Five Data Privacy Trends for 2017

As we begin the new year, it is important to look ahead at the privacy and data security issues that will impact businesses in 2017.

Experian Data Breach Resolution recently published its Data Breach Industry Forecast for 2017. The report focuses on the following five privacy and data security issues for the coming year.

1. Aftershock Password Breaches Will Expedite the Death of the Password

   The report notes how information from breaches that occurred years ago has recently been sold on the internet.  This old information can be used to gain access to a system that did not suffer a direct breach if a user is using a credential that was compromised in a previous breach.  To avoid this problem, companies should regularly have users change their passwords, and should also consider two-factor authentication.

2. Nation-State Cyber-Attack Will Move from Espionage to War

   The fallout from the 2016 presidential election has already demonstrated that nation-state cyber-attacks will be a major cybersecurity issue in 2017.  This isn’t a new occurrence, as several known nation-state cyber-attacks have occurred during the past several years.  The Obama Administration recently publicly responded to Russia’s cyber meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and it will be interesting to follow how the Trump Administration handles this issue in the future.

3. Healthcare Organizations Will Be the Most Targeted Sector with New Sophisticated Attacks Emerging

   Healthcare organizations are routinely one of the most victimized sectors for cyber-attacks because of the large amount of personal data that healthcare organizations possess. One of the key trends of 2016 was the rise of ransomware attacks, specifically against healthcare organizations, which is a trend that will likely continue in 2017.

4. Criminals Will Focus on Payment-Based Attacks Despite the EMV (Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) shift Taking Place Over a Year Ago

   The report predicts that payment-based attacks will continue at their current pace in 2017.  This is a result of the lag in adoption of new payment card chip technology and attackers targeting new industries with new methods.

5. International Data Breaches Will Cause Big Headaches

   Experian anticipates that the requirements of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, along with new regulations in other places such as Canada and Australia, will cause problems for companies that suffer a data breach involving international consumers’ data.  Additionally, the report cites a recent study showing that many companies are not adequately prepared to respond to an international data breach.

The issues highlighted in the Data Breach Industry Forecast are important to consider as 2017 begins.  Proper planning to address these issues can prevent problems down the road.  McKenna Storer privacy and data security attorneys are available to address these issues with you to help your business avoid a damaging data security incident in the coming year.

If you have any questions about privacy and data security, please contact Tim Hayes at McKenna Storer.