PII generally refers to personally identifiable information. As the name suggests PII would include several other things but does not only remain confined to details such as full name, social security number or employee id number, home address and telephone number, face or fingerprints, Biometric data, vehicle registration number or driver license’s no, credit card number employment date or details, mother’s name, father’s name and/or permit number.
The important PII is any details that are sometimes used to put the individual at risk for identity pilfering, or could compromise their personal privacy. Many people focussed on the major sources of information. But do not realize that a combination of individual sources of detail that creates a complete picture which can later be misused if get into the wrong hands.
Are email and Passwords PII ( Personal Identifiable Information)
Email systems aren’t capable of Privacy act systems. Rather they have been recognised by OMB as ‘general support systems’ used to convey information. But, It doesn’t mean there is no risk. Feel the risk isn’t an issue? Here are two instances that actually have happened.
- Two employees who have a name alike can receive each other’s emails due to operator error.
- An employee acquires medical details about another employee still if it is related to the right employee. It could be due to technical glitch in the system.
Obviously, PII may be readily conveyed via email and there is some risk that the details either may be seized or given to the wrong party either by mistake or purposely. If that happens or the person getting the details does not have proper authorization to gather or maintain the information. For this, scanning technology is widely used nowadays by the security office to frequently grab such invalid transmissions.
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