Demystifying the common GDPR Myths

Published on: 23 October 2018 Last Updated on: 15 November 2021

As one of the most common discussions around the internet today, data protection has seen huge changes in 2018. Indeed, the introduction of the European Union’ General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) program is making companies finally face up to their corporate responsibilities. While this has been more than a long time coming, it has not been dealt with well for the most part in the recent decades.

This step from the EU is a merciful way to help make the regulation change as soon as possible. However, like all major regulatory changes, some half-truths and full-blown myths have emerged. What are some of the common tall tales told about GDPR that you need to look out for?

1. GDPR is just a mechanism to fine companies!

Absolute hogwash, to put it bluntly. GDPR is a mechanism to send data protection back to the people who the data actually is about, not the company. A company can be fined as much as £17m, or 4% of their annual turnover, by the GDPR. However, this isn’t some committee looking to pay for their holidays and Christmas party: this is here to stop citizens being ripped off any longer by companies.

2. GDPR fines are handed out without warning

We don’t know where these kinds of ideas come from, but it’s just not true in any capacity at all. fines in GDPR will be proportionate to the issue at hand: a small company with a GDPR breach will be fined a reasonable amount. Also, you are given two – almost three – warnings about GDPR compliance failure.

You won’t just find a team of armed guards in EU flags turning up, don’t worry!

3.GDPR came from nowhere

For years, GDPR was reported on and discussed at length. It was not a surprise. Companies were given the best part of a full calendar year to get their systems into spec before the May 2018 roll-out.

Companies that missed the GDPR call-out would simply have not been paying attention to data protection policy changes. This was not a surprise for anyone who followed the industry. If you were a business that did not see GDPR coming, then we recommend that you spend some more time looking at European law changes: this was not a surprise!

4. GDPR is constraining businesses

Again, not true – GDPR merely makes businesses take responsibility for the data that they have. GDPR is making it harder for consent to be presumed, and instead, it has to be clearly provided. The days of pre-ticked boxes for consent are gone. It’s also going to be much easier for people to withdraw their consent if they so choose.

This is not constraining businesses, it’s merely making a part of the web that was thoroughly amateur in its people protection a bit more stringent in the way that you think and acts like a business.

5. GDPR was not necessary

This is also quite untrue: GDPR was absolutely necessary. It’s simply putting in place a foundational program that reinforces key terms such as the Data Protection Act, and also makes companies more likely to care for the data they hold instead of using it recklessly.

This myth, that GDPR is not necessary and was just added in to add more ‘red tape’ is not the case at all. All of the data breach stories of the recent years would have been almost impossible under GDPR: in a bid to give people back power over their own data, GDPR was essential.

GDPR compliance is a fixed process

This has been around for some time and is not the case at all. While it may have rolled out in 2018, the EU is fully aware that getting ready for it will take some time and effort. While the two years to get ready was more than enough, with ICO regulation kicking in as of May ’18, there is going to be change to it as time goes on.

This is not like the Y2K bug; out of all the painful misconceptions about GDPR, this may be among the worst. You might not like the need to be more specific with data regulation, but GDPR is a good thing – the myths make it sound like the end of the world. All it is, in reality, is an end to lawlessness in data protection and regulation.

Final Take Away

Hence, these are some of the crucial facts that you have to take care of while you want to improve your business in the correct order at the correct point in time. Do not make your choices in grey while you want to develop your current business in the right direction.

