Privacy enhancing computation.
World has now arrived at the Digital Age. Most of the workforce is now being equipped with digital technologies. From every day average mom and pop shops to huge cooperation’s have established systems which are heavily invested into digital technologies. Going even further mission critical operations has joined in to utilize specialized digital technologies. In many cases output or the produced work of these digital platforms and tools will come in the form of Information and Data. All this content is stored in complex electronic systems which stores the files in digital formats. Smart phone the most versatile tool of the 21st has enabled many individuals to engage with digital world while there are many use cases not everyone active within the network have good intentions. In the world of computers there is a new term known as “HACKING”. Hacker a person who is involved in finding alternative pathways to accomplish an already established task would be the appropriate definition Yet Hacking and hackers have been portrait in many shades and one popular opinion would be that hackers are criminals whose wrong doings are done based in a virtual environment. These personals will identify technical flaws within systems which would allow them to take advantage and abuse the system and its users. Hence Computer security and IT Security is an emerging industry which focuses on strengthening information systems.
Most of the Modern-day computational tasks now utilize some aspect of machine learning or AI and naturally these new trends do require immense volume of data and information. Now the problem arises when accessing such volumes of digital information most of the systems become vulnerable and open towards threats.
With IT solutions and intended systems become complex maintain their functionality and security this is a lot on their plate for a Security specialist. It is the common notion among the IT community to believe that as humans we do not necessarily come up with the best implementations at least when it is focused towards information security. To overcome the potential failures advanced and efficient systems have come to action to ensure that no unwanted intruder will be lurking around.
In the form of advanced security solutions privacy enhancing computation comes into action. More preferably known as PET’s this technology has allowed business to prevent noisy neighbors lurking around. Moving towards specifics there are few commonly know types of PET systems. Cryptographic algorithms, Data masking techniques, Utilizing AL & ML algorithms are few of the well-known types of PET’s. Cryptographic algorithm based will render the data into an encrypted state where received data can only be opened once decrypted ensuring no one snooping can see the real information hidden beneath. Data masking technique is a way of pulling out sensitive information once such a technique is applied data or the information will not tie into any real person or entity in many scenarios business will replace the sensitive user related information with randomized data or completely remove the content leaving only the information required for the business application. And finally utilizing the AI and ML algorithms these technologies are well known to have extraordinary abilities in this case an algorithm has the capacity generate synthetic data which will have the same statistical characteristics as the real information hence utilizing synthetic data can allows the business test and provide information without being vulnerable.
Usage of PET’s has taken the industry by storm. This trending technology is adopted by many commercial environments such as businesses, finance, healthcare. Such cooperation’s often deal with huge amount of data. Client name phone number addresses and emails sensitive but crucial information required for business application often requires safeguarding. Moving into finances it includes bank details and account login information which is considered to be in “prying eyes” needs well tightened protection. Health Information crucial information that describes the well being of a person can be extremely sensitive and dangerous once exposed to unwanted. All this information much more data needs proper safety. And PET’s systems aim to provide the exactly that.
“One Key differences in PET’s compared to other systems is – Information will be never reached by the intruders to access it.”
Information that needs processing will grow every day and the digital world needs to be a safe space where anyone can be comfortable with proving their personal information. And with concerns regarding personal information being misused, unethical use cases come to surface people are focused with privacy related features much more than ever before catering this demand and making internet safe space is long journey and it is certain that PET’s will have role in that voyage.
References