Personal Data is information enabling the direct or indirect identification of a natural person. This data is part of everyone’s digital identity and is by its very nature private. However, it is readily shared, without anyone being aware of the risks this may involve. 

Personal data is any information relating to a natural person, whether identified or identifiable. This includes a wide range of information, such as the surname, first name, telephone number, email, customer number, physical or biometric data, medical data, national insurance number, as well as economic, cultural or social information, an IP address, voice or image, etc.

Some data, such as the surname, first name and national insurance number, can be used to identify a person directly. Other data does not allow direct identification but can be used to identify a person if combined with additional details. This is the case, for example, with the date of birth or blood group.

Personal data management in Europe is subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Companies and organisations that process personal data should comply with these rules, in particular by obtaining the consent of data subjects, taking the appropriate security measures and informing data subjects of their rights. The violation or misuse of personal data might lead to a low, medium or serious impact on security.

Low-level personal data: includes, for example, the names and titles of key company personnel, business addresses, the telephone numbers and email addresses of company employees, and financial information required by regulatory bodies. There are few consequences if this data is compromised.

Medium-level personal data: medium-risk personal data should be restricted to approved internal use and shared only if authorised. It includes customer account numbers, employee numbers, and employees’ personal details, etc. If personal data in this category is misused, the potential impact could lead to significant problems for the person in question. For example, if a credit card is stolen, the victim has to prove that the transactions are fraudulent, request a new number and perhaps update their account details with several different suppliers. 

High-level personal data: concerns confidential or sensitive information that should be particularly well protected. If personal data in this category is misused or stolen, the potential impact could be serious physical, social or financial harm. Examples include detailed employment and personnel records, jointly stored account information (e.g. credit card numbers, contact details, purchasing history, etc.), unique personal identifiers (e.g. national insurance numbers, passport numbers), health information (e.g. insurance policy numbers, treatment records)...

Our security tips

Here are our tips for protecting your personal data: 

• Read the conditions of use of the applications you download, even if they are long and tedious. This will prevent you from granting your consent ‘without your knowledge’ to the sharing of your data or posts.
• Provide as little information as possible when you register on a site or application. For social networks, adjust the security and confidentiality settings for your data and your posts, and avoid sharing them publicly.
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, which are not without risk for your data.

If you use personal data in your job, make sure you use it responsibly: 

• Respect the data processing established by the GDPR and be able to demonstrate this at any time by documenting your compliance.
• Use and store as little personal data as possible on your servers. 
• Try to store all personal data in as few locations as possible.
• Report any potential security incidents to your manager or IT department.