Consumer Data Privacy in Identity Verification
Identity verification processes occasionally involve the gathering and storage of sensitive information. As an industry leader, we understand the responsibility that comes with processing thousands of customers’ data every day. An identity verification provider’s dedication must go beyond merely confirming identities, but also ensuring that customers and their clients have full confidence that personal information is handled meticulously. In this blog, we will talk about the importance of consumer data privacy, a list of privacy good-practices, and Keesing’s approach to privacy protection.
What Data is Involved?
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is information that can be used to identify an individual, either alone or in combination with other relevant data (Investopedia, 2023). It can be divided into sensitive data or non-sensitive data. Sensitive personally identifiable information may include your full name, biometric data, driver’s license, financial information, and passport number. Non-sensitive personally identifying information, such as your zip code, race, gender, and date of birth, is freely accessible through public sources.
Consequences of Failing to Safeguard Consumer Data
The impact of inadequate consumer data protection can be significant. Some of them are:
1. Loss of Trust & Reputational Damage:
Negative publicity from a breach might harm the company’s brand and deter clients due to loss of confidence.
2. Financial Loss:
Monetary loss due to fraud, legal fines & penalties, can impact the company’s finances.
3. Operational Disruption:
Dealing with a breach disrupts normal operations and affects your resources.
4. Competitive Disadvantages:
Trustworthy businesses get a competitive advantage, whereas breaches erode this advantage.
A Privacy Good–Practices List
1. Understanding and complying with regulatory requirements:
Regulations play a key role in protecting people’s privacy and personal data. Various privacy regulations, like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) or the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), provide businesses with clear guidelines for managing personal data responsibly.
2. Encrypting data:
Encryption is a critical security feature that scrambles data so that only authorized users may decode it. Keesing uses two key encryption algorithms to protect your critical information. Firstly, symmetrical database encryption uses a single encryption key to encode and decode data contained in databases. This guarantees that even if unwanted access happens, the data will be unreadable without the precise decryption key. Second, transport layer encryption secures data in transit by enclosing it in a secure layer as it travels between systems or across networks.
3. Audit ISO 27001:
Regularly evaluating ISO 27001 is a proactive way to strengthen your organization’s information security processes. ISO 27001 is a worldwide recognized standard that specifies the requirements for developing, executing, and continuously improving an information security management system (ISMS). Obtaining this accreditation allows companies to demonstrate their commitment to properly securing assets such as employee data, financial information and information entrusted by third parties.
4. Regular penetration test:
Another proactive measure is to do regular penetration tests, or also known as pen tests, which involve simulated attacks on your networks and systems to identify vulnerabilities before malicious hackers do. Therefore, businesses can take corrective action if needed and mitigate risks effectively. Read more about successful pen testing at Keesing here.
“The most interesting thing about the newer Cloud platform is that we allow customers to govern their PII data in a more controlled and accountable way” – Calum Bunney, Product Manager
Our Approach to Privacy Protection – Keesing AuthentiScan
When you undergo an automated ID verification with us, we’ve implemented measures to ensure your data is handled with care. At Keesing, customers have control over data deletion, with options for automatic removal or deletion at a predetermined time of their choosing.
In the new AuthentiScan Cloud solution, we have implemented an independent storage archive for the data. The new solution brings improvements to the separation of roles and access permissions to long term stored data. This gives customers more power to govern their data if it is stored in the Keesing’s GDPR environment.
In addition to their cloud-based product, Keesing offers an on-premises solution that ensures consumer data is protected within their network. With this approach, customers maintain control over their storage, allowing them to implement tailored GDPR standards and solutions that protect data subjects’ PII.
“As we continue to evolve our ID verification technologies, our foremost priority remains the privacy and security of our customer data. Whether through our legacy systems or the cutting-edge AuthentiScan Cloud solution, we’re dedicated to implementing robust data management practices that not only comply with GDPR but set a new standard for data governance in our industry.” – Dean Bijlhout, Supervisor Technical and Document Helpdesk & Data Protection Officer
Would you like to learn about AuthentiScan? Contact us below and request your free demo. If you have any other enquiries, feel free to email us.
