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Impact of Information Leakage and Conserving Digital Privacy

Impact of Information Leakage and Conserving Digital Privacy

Kishore Kumar Senapati (Birla Institute of Technology, India), Abhishek Kumar (Birla Institute of Technology, India), and Kunal Sinha (Artificial Computing Machines, India)
Copyright: © 2023 |Pages: 23
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-8666-5.ch008
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Abstract

The rise of globally integrated technology with a pace in technical intervention in diversified fields of social, financial, governmental, and defense services the world today is transforming into data age. This scientific development of storing and processing tasks within software territory had invaded the privacy of the users and individuals through technical attacks of existing and innovated technical solutions to discover and mine related information that may use for illegal and legal activities as per demand. Such a data, if extracted from a secured system, may harm a user or an individual in various ways depending on culprit's intention. It therefore becomes important to learn and understand the technical art of safeguarding their data while going digital. Privacy conserved data publishing should be an essential precondition for all data driven technologies. Keeping data safe and legal is another aspect. Existing protection mechanisms may not help in privacy mechanism due to unbalanced research in legal and illegal related technical innovations.
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Offline World

In the pre-digital age, information leakage mainly occurs through physical means. Here are some notable examples:

Spy

Throughout history, governments and intelligence agencies have engaged in information leakage through espionage. Spies are responsible for collecting and disclosing classified information for the benefit of their country or organization.

Leaks on Paper

Information leakage also occurs through physical documents. Examples include whistleblowers who disclose classified documents, leaked memos or sensitive information accidentally left in public places.

Social Engineering

In offline situations, social engineering techniques have been used to manipulate individuals and extract sensitive information. Techniques such as impersonation, pretence and seduction have been used to gain unauthorized access to confidential data.

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Online World

With the advent of the Internet and digital technologies, information leakage has spread to the online world. Here are the important steps:

Hacks and Data Breaches

The rise in hacks and data breaches has drawn attention to online information leaks. Notable incidents include serious breaches of the 2000s, such as the 2008 Heartland Payment System breach and the 2011 Sony PlayStation Network breach.

Warning Platform

Platforms like WikiLeaks have become known, allowing whistleblowers to anonymously leak sensitive documents and information to the public. These platforms have served as outlets for exposing corporate or government misconduct.

Insider Threats

Insider leaks have become a significant concern, with employees or insiders intentionally or unintentionally leaking sensitive data. Notable cases include Edward Snowden's leak of classified NSA documents in 2013. (Isabel et al., 2022)

Privacy and Social Media Concerns

The rise of social media platforms has brought new challenges related to information leakage. Users have unknowingly shared personal information, leading to privacy issues and the potential for misuse or abuse of personal data.

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Privacy Policy

Governments around the world have introduced privacy regulations to prevent information leakage. Examples include the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) implemented in 2018 and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in 2020.

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