Kenyan retailers prepare to meet new data privacy regulations
Privacy is embedded in everyday interactions with customers. Privacy is something that can impact a brand, disrupt the customer experience and potentially damage a company's reputation. Protecting user privacy will enable you to drive more revenue and gain more customers
TheKenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has approved forty (40) new standards to enhance information and cyber security and safeguard consumer privacy.
The new standards outline various techniques and methods for securing corporate information by an individual or managers charged with the responsibility of ensuring institutional data is safe.
“Consumers are increasingly adopting digital technology, the data generated creates both an opportunity for enterprises to improve customer engagement and a responsibility to keep it safe.
The new guidelines provide a robust system to fight against cyber security threats, breach of privacy and other information security measures to ensure that Confidentiality, Integrity and Authenticity (CIA) of information is maintained during the creation, usage, storage and transfer of information,” says Lt Col (Rtd.) Bernard Njiraini, Managing Director, KEBS.
The standards also stipulate a framework for ensuring privacy in information and communication technology (ICT) systems that store and process personally identifiable information (PII).
The World Economic Forum Report 2017 places technology threats in the top 5 societal and economic risks by likelihood and scale of impact, next to weapons of mass destruction. The public sector continues to dominate as the primary target of cyberattacks followed by the financial services. Globally, 40% of SMEs that experience data breach due to cyber security attacks are likely to close within a year.
The new standards will be used by auditors, managers and management teams, trainers and assessors in the ICT
Steven Umidha is a data and financial journalist with over 15 years of work experience in journalism and communication.
He specialises in finance and economics reporting as well as on the causes, impacts, and solutions of global warming, conservation, pollution and sustainability, often blending scientific literacy with journalist ethics, while involving policy analysis and multimedia storytelling across various platforms in highlighting issues from biodiversity loss to ecological justice.
He is the founder of Financial Fortune Media, and a Co-founder of One Planet Agency (OPA). He has previously worked with the Standard Media Group, Mediamax Networks LTD, bird story agency, Business Journal Africa, and Financial Post among other outlets.
He can be reached on: Email: info@financialfortunemedia.com
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