Is Digital Data Protection Training Enough?

Data Break-ins: Scathing Impacts on Businesses

The exponential rise of data systems in the futuristic age of digital transformation, where data has become more powerful and vital than a package of drinking water, has led to a global shift in businesses, recreation, conversations, interactions, and how the world is perceived altogether.

With numerous benefits that data brings to the table and seeps creativity into workplaces by offering new and innovative ideas, it has several downfalls. With rising data technologies, there has been an increase in levels of security breaches, firewalls break-ins, server breakdowns, and other malware issues have grown tremendously.

A recent example of such identity thefts includes the security breach of the Information Commissioner’s Office that hired a charity-based company, Mermaids, that left as many as the data of 550 people searchable online on different platforms.

The glaring issue has stressed the need to conduct data protection impact assessments to understand the reasons for these breaches.

Several companies have reported that these online attacks have highlighted the lack of adequate training, which includes interactive face-to-face methods for teaching data protection.

Reviewing data privacy impact assessment and reports generated by businesses can help in giving a clear picture of what transpired behind such malware attacks.

How are Companies Coping with Risk of Leaking Information?

In order to understand the cyber threat intelligence attacks and the damages they cause for businesses, it’s essential to understand the conceptual and practical knowledge regarding the same.

The General Data Protection Regulation is a UK-based law authority that governs and oversees the impact of identity thefts, security attacks, and other issues that take place online.

The data protection impact assessment set up GDPR has been a significant step in the right direction. Amongst its several objectives, the primary concern for GDPR is to equip working professionals in different domains to be well-equipped with sector training on data protection.

The diverse areas that need to be considered for minimizing security threats are to offer training modules that adhere to handling data subject rights requests, sharing of data across mediums, information security, records and database management, and deeper knowledge over personal data breaches.

One of the reports generated by the ICO company that recently faced a security breach aimed to collect findings from their consensual data protection audits and follow up those audits through consulting with suitable personnel.

Furthermore, ICO has also gone a step forward and suggested that data-based and IT organizations set up dedicated training sessions to provide complete data protection programs.

The impetus on training will have several positive outcomes for companies and help reduce firewall breaches, security threats, identification compromisation, and other events.

However, the onset of training particulars has inherent challenges and loopholes that companies need to be aware of before starting with their training modules.

Challenges Posed by Training Offered by Digital Platforms

The onset of digitalization has made it relatively easier and completed training for security breaches accessible for learning. However, it has many challenges and shortcomings as compared to traditional face-to-face training practices.

There are a few lapses that have come up with the online-based training strategies that are discussed as follows: -

• Online Courses Lack in Depth

The basis of a good education model can be understood from the depth it offers and the detailed knowledge it provides to learners.

However, the first major flaw associated with digital training is that several studies have shown them not being as detailed as they would be for handling personal data and other intelligence-based procedures.

Furthermore, the staff members designated the roles of “Information Asset Owners” had not received any specialized data protective training.

• Lesser Participation from Learner’s Side

Another huge backslash that has been noticed from online training parameters is it involves way too little involvement and participation from the learner’s side.

Moreover, the fewer tools for engagement and more time spent interacting with teachers via an online interface can never match up to the insights offered in face-to-face learning environments.

Learning about a delicate topic such as that of cyber security intelligence through an online source can leave learners with numerous doubts that can’t be cleared only by posting them on web portals and other means.

• No Feedback Available to Online Learners

Education is a two-way approach, and it requires active communication from both online teachers and their students. Learners grow in their capacities by getting honest feedback and review of their performances in assessments.

However, there’s no mechanism for getting feedback while learning online, making it harder to process information.

Understanding data protection impact assessments can be done with utmost success when learners know what they are doing and plan their next course of action.

But with a lack of feedback, online learning can prove to be tricky for professionals.

Digital Data Protection Training: Need a Practical Alternative

As seen from the paragraph above, specific challenges come into play while pursuing online training, harming an individual’s career.

Therefore, companies that conduct data privacy impact and protection assessments need to seek alternative pedagogies that offer a better learning experience.