any financial losses caused by criminals using your identity.
  • Identify which documents or personal information may be in the wrong hands.
  • Check that you are in receipt of all expected post. Contact An Post if you have any suspicions.
  • If you believe documents containing details of your identity have been stolen, contact your local Gardaí station to report the theft.
  • Contact the organisation who originally issued the missing document to alert them to the situation.
  • Contact other companies that you have financial packages with, to alert them to the situation.

Useful contact details:

The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner

Canal House,Station Road,Portarlington,Co. Laois

Email: info@dataprotection.ie

 

An Post

O’Connell Street,Dublin 1,Customer Service Team

Tel: 1850575859.

 

Department of Foreign Affairs

80 St Stephen’s Green,Dublin 2

Tel: (01) 4780822 LoCall: 1890 426 700

 

Central Bank of Ireland

PO Box 559, Dame Street,Dublin 2

Tel: +353 1 224 6000

 

Security in Shredding

Ballyartella, Ballycommon, Nenagh,Co. Tipperary

Tel: 067 24848

For more information on paper shredding services and document destruction please visit out site at: https://www.securityinshredding.com/

No. of Data Leaks and Data Breaches Increasing

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irish data breaches, Data Protection, Paper Shredding, Data Destruction

Industrial paper shredding can be implemented using an off site shredding service throughout Ireland. Onsite shredding services are also available in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford areas. These services should be common practice for businesses to comply with Data Protection laws.

It has become an increasingly talked about topic both globally and in Ireland of user’s details being leaked accidentally or retrieved through malicious means. The most recent story on a global scale is the “Panama Papers” involving political figures and leaders having offshore accounts and profiting from them. How the leak happened is still unclear but can happen.

Closer to home the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) was the case of a data leak. The leak revealed the details of listed drone users in the country. No credit card details were released but names, addresses and emails were revealed. The leak was an internal issues and was dealt with accordingly. The Data Protection Commissioner was informed with the leak and appropriate actions were taken.

If A Breach Occurs

Your own business like any other business can be subject to a Data Breach or Leak. To think it wont happen to you is naive and bad business practice. If you feel a breach has occurred there are a number of steps you should follow if the breach occurs.

  • Take your site offline so the leak/breach is no longer available
  • Find out where the breach occurred. Contact IT or site developer for help
  • If public details are released then inform the Data Protection Commissioner
  • Issue a warning to the effected users that the breach occurred
  • Passwords for accounts need to be updated to prevent unwanted access to user accounts.

The quicker you deal with the issue the less damaging it is for business in the long run. Contacting the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) is important as they are a governing body for issues like these. Failure to contact the DPC can result in a hefty fine and be damaging for business if the issue goes public.

Data Protection is vital for businesses to succeed and now more than ever it is important to have proper Data Security setup to prevent these kind of attacks. A confidential shredding service will provide your business with its Data Protection. Consulting with them about your Data Security would also be recommended.

Data Protection Commissioner Data Security Guidelines:

https://www.dataprotection.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=1091

Dangers Of Data Breaches For Small Businesses

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Heartbleed Data Theft

Secure document shredding in Dublin and throughout the country are services needed to ensure your business is complying with Data Protection laws. These laws are in place to ensure businesses that possess sensitive data are protecting against vulnerabilities both physically and digitally.

Cyber criminals will target small businesses. In the UK the minister for the digital economy Ed Vaizey outlined (2015) that a major security breach for a small business in the UK could cost as much as £310,800. This figure also applies to Irish businesses and any small business in operation.

Dataprotection.ie have detailed descriptions on how to protect your business and improve its security. The site has guidelines to improve your business security. Researching online can be difficult because you will read conflicting reports and incorrect information. The data protection site provides you with useful and up to date information from a governing body to help improve your business security and data protection.

On the site is a guideline to improve your data security. It covers the law to software and IT support to use. With a little bit of know how and awareness to possible threats will benefit you and your business greatly.

There are 19 steps in total on the guideline page which can be read in full at data security guideline page, below are a steps from said list.

1. Install an Anti Virus Software

It is a necessity for any electronic device that transfers data. Anti Virus software protects more than just your computer, it also protects your emails and personal details when online. Malware is a big threat to computers and using a reputable ant virus will benefit.

Remember to update the anti virus software regularly as anti virus software can only protect against known viruses.

2. Firewalls

Firewalls are a essential form of protection where there is external connection. Always on internet is now a common practice for businesses. This makes a properly configured firewall a good form of security.

3. Wireless networks

When using a wireless network in your own business network make sure that proper encryption is setup on the wireless network. Be aware when using public networks such hotels and airports can potentially a risk. Use it if necessary and if you are transferring personal data make sure to be in a secure session on the device.

4. Human Factor

Is often over looked and is often used to breach a business. For example cyber criminals have accessed user accounts by using passwords such as “123456” and or “password.” Sounds crazy but happens more often than you would think. Use a more cryptic password. What the password contains will help its strength but the more characters used the greater the strength.

Also be aware of printed documents that may contain sensitive data and if not disposed properly can be accessed. Having a reputable Shredding Service dispose of your documents securely and safely.

For more information on a secure shredding visit: https://www.securityinshredding.com/  for more information.

 

New Data Protection Commissioner

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new data protection commissioner
We welcome Ms. Helen Dixon in to the Data Protection Sector and wish her success in her important new role. Ms. Dixon is taking over from Mr. Billy Hawkes whom has retired from his position as privacy chief since 2005.
Ms. Dixon has served an 11 year career in two US IT multinationals – Worth Data Inc and Citrix Systems – that had their EMEA bases in Ireland.
“The role of the office of the Data Protection Commissioner as an independent body which has responsibility for safeguarding data in Ireland is of critical importance.”
In a statement, a Government spokesman said Ms Dixon brings “a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role, both in the public and private sectors”.
We would like to wish Ms. Helen Dixon all the best in her new role and hope she has a successful career.
We would also like to wish Mr. Billy Hawkes well with his future endeavours.