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Cybersecurity Threats In Asset Tracking And Strategies To Mitigate

The security implications of an expanding sprawl of devices, software, SaaS applications, users, and cloud services are important. However, poor cybersecurity creates a critical risk for the overall business. Chief among them is a higher risk of business disruptions. A breach might make essential data or systems unavailable, preventing the business from functioning. Therefore, the rate of change makes the manual work of managing, finding, and securing all these assets not tedious but error-prone and wasteful of valuable resources. To mitigate cybersecurity threats, business firms must adopt strategies to resolve the breach issue. This article will emphasize cybersecurity threats faced in asset tracking and strategies that will help resolve the issues. Common Cybersecurity Threats In Asset Tracking Below-mentioned are common cybersecurity threats in asset tracking. 1. CEO Fraud CEO fraud and business email compromise (BEC) pose significant challenges to asset tracking for business owners. Therefore, this type of cyberattack can lead to financial losses and disruption of operations. Similarly, it occurs when an attacker impersonates a high-ranking executive, typically through email, to trick employees into transferring money or confidential information. Furthermore, asset tracking could mean convincing your business to approve a large purchase. It might also be a transfer that diverts funds intended for legitimate tracking systems or physical assets. This threat might cause your business to lose money. This can result in inventory discrepancies, misallocation of resources, and difficulties in auditing. 2. Ransomware Ransomware significantly threatens asset tracking systems, impacting businesses across various industries. These systems often rely on connected devices and networks to monitor and manage assets, making them prone to cyberattacks. Sensitive asset information, such as ownership, location, and financial details, can be compromised. If cybercriminals steal this data alongside encryption, they may leverage it for further extortion or sell it on the dark web. So, when a ransomware attack occurs, a malicious breach can encrypt critical data related to asset tracking. This can lead to: Disruptions in operations. Loss of visibility over inventory. Need to work on managing assets effectively. However, you may find your business still looking for items. This often leads to delays in production or logistics, which can ultimately affect the firm's goodwill. 3. Payment Fraud Payment fraud poses a significant threat to asset tracking systems, as it can undermine the precision and reliability of financial transfers related to asset management. Fraudulent activities, such as chargebacks or using stolen payment information, can lead to financial losses and disruption in inventory control. So, when payments are initiated deceptively, assets may be acquired without legal transactions, complicating the tracking of ownership and inventory levels. Furthermore, asset tracking systems rely on data integrity to function effectively. If fraud is present, it can lead to discrepancies in reported data, making it challenging to assess the actual status of assets. 4. Data Breaches Due to its cloud-based nature, Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) can indeed experience data breaches. When access control systems are hosted in the cloud, they may face various security challenges, such as: Unauthorized access. Data interception. Potential misconfigurations. One of the primary risks is the reliance on internet connectivity, which can expose sensitive data to interception during transmission. Moreover, user authentication is important. Weak passwords or insufficient multifactor authentication can allow unauthorized users to gain access to the system. Compliance and ensuring that data is handled according to regulations also pose risks, especially if the service provider stores data across different regions. 5. Automated Methods Criminals often leverage automated methods to launch large-scale attacks on various businesses, using customized malware to ruin specific susceptibilities. Similarly, this approach will permit the ransoms to efficiently target multiple systems simultaneously. It will further increase your business's chance of success while reducing the time and effort required for each attack. On the other hand, automated tools also enable attackers to refine their techniques continuously based on real-time feedback. This is because as the tools gather data from previous attacks, they can adjust their malware to improve its effectiveness against specific targets. It is even more challenging for organizations to defend against such threats. Strategies To Mitigate Cybersecurity Risk Below-mentioned are strategies to resolve cybersecurity risks faced within the business. 1. Conduct Risk Assessment Perform a cybersecurity risk assessment to identify the issues your business faces or might face in the coming years. Similarly, the risk assessment results will anticipate your organization’s readiness to respond to security events and uncover your infrastructure’s vulnerabilities to common attacks, such as malware, ransomware, brute-force attacks, and more. Install asset tracking software in your business to conduct risk assessments efficiently. This will help you track location, save fleet costs, and improve asset management. In addition, you can also include the following steps: List down all physical and digital assets and their potential threats. Create a risk register listing risks and mitigate steps. Analyze each threat's likelihood and impact on the organization. 2. Continuous Monitoring When prioritizing vulnerabilities based on the challenges to business assets, it is essential to evaluate both the likelihood of exploitation and the potential impact on the organization. Here is a structured approach to help with this task: Identify assets. Determine potential impacts. Analyze the likelihood of each vulnerability being exploited. Use a risk scoring system to combine impact and probability into a single score. For high-priority vulnerabilities, devise appropriate remediation plans. 3. Include Asset Lifecycle Management To successfully manage each asset throughout its lifecycle, it is vital to incorporate a structured approach that includes the following critical practices: Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all assets, including hardware, software, and licenses. Establish a schedule for routine updates to ensure that all assets are running the latest software versions. Implement a patch management strategy to check for and apply security patches regularly. Use monitoring tools to track asset performance and health. By incorporating these practices, you can ensure that each asset is effectively managed, enhancing security, performance, and longevity throughout its lifecycle. Wrapping Up Thus, asset-tracking software can be implemented within the business for multiple uses. The business needs to identify, address, and assess the security risk posed by devices and assets of all types. However, it is best to create essential security awareness for the staff to assist them in spotting warning signs and trigger alerts. The systematic monitoring of security log files can give the security team early warnings of possible attacks. Read Also: The Importance Of Cybersecurity In The Digital Age Everything You Need To Know About PKI In Cybersecurity Top 10 Cybersecurity Features That Are A Must-Have In An Ecommerce Store

