Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

What is PII?

PII stands for Personally Identifiable Information. It refers to any information that can be used to identify a specific individual, such as name, address, Social Security number, or date of birth.

This information can be sensitive and is often protected by laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

What qualifies as PII?

 

• Full name
• Social Security number
• Driver's license number
• Passport number
• Home address
• Phone number 
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Medical information
• Bank account number
• Geographic information
• Biometric information (fingerprints, facial recognition, etc.)

 

 

Definition of PII in Privacy Law

The definition of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) can vary slightly in privacy laws across different countries.

In the United States, PII is defined as any information that can be used to identify a specific individual, such as name, address, Social Security number, or date of birth. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and various state laws regulate the collection, use, and protection of PII.

In the European Union, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) defines PII as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.

This includes information such as name, address, ID numbers, location data, and online identifiers (such as IP addresses). The GDPR sets out strict rules for how PII can be collected, used, and protected by organizations operating within the EU.

In Canada, PII is defined as information about an identifiable individual, including name, age, ID numbers, fingerprints, blood type, and so on. The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) regulates the collection, use, and disclosure of PII by private sector organizations.

In Australia, PII is defined as information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. The Privacy Act 1988 regulates the collection, use, and disclosure of PII by private sector organizations and the Commonwealth Government.

In India, PII is defined as any information that relates to a natural person, which, either directly or indirectly, in combination with other information available or likely to be available, is capable of identifying such person.The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 regulates the collection, use, and protection of PII by organizations operating in India.

Data Privacy Framework with regards to PII

A data privacy framework with regards to Personally Identifiable Information (PII) would include the following key components:

1.Clear and transparent information about how PII is collected, used, and shared:

Organizations should provide clear and transparent information about how they collect, use, and share PII, including what types of information they collect, how they use it, and with whom they share it. This information should be easily accessible and understandable by individuals.

2.Obtaining consent:

Organizations should obtain explicit, informed consent from individuals before collecting, using, or sharing their PII. This consent should be specific, granular, and revocable at any time.

3.Data Minimization:

Organizations should only collect and retain PII that is necessary to achieve their specific business purpose and no more.

4.Data Security:

Organizations should implement robust security measures to protect PII from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. This should include technical, physical and administrative controls.

5.Data retention and destruction:

Organizations should have a clear data retention and destruction policy which defines how long PII will be stored and how it will be securely deleted or destroyed when it's no longer needed.

6.Data Breach Notification:

Organizations should have a breach response plan in place and should notify individuals, law enforcement, and relevant regulatory bodies in case of a data breach.

7.Data Subject Access rights:

Organizations should provide individuals with the right to access and control their PII, including the right to request deletion or correction of inaccurate PII.

8.Compliance with laws and regulations:

Organizations should ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations related to PII, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

It's important to note that this is a general example, and the specific components of a data privacy framework may vary depending on the organization's industry, location, and the type of PII being collected and handled.

PII Security Controls

To prevent data loss or data leak, an organization should implement the following security controls:

1.Data backup and disaster recovery:

Organizations should implement a data backup and disaster recovery plan to ensure that data can be recovered in the event of a data loss or breach. This includes regularly backing up data and testing the recovery process to ensure that it is effective.

2.Access controls:

Organizations should implement access controls to restrict access to data to only those who have a legitimate need to access it. This includes implementing authentication, authorization, and access management controls to prevent unauthorized access.

3.Data encryption:

Organizations should encrypt data, particularly sensitive data such as PII, to protect it from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. This includes encrypting data in transit, at rest and in use.

4.Data Loss Prevention (DLP):

Organizations should implement DLP systems to monitor and control the movement of data within the organization and to prevent the accidental or intentional data loss.

5.Network security:

Organizations should implement network security measures, such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and virtual private networks (VPNs) to protect data from external threats.

6.Monitoring and Detection:

Organizations should implement monitoring and detection systems to detect and respond to security incidents related to data.

7.Incident Response:

Organizations should have an incident response plan in place to quickly detect, respond to and recover from a data breach.

8.Regular Auditing:

Organizations should conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with the data security controls and to identify and correct any deficiencies.

It's important to note that these security controls should be regularly reviewed, updated and tested to ensure that they are adequate and effective in protecting the organization's data.