Data privacy vs. cybersecurity: Why one can’t work without the other

Think of cybersecurity as a big shield. It guards all the tech stuff we use – like our phones, apps, and the bits that make them work. Data privacy lives inside this shield. It has one main job: to keep personal info safe. It makes sure others handle sensitive information with care. 

While both matter, they each have their own role to play and it's important to understand how they differ from each other.

Data privacy is centered on the proper handling, storage, and usage of personal information.

It’s about ensuring individuals have control over how their data is collected, stored, shared, and used.

Laws such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), Japan's APPI (Act on the Protection of Personal Information), Singapore’s PDPA (The Personal Data Protection Act), and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) have been implemented to protect personal data and establish clear rules about consent and transparency.

Cybersecurity is all about keeping systems, networks, and data safe from unauthorized access and cyber threats. 

In other words, its main goal is to ensure the overall security of the digital infrastructure from breaches and damage. Cyber attackers often attempt to steal data using various methods to gain unauthorized access, which is why cybersecurity is essential for keeping the digital environment safe. 

While data privacy and cybersecurity are distinct fields, they work hand in hand.

Let’s look at their key differences in the comparison below.

Both data privacy and cybersecurity aim to protect sensitive information, but they focus on different things.

Data privacy is about making sure data is handled, collected, and shared correctly, following laws to respect people’s rights. It means asking before taking your details and sharing them only when you say it's okay.

Cybersecurity is about keeping bad guys out. It's like having strong locks and alarm systems to stop thieves. We use tools that scramble info so others can't read it, and we make sure only the right people can get in.

These two overlap when using security tools like encryption, access controls, and secure storage, which help protect data from attacks and also keep privacy intact. For example, we need good locks (cybersecurity) and good rules about sharing (data privacy) to keep sensitive information safe.

Cybersecurity and privacy are closely connected. They work like two parts of one team, so you can’t have one without the other.

In the past, many companies worried more about cybersecurity. Why? Because hackers and data leaks could cost them lots of money and hurt their good name right away. So they spent most of their time stopping these attacks.

Because of this, cybersecurity is often seen as a company’s main responsibility, protecting its systems and assets. On the other hand, data privacy has often been treated as just a legal issue, linked to rules like GDPR. Companies often saw privacy as just following rules, like filling out forms to match the law. But privacy means much more than that. It's about trust.

Think about it: Would you use a service if you didn't trust it with your personal info? Most people wouldn't. And if people don't trust a company, they won't use its new products or work with it. When companies work on both, everyone can feel safe and collaborate better. When that happens, new ideas can grow and the foundation for innovation is laid.

We do things differently than just putting a lock on an organisation’s “digital doors”. Unlike traditional privacy enhancing technology methods, we encrypt and break up the data in a way so that even if a hacker gets in, the data would be useless. This method is called Multi-Party Computation.

Think of it like using lots of computers in different places that work together as if they were one. Together, they work like a super-safe computer that is much harder to hack than individual machines. If hackers break into one computer, they still can’t steal anything useful.

To steal any real data, they'd need to break into many computers all over the world at the exact same time. Doesn’t sound easy, right? That’s why this method makes data much safer.

Both cybersecurity and data privacy are important for keeping digital systems safe and maintaining trust in our digital society. 

Cybersecurity protects systems from threats like data breaches and cyberattacks, while data privacy ensures personal information is handled responsibly. When an organisation keeps private data safe from hackers, that's good cybersecurity. When they ask before using your info and handle it with care, that's good privacy. You need both to build and keep trust with stakeholders.

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