The Best Personal Protection Devices to Keep You Safe

Ever feel nervous about walking in your neighborhood late at night? Have you ever wished you could bring something to keep you safe but not something as hazardous as a gun? The total violent crime reported in the United States is 1.2 million. While the crime rate in the country is on a decline, you can never be too careful when it comes to your safety. Whether you're a man or a woman, you need to have the best personal protection devices around. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness around personal alarm for seniors. With a lot of senior citizens staying alone and away from their children, their safety should be a top priority. They might not be physically strong enough to combat criminals with self-defence strategies. Using a personal alarm that is GPS-based can help them alert the police authorities and ensure that help arrives. No one wants to become an attack victim no matter what location. Depending on your area, crime might not be that common and you can walk without having to worry about getting mugged. With this, you have a lot of options when it comes to getting the best self-defense weapons. These are non-lethal and allow you to at least escape from your assailant, such as: The Stun Gun : One of the most standard means of defending yourself, stun guns charge attackers with electrical shocks. Its primary function is to weaken the attacker, which gives you a lot of time to escape them while they lie incapacitated. After all, after pulling the trigger, these self-defense weapons can pump around 700,000 volts into your assailant's body. Some of the stun gun models are minuscule enough that you can hide it in a cigarette pack. Their power source is lithium batteries that you can carry in handbags or waist straps. They're faster and can stop a person more efficiently than an airsoft gun. The Stun Baton : This device's primary use is to disrupt the attacker's brain and muscle communication capabilities. What this means is that they become paralyzed and lose balance as well as muscle control. It disorients them in a way that makes them incapacitated within 5-10 minutes due to the 800,000-volt discharge. This baton can run using rechargeable batteries. It comes with a belt loop to make it easier to carry around and reach if things become dangerous. The Pepper Spray : One of the most preferred self-defense weapons for women, the pepper spray looks like a lipstick. The container is available on a variety of colors females like. However, it packs a punch due to the fact that it contains oleoresin capsicum, an oily liquid that comes from the Cayenne pepper, which is 4 to 20 times hotter than the Jalapeno pepper. It's small and easy-to-access since you can fit it into your pocket or purse. It's simple to use, and you can pretend like you're applying lipstick before you spray it on your attacker. It gives them short-term blindness as well as unbearable pain, sneezing, coughing, and streams of tears, allowing you to flee. Not sure where to get the best sprays? You can find some of the better options in the market at this website. The Stun Ring : This legal weapon to carry can pass for a common fashion ring with its elegant design. What's more important is that it gives you safety since it contains pepper spray within. This allows you to strike at your attacker when they least expect it. The Personal Alarm : It's a really small device but it can emit a loud scream when you push a button. That means you can attract people's attention when you're attacked. Sometimes, it's enough deterrent to attackers since it continues emitting the screams until you stop it. Some of the models come with a built-in light. This allows you to use it outside of emergency situations. For example, you can use it to find your way when it's too dark for you to see. The Lightning Strike : Police officers used to have exclusive use for this product. However, most civilians use it in recent times as well. It works by producing several lumens of strong white light that blinds and disorients attackers for short periods of time. This device with its LED light is small and portable enough. You can carry it anywhere, even when you're jogging early in the morning. The Mace Spray : Much like the pepper spray, this tube-like device causes temporary eye impairments by causing capillary inflammation. Aside from this, it causes the following effects to your attacker: Choking Sneezing Burning Sensation (eyes, nose, throat) The effects are temporary. But it gives you enough time to ensure your escape. It's a great way to break free from