In the daily operations of modern organizations, terms such as cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection are used frequently and, at times, interchangeably. Although all these concepts are interconnected and form part of the ecosystem of controls necessary for proper information governance, they present substantial differences. This article aims to provide a clear guide to distinguishing between information security, privacy, and personal data protection.
Cybersecurity focuses on protecting all types of information from unauthorized access, alteration, or deletion. This domain operates based on the principles of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability of information (the "CIA" model). Organizations must protect their information not only for operational reasons but also to meet contractual obligations, regulatory requirements, and international security standards.
When adopting standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, or CIS Controls, organizations implement measures across various security domains. These include vulnerability management, network security, incident response, access control, and security awareness training, among other fundamental aspects of a comprehensive cybersecurity program.
When discussing privacy, the focus is not on information in general, but specifically on the processing of personal data. In this field, organizations must apply ethical principles that govern how information is collected, used, and shared, ensuring that the legitimate expectations of data subjects are always respected. These practices should be embedded through privacy-by-design policies guiding the entire data lifecycle.
Privacy encompasses two complementary dimensions: an ethical one, oriented toward principles of fair and transparent handling of personal information, and a technical one, specifically focused on the protection of personal data. It is within this second dimension that privacy and cybersecurity converge, requiring organizations to implement strong security controls to safeguard this special category of information.
Ultimately, failing to protect information does not produce the same consequences depending on the type of asset compromised. The theft of personal data typically results in more severe financial penalties, due to the prevailing importance of regulations such as GDPR, LGPD, among others, which prioritize the protection of data subjects’ rights.
Clearly understanding the differences between privacy, information security, and data protection enables organizations to design more effective controls, adequately comply with contractual and regulatory obligations, and strengthen their capabilities toward a robust and sustainable IT governance program.
By Uriel Bekerman, Director of GRC at Enveedo.