This year, France has been stepping up its efforts to combat cyber threats, and compromised data.
The Head of the National Cybersecurity Agency and the Ambassador for Digital Affairs recently revealed how “poisoned data” and “AI regulation” was going to be at the forefront of data decision making with cyber security researchers looking at the implications across many industries for businesses and consumers. This comes at a time when France is positioning itself to become Europe’s main destination for startup tech companies.
Businesses have also been stepping up their efforts to secure systems and comply with GDPR with its stricter data retention and processing requirements. France’s data regulator, CNIL, has also been issuing fines for companies that have breached GDPR, and continues to ensure businesses are complying with Europe’s tighter data regulations on personal information.
Companies are investing in data security systems, but also disposing of older hardware more carefully. Verity Systems, which manufactures hard drive degaussers and destroyers, has seen a large increase in demand in France for enhanced data security over the past year, and since GDPR was introduced.
“Companies are taking additional measures to erase their data more securely and audit their data destruction. We are seeing considerable changes in business attitudes in France with many organizations looking to strengthen their data security practices,” said David Tucker, President of Verity Systems.
Companies looking to securely erase data, and remove sensitive personal records are able to do so with degaussing, which magnetically erases data from hard drives and other magnetic media.
The requirements of GDPR mean that companies can be at risk if hard drives containing sensitive or personal data are stolen, or accessed unlawfully. In some high profile cases, data has been leaked online with records such as addresses, phone numbers and emails made available on the dark web. Back in January, CNIL issued Google with a record €50m fine for failing to provide its users with understandable information about its data use policies and has issued other regulatory action for companies that have been deemed in breach of GDPR.
Will France become the leader in Europe for protecting people’s data in 2020?
Explore more about GDPR, data degaussing, and how data can be securely removed from hard drives by exploring some of the links below. You can also speak to one of our technical advisors by contacting [email protected].
