The need for laws regulating the use of personal data by companies has become a priority as technology has advanced. This regulation was necessary for the population to understand how important their privacy is , and how companies are subject to penalties and fines for improper data handling. All this dynamic has led to data security, compliance, and the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) working harmoniously.
Inspired by the GDPR ( General Data Protection Regulation ), the General Data Protection Law ( LGPD) introduced several regulations and standards to ensure the proper handling of personal information. By bringing more transparency and efficiency to the processing of this information, the LGPD seeks to inform users about the use of their data, their consent to its processing, and access to their data as the data subject deems necessary.
In recent years, companies across all sectors have begun transforming how this information is stored, handled, and used to comply with the regulations that recently came into effect. But how does this law relate to data security and compliance? First of all, we need to understand the concept of data security and how it applies to your company.
Data security
Data security consists of a set of processes, strategies, and tools used to ensure the privacy and integrity of information within companies. This entire process includes not only how data is collected, but also the storage structure and security monitoring aimed at greater protection.
Data breach is one of the biggest concerns for companies that handle personal data of clients, consumers, partners, and employees. We can understand data breach as any situation where there is inappropriate modification, leakage , or loss of information related to clients or even the business itself.
This means that data security aims to monitor and ensure the integrity of this information and prevent loss of credibility or breaches of confidentiality . In a highly technological world, investing in data security is a priority within a company's strategic planning.
The rise in cyberattacks and data breaches has led more and more national companies to invest more consistently in information security strategies.
Data security for businesses
Protecting information within organizations, regardless of their sector, is a priority. The adoption of measures to protect personal data needs to be established according to the type of information collected and handled by the company and the needs of the business.
For example, companies that handle patient data and health information need to be aware of the sensitivity of the information they store. Data considered sensitive requires an extra layer of protection since its compromise can cause numerous problems for its owners.
Find out what data is considered sensitive:
The same applies to companies that store financial information about their customers or employees. Leaks of financial data facilitate highly damaging scams, in addition to causing a major impact on the company's image in the market.
One of the most widely used measures to ensure the integrity of information is data encryption , a process that transforms information into codes to increase security. In this way, only authorized users can have readable access to the stored information.
In addition to an encryption strategy, it is also necessary to adopt specific security tools to ensure a robust layer of protection for information. In this sense, it is essential to adopt all the standards stipulated by the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) as a way to increase security and ensure compliance within your company, a process that we will detail throughout this article.
Here are some basic data security measures that can be implemented within your company:
Mapping vulnerabilities
To determine the best strategy for increasing security within your company, vulnerability mapping should be a priority. This allows you to identify potential vulnerabilities in your business's network and devices that could cause problems and compromise information.
This mapping can be done through security tests and specific tools for identifying problems.
System and equipment upgrades
Updates are developed to ensure that systems and equipment are prepared to handle the latest threats. Failure to perform these updates will create vulnerabilities that can compromise the information stored by your company.
Implementation of a backup system
We know that no matter how prepared a company is, it can still suffer from threats spread in the digital environment. Compromised information can harm the smooth running of its activities and, above all, the good image of its business in the market. To avoid these problems, it is necessary to adopt a backup policy that guarantees a secure copy of all the data stored by the business.
Implementation of Firewall rule systems
A firewall is an extremely valuable tool that helps control the flow of information on your company's network. With its help, you can filter traffic and ensure that only information considered secure and essential passes through the network. The firewall's rule system acts as an extra layer of security against potential attacks and data leaks.
Create a document outlining the company's internet usage policy
An internet usage policy is a document that establishes behavioral guidelines for all users who utilize the company's networks and devices. Through it, it's possible to communicate the rules of use and the expected behaviors. In this way, all employees and partners will understand the importance of the conscious and safe use of the business's technological tools.
Internet access control
There are many pitfalls that can cause cyber problems within your company's network. Indiscriminate access to certain pages and platforms can increase vulnerabilities and harm your employees' productivity . Blocking access to certain tools within the company network will prevent devices from being infected by viruses and malware and help keep business activities running smoothly.
Use of secure remote support tools
Following the pandemic, many companies adopted remote work arrangements. While this model is very efficient for certain businesses, it can also pose a risk to your business. Having a secure remote support tool will help maintain the security and protection of information even during remote work.
The LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) introduced several fundamental security specifications for businesses as a way to guide and provide a standard of protection for companies that handle confidential data. Understand why this legislation is indispensable below:
LGPD: General Data Protection Law
The General Data Protection Law was developed in response to the growing need for digital security regulation. This legislation contains all the standards, rules, and paradigms that companies must follow to increase the protection of information.