someone grabbing you. The TASER Device : This device has the capability to make an attacker stunned from within 15 feet away. However, if you're stuck within melee range, this device can also deliver powerful stunning capabilities. It's easy to use and effective due to the fact that it can incapacitate the attacker no matter what part you hit. The TASER device is a lot more effective compared to pepper sprays and other self-defense weapons. After all, you don't need to target your attacker's face to get the most out of its effects. The Tear Gas Spray : The device utilizes tear gas, which could cause irritation of the nose, throat, and eyes. However, it's not as widely used as pepper spray due to its less effectiveness. Its main redeeming feature is that it's much cheaper than most of the other devices around. The Ultrasonic Dog Repellant : If you're in a situation where your attacker isn't a human, this is one of the most effective ways for determent. After all, it emits sonic waves with high frequencies, ranging from 20,000Hz-25,000Hz. This type of sound is so high that humans can't hear it--but dogs and cats can. What this means is that, with a press of a button, you can point it on an aggressive canine to irritate it and chase it away. The ultrasonic sound emitted by the device doesn't affect human attackers. However, it helps give you a safe distance away from wild, hostile dogs that would otherwise assail you. Are You Prepared to Counter an Attack? When it comes to attackers, it isn't always a weird, creepy guy hanging out in dark alleyways waiting to pounce. After all, more than 66% of all rape victims are at least acquaintances with the people who assaulted them. As such, it's safe to assume that the majority of the attacks happen when least expected. A good self-defense weapon only plays a part in defending yourself from an assailant. After all, your weapon won't have any use if you aren't prepared. It's especially important when you need to use it on someone you didn't expect. If you make a proper self-defense plan, you can avoid becoming victimized. Here are some things you need to prepare for a counterattack: Knowing Your Weapon : You need to familiarize yourself in such a way that you can use it as an extension of yourself. There are some safety mechanisms that can slow you down if you aren't trained in their tricky operation. Actions, like pressing the right button or uncapping your pepper spray, will make a crucial difference on whether you can fend your attacker of in time or become a victim. Have a Quick Access : Always keep your weapon reachable whenever it's necessary. If you need to fumble through your pockets or purse during an attack, you might not have the time to defend yourself. That will only help your attacker catch you better. If you keep your weapon on a purse, make sure it's in a place where it won't get buried by your other essentials. Better yet, if you're walking to your car or some dark alley, hold it at the ready. This will enable you to use it as soon as the danger comes your way, offsetting their advantage if they get a drop on you. Stay Aware of Your Surroundings : In the best-case scenario, you should always avoid dangerous locations and shady people. However, if you can't, make sure that you stay alert and keep your distance from possible threats. This reduces the chances of you getting attacked by the people who lurk around waiting for you. Know your location, specifically the nearest exits and safe areas. Know where the security doors are and where you might get trapped or locked in. That way, you have an escape route that can get you to a place close to police stations and other bustling public locations. After all, a lot of attackers become deterred when they know that it's possible for people to witness their possible crimes. Get Your Personal Protection Devices Today! It's important to keep these personal protection devices in mind. Getting at least one or two can help you get a greater degree of protection that can offset a potentially dangerous situation. After all, it's always better for you to prevent a crime from happening instead of becoming a victim of one. Do your best to avoid becoming a crime victim with these devices. Also, make sure that you at least know how to operate and reach them should the need arise. After all, your device is useless if you don't have the skills and confidence to use them when a crisis comes your way. But don't stop here! There are more important survival tips to learn! Feel free to visit us today and discover more, like this post showcasing the biggest survival lies in movies.

