Five Things to Know About Storing and Protecting Customers’ Information

Jon Cobb

Jonathan Cobb on the Imperative of Protecting Customer Information in the IoT Age

A Recent Interview with the Ayla Networks CEO Featured in Authority Magazine

In today's digital world, information is akin to currency. Every business—whether you're dealing in e-commerce, healthcare, or even manufacturing—is storing invaluable data. This data is a treasure trove for cybercriminals if not protected rigorously. David Leichner of Authority Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with Jonathan Cobb, CEO of Ayla Networks, to discuss what every business should be doing to store and protect their customers’ information. Read the interview here.

Five Pillars of Data Protection

Cobb outlined five essential points that every business needs to know to properly store and protect customer information:

• Distinguish between PII and non-PII: Understand what constitutes personally identifiable information (PII) and what doesn’t. Tailor your data protection strategies accordingly to avoid regulatory penalties.

• Access control: Don’t just store data; know who has access to it. Implement rigorous access controls to keep out unauthorized personnel.

• Beyond encryption: While encryption is important, it’s not a cure-all. Incorporate it as part of a multi-layered security approach.

• Learn from others' mistakes: Take heed from the massive privacy penalties incurred by tech giants like Amazon and Google. The financial and reputational risks are too high to ignore.

• Continuous monitoring: Have strong preventive and detective controls around customer data. Continuously monitor and audit data access and usage to detect and prevent unauthorized activities.

Data Privacy from an IoT Perspective

Cobb emphasized the necessity of encryption and security standards, informed consent, and data minimization for IoT companies. He also highlighted international data transfers and compliance with regulations like GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and COPPA as critical for IoT businesses. But rather than just stitching together various tools for data management, Cobb recommends companies opt for a comprehensive IoT platform, like Ayla Networks, that offers an integrated solution for data protection and lifecycle management.

As privacy regulations continue to evolve, Cobb's insights serve as a robust framework for any business looking to safeguard its most valuable asset: customer data.

Read the interview here.