The main focus of the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) is to ensure that user data remains protected and confidential even when under the control of companies. Therefore, all businesses that collect any type of information – such as personal data, financial information, document numbers, health data, etc. – need to keep up-to-date with security measures aimed at maintaining the confidentiality of this information.
Already in effect, this legislation helps increase the security of collected information and ensures that companies handling this data are prepared to maintain its confidentiality.
Importance of LGPD compliance for companies
The dynamics between companies and their respective customers have changed significantly after the digital transformation . The use of technological tools and the collection of personal information has led businesses to take on new responsibilities.
This information is extremely valuable, especially for generating insights through Big Data analytics. Although only 26% of companies claim to adopt a data-driven culture , particularly regarding decision-making and strategy development, there is an immense volume of information that is collected and used, with an estimated value of US$77 billion in 2023 alone.
Compliance with the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) will ensure that this valuable information is not lost due to negligence or lack of preparedness on the part of organizations. Furthermore, the company can also avoid the penalties implemented by the LGPD , which can reach up to 50 million reais depending on the infraction and its severity.
This means that compliance with the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) is not just about protecting information. This compliance will also protect your business from suffering substantial financial losses.
In this sense, compliance emerges as a vital strategy for businesses seeking to maintain quality standards and security protocols to protect data.
Compliance
Compliance refers to the implementation of procedures, tools, and policies aimed at applying the rules and laws relevant to the company's sector . To better understand, we can use an example: technology companies that need to collect and handle sensitive data from their clients need to adopt protection policies for obtaining consent for data collection and blocking attempts at unauthorized access or data leaks .
Implementing a compliance system will help verify the identity of consumers, monitor transactions considered suspicious, deliver consolidated reports on activities, among other things. Therefore, compliance contributes positively to maintaining the company's credibility and conformity with applicable laws, such as the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law).
And this goes far beyond simply using technologies and tools focused on data security. It is also essential to adopt a strategy of regular training and development for employees , assess internal and external risks, and conduct audits.
How to implement a compliance strategy
Now that we understand how compliance relates to LGPD compliance, we can begin the process of implementing this strategy within your organization. Here are some tips we've prepared:
Involvement of managers
The first step is engaging managers in the implementation of their compliance strategy. It is essential that all leadership understands that adapting to this new legislation impacts the company's strategy and reputation in the market and with consumers.
Just as employees need to be prepared and undergo training on the subject, the management team also needs to be trained. It will only be possible to ensure that all established rules are followed if leaders are able to guide their teams through the new policies that have been defined.
Challenge assessment
Implementing a compliance strategy also depends on new technologies to ensure the effectiveness of processes. In this sense, the IT team needs to understand the challenges the business will face and the best ways to deal with these situations.
It is necessary to conduct an audit of all tools and technologies currently in use and identify any potential need for adaptations. In this step, managers will understand which areas are priorities and what changes should be implemented.
Creating a data protection strategy
Your data protection strategy is directly related to the type of information your company collects. It is essential to clarify the system's usage guidelines and how data should be handled according to the activity being performed.
The most important aspect of data collection is obtaining the consent of the data subjects . Therefore, it's necessary to have a consent form that allows the company to use the data and transparently outlines how this information will be handled.
Implementation of a whistleblowing channel
Even if every team is prepared in the best possible way to comply with the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law), mistakes can still happen. These mistakes can cause immense problems for the company and damage its image in the market.
For this reason, creating a tool to monitor and ensure that all users are in compliance with the adopted strategies is paramount. Based on the information collected through this channel, managers can implement new training programs to ensure that all rules are followed as expected.
Data security, compliance, and LGPD: what is the relationship?
The main objective of adopting a compliance strategy and adapting to the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) is to guarantee a legal commitment that all information collected and stored by a business is being handled securely. It is the responsibility of the compliance area to establish control measures and preventive strategies for identifying vulnerabilities and risks.
It is essential that a complete change be implemented in the company's organizational culture focused on data security. According to a survey conducted by SurfShark , Brazil ranks 12th among countries with the most data breaches, based on data from the last year.
Many of these leaks stem from security issues related to user behavior. Creating weak passwords, opening links from untrusted senders, downloading malicious files, among others, are common security problems related to a lack of care in handling the company's technological resources.
In this sense, it is essential to have preparation and a training strategy to ensure that employees understand the need to adopt a more proactive approach to data use. It is pointless to adopt resources to protect this information, such as encryption, if users are not prepared to handle this data more securely.
Compliance with the LGPD for data security
As we saw earlier, the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) introduced several rules, paradigms, strategies, and methodologies to ensure that the data collected and handled by companies remains confidential. Compliance with this legislation is directly related to the security of your company's information.