Parts of a Gun: All You Need to Know About the Components of Your Firearm

Anyone who owns a gun understands that they aren't simply weapons, they are amazing creations of engineering and design. Whether you are a recreational shooter, a hunter, or simply out of a need for personal protection, there is a lot more to know about a gun besides simply learning to aim and shoot. The more you understand about your gun, the better you will be able to care for it and operate it. Let's take a look at the parts of a gun so that you can become a more informed marksman. Parts of a Gun: All You Need to Know About the Components of Your Firearms: If you own a firearm, you'll know how to shoot. But do you know how your gun actually works? We take a closer look at all the parts of a gun and what they do. The Grip: Quite simply, the grip is the part of the gun that the shooter holds onto. It's held with the dominant hand, though both hands are typically used to properly steady the gun for aiming. Grips are constructed from a variety of materials, such as rubber, wood, or the same material used for the rest of the gun. The Trigger: This is the small lever used to engage the firing mechanism of the gun. The majority of modern guns generally use a Double-Action trigger which causes the hammer-striker to cock and release in a single action. The trigger is a curved piece of metal designed to rest comfortably against the index finger. It can be set to various degrees of sensitivity so that the trigger will respond to a specific amount of pressure applied from the finger before firing. The apex trigger has long been regarded as one of the best ones in the industry. It is not only safe and efficient but does not add any extra weight to the overall gun. Not only does it result in lesser trigger travel time, but also delivers a far smoother trigger experience. The Trigger Guard: The trigger guard is basically a metal ring designed to protect the exposed part of the trigger. Its purpose is to protect the trigger from getting bumped or snagged, causing the gun to fire inadvertently. The Barrel: This is what you might call the "business end" of the gun. A barrel is made from heavy-duty hardened material that can withstand the tremendous forces involved in discharging and propelling a bullet. On handguns, the barrel is short. Whereas on rifles the barrel is much longer, which enables greater accuracy when shooting over a long distance. The internal wall of the barrel is "rifled" which means it's designed to impart a rotation on the exiting projectile, intended to provide improved accuracy. The Muzzle: If the barrel is the business end of the gun, the muzzle is the business end of the gun. Because this is the last part of the gun that a bullet touches as it exists. Many people fit their muzzles with accessories such as noise suppressors or silencers. For those interested in the latest advancements in firearm accessories, exploring the 2023 linear muzzle compensators can provide insights into modern options for enhancing shooting performance. The Hammer: On a handgun, the hammer is the part of a gun that strikes the cartridge primer or firing pin. This detonates the primer which discharges around from the gun. The Cylinder: This is one of the parts of a revolver, designed specifically to hold each bullet in a separate chamber. Then as each round discharges, the cylinder rotates, bringing each chamber into alignment with the barrel so that the bulletin that chamber is ready for discharge. The Forward and Rear Sights: The forward sight on a firearm is a slight protrusion on the barrel of the gun intended to align with a rear sight for the purpose of aiming. The shooter aims at the target by aligning the front sight in the grooves of the rear sight so that the muzzle of the gun aims directly at the target. These are typically small metal protrusions that in no way impact the actual mechanics of the firearm. Plenty of upgrades and accessories are available on the market, such as laser sights that improve the shooter's accuracy. The Slide: The slide on a handgun is a part of the assembly that houses the upper section of the firearm. It's typically constructed of a material that can withstand the forces involved during the firing of the gun. With most guns, it's designed with a ribbed pattern for improved grip and is manually pulled back to load the gun. Then as each round discharges, the slide automatically recoils and is the part of the firing mechanism that facilitates the transfer of a fresh round from the magazine into the firing chamber. The Slide Lock: This is the part of the gun designed for the simple task of locking the slide in the rearward position. When the final round in a magazine successfully discharges from a semi-automatic weapon, the slide lock engages and holds the slide in the open position in order to alert the shooter that the weapon is now empty. The Magazine: The magazine is a metal cartridge that holds the bullets prior to loading them into the firing chamber. It is manually ejected from the gun, reloaded with bullets, then snapped back into the assembly so that a fresh round can be chambered. Magazine cartridges come in a number of sizes, are able to hold up to several hundred rounds at one time, and can be single or double stacked. The Magazine Well: This is the part of the gun that accepts the magazine cartridge. The magazine well is usually designed with grooves that direct the magazine into a place where it can be engaged by the slide and firing mechanism. The Magazine Spring and Release Button: This magazine cartridge spring is a simple pressure spring intended to move rounds toward the firing action. The more rounds loaded into a magazine at one time, the greater the pressure exerted upon the spring. The release button is used to detach the magazine from the grip so that it can be reloaded, or replaced by another magazine that is already loaded. The Ejection Port: This is the part of the gun designed to eject a spent shell casing. The ejection port is a cutout located along the middle section of the slide that can also help the shooter to inspect the condition of the firing chamber. When the gun jams, the shooter can open the slide in order to look inside and see what the problem is. Sometimes the empty casing simply doesn't eject properly, or an unfired round might get jammed as it's loaded into the firing chamber. The Tang: The tang is a structure designed to assist the shooter in managing the recoil of the firearm. It also helps to protect the hand of the shooter from the slide assembly when it moves quickly backward and forward during the firing action. The Take-Down Lever: This lever is designed to manage the field-stripping of the firearm. The process of field-stripping is important for breaking the firearm down into its individual components for repair or cleaning. Breaking down the weapon on a regular basis is necessary both for proper maintenance as well as for when a part of the firing mechanism has failed and needs to be serviced. For anyone interested in repairing or modifying their own firearms, be sure to check out Strike Industries. The Chamber: The chamber is a portion of the barrel where the cartridge is stored prior to being fired. Each cartridge is chambered one at a time, fired, then ejected prior to the next round being chambered. The Accessories Rail: The accessories rail on a firearm allows the shooter to add on various tactical accessories. These include such devices as flashlights and laser sights. The Breech: The breech is located near the midsection of the gun. This is the part on the vast majority of firearms where the ammunition is loaded. Breech-loaded guns have become the norm in the current market, whereas in the old days' many shotguns, rifles and pistols were typically loaded through the muzzle. The Safety: Safety is one of the most important parts of any gun. This simple mechanism can easily make the difference in preventing a terrible accident. Sometimes the safety is a sliding component on the firearm, and sometimes it's a button. And it's usually located near the trigger where it can be easily reached and engaged. Safety is so important because it blocks the trigger mechanism, thus the gun cannot discharge until the safety disengages. Keep in mind that not every model of the gun has safety. So when looking to buy one for personal or home defensive, we strongly encourage you to look for a model with safety to reduce the chances of accidents occurring. The Importance of Understanding the Anatomy of Your Gun: The simple truth is that guns are complicated mechanisms. They can be dangerous in the wrong hands, yet can save lives in the hands of a trained and knowledgeable user. The more you learn about the parts of a gun, the better you will be able to care for your firearm and operate it safely and effectively. So be an informed marksman and have fun out there! Click here to learn about how gun and security gear has advanced through the years. Read Also: What Is An Airsoft Gun? How Gun And Security Gear Advanced Through The Years

Demystifying the common GDPR Myths

1. GDPR is just a mechanism to fine companies!