Security vs. Privacy: A Basic Breakdown

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  • Data Security is the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of information (also known as the AIC triad). It refers to the policies that are put in place in order to prevent unauthorized access to consumers’ personal information.
  • User Privacy is the right for consumers to be free from unwanted attention and/or surveillance. It refers to the responsibility of proper handling, distributing, and storage of user data.

This means that you as a consumer have a right to the reasonable expectation that your personal information will be used in appropriate ways and not shared with anyone else without your consent. A law or regulation protecting user privacy will govern how your information is being collected, shared, and used by setting the standards for who is authorized to access this information. A security policy, on the other hand, is responsible for ensuring that only those who are authorized have access to said information.

At the most basic level, security is what enforces privacy.

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Data Security vs. User Privacy: So What's the Difference? (857 downloads )

While often thought of as interchangeable, data security and user privacy are in fact not the same thing. They have a common goal to protect sensitive data, but vary greatly in their approach.

While often thought of as interchangeable, security and privacy are not the same thing. They have a common goal to protect sensitive data, but vary greatly in their approach