Let’s Talk About Data

-aka Your Digital Gold

What is data?

Simple: It's a collection of information. But what’s this “information” we’re talking about?

Information = What you provide online:

Your name

Address,Mobile number,Bank accountSecurity numbers,Card details

All of this adds up to data—and this data needs to be protected.

Where Does This Data Live?

Your data exists in three states, and you need to secure it in all of them:

1. Data in Use

This is data actively being processed by your computer

typically unencrypted while in action, making it vulnerable.

Examples:

Online banking transactions

Opening a document or spreadsheet

Sharing files with your team

2. Data in Transit

Data moving between networks—from sender to receiver, across the internet or internal systems.

Examples:

Sending or receiving emails,Chat messages,Browsing websites

3. Data at Rest

Inactive, stored data >not currently being used or transferred.

Examples:

Spreadsheets,Cloud storage

So Where Is Your Data Really?

It could be on your device or living on the cloud, ready to be accessed from anywhere.

That’s why protecting it is not optional but

it’s essential.

How Do You Protect It?

Regularly monitor your accounts

Unsubscribe from services you no longer use

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

Use encryption to protect sensitive data

Understand what data you're sharing and where

What is Encryption?

Encryption transforms readable text into cypher text> making it unreadable to attackers.

Examples:

End-to-end encrypted chats

SSL/TLS in websites

Hashing in login forms

The Golden Word: INFOSEC

INFOSEC means Information Security.

It’s the practice of securing your data in all three states: in use, in transit, and at rest.

Know Your Data Rights

Data protection laws you should know:

GDPR: Protects personally identifiable information in the UK and EU

HIPAA: Secures sensitive health information (US)

PCI DSS: Protects cardholder data in payment systems.

Final Thoughts

Data is your digital identity- your greatest asset.

If it’s compromised, organizations risk losing:

Trust

Reputation

Business continuity