This means that, although it's not possible to guarantee that data is completely protected, compliance with the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) helps optimize security within your business. Companies need to adopt a proactive and preventative approach to avoid vulnerabilities that could cause problems and compromise the integrity of stored information.
Data security linked to compliance strategies
Just as data security is directly related to LGPD compliance, compliance also plays a fundamental role in this process. Adopting strategies and measures aimed at complying with current rules and legislation is an indispensable step for companies that wish to increase data security within their organizations.
This means that, in addition to adopting the ideal tools for this process, it is also necessary to establish a security plan focused on mitigating damage and preventing risks . This security plan will serve as a guide for all actions and activities aimed at strengthening the company's relationship with the data that is stored and collected.
Constant monitoring is a necessary step to ensure that all rules are being followed and that the company complies with current legislation.
The importance of implementing strategies to ensure the confidentiality of classified information
Based on everything we've demonstrated throughout this material, we can understand the importance of implementing strategies for information confidentiality. The LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) not only outlines the strategies and measures to be implemented to increase security within your company, but also the penalties to be applied for non-compliance with these rules.
The consequences of a company failing to comply with any of the protocols established by the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) go far beyond just financial losses. Although the fines are substantial, the damage to the organization's image can often be irreversible.
Your company's image can be damaged in the eyes of consumers and the market, and it is the company's responsibility to use all necessary resources to avoid these problems. Simply failing to comply with the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) can make the company complicit in the risks present in the digital environment and liable for damages caused by cyberattacks of all kinds.
IT compliance as an ally in data protection
Compliance in the IT field largely refers to the strategies and methodologies applied to data security. This can involve implementing a new organizational culture focused on information protection , as well as more modern and efficient solutions to strengthen the security of the company's devices and networks.
With the advancement of digital transformation, IT compliance has become a priority within companies. This strategy will help increase confidence that the company is compliant with current laws and regulations related to information protection, such as the Brazilian Civil Rights Framework for the Internet, GDPR, ISO, and LGPD.
The larger the company, the greater the risks to which it may be exposed. A larger number of employees means that the chance of vulnerabilities is even greater, making it extremely important for the company to adopt all strategies and solutions aimed at protecting information.
The LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) establishes clear rules regarding the collection, processing, storage, and sharing of personal information. This means your business needs to adapt and be prepared to achieve this high standard of protection in order to avoid penalties and damage to its image.
Data security, compliance, and LGPD: an overview in Brazil in 2023
Brazil has experienced a substantial increase in the number of cyberattacks suffered in 2023. These cyberattacks cause immeasurable damage to companies in all sectors , highlighting the need for protection and the establishment of security-focused strategies. With 23 billion cyberattacks reported in the first half of the year , data security has reached an unparalleled level.
Cyber threats are multiplying daily, and cybercriminals are using technological advancements to deceive even the most attentive users. Artificial intelligence is proving to be not only a very useful tool, but also a potential threat to data confidentiality . This is because unsuspecting users are providing personal data to these tools, causing significant security vulnerabilities.
With so many threats available in the digital environment, it is extremely necessary for companies to be increasingly prepared to enhance security and address the problems of vulnerability and information exposure. Personal data can be used in countless ways, so the more comprehensive a business's security strategy, the lower the chances of facilitating the actions of cybercriminals.
The importance of data security for national companies
Research has shown that in the first half of 2023, Brazil was identified as the main target for cyberattacks in Latin America. Whether due to the exponential growth of companies or the lack of preparedness of these organizations to block security threats , this data is a cause for immense concern.
According to a report by Fortinet, Brazil accounted for 36% of all security incidents recorded in Latin America in the first half of 2023, resulting in 23 billion attacks. To understand the magnitude of the risk this information demonstrates, the second-placed country, Mexico, reported 14 billion attacks.
With cybercriminals becoming increasingly skilled and specialized in causing this type of problem, it is necessary to adopt all available strategies to strengthen cybersecurity within your organization. Implementing a compliance strategy and adapting to the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) are just the first steps in a strategy that must take into account the entire company culture.
Faced with increasingly intelligent and efficient threats, your company needs to conduct a comprehensive analysis of all strategies and solutions adopted, in order to identify potential areas for improvement and ensure even more complete protection for your information. Considering the large number of cyberattacks that occur every year, it is essential to keep a close eye on all risks and vulnerabilities that can impact the growth and success of your business.
Investing in data security is a necessity in the modern world, and it is the responsibility of companies to ensure that stored information is kept away from cybercriminals. This strategy will strengthen the business's image with customers and the market.
Unauthorized access, data leaks, and vulnerability issues can cause immeasurable damage to your company. The time has come to invest in compliance strategies so your business can stand out from the competition and achieve the expected growth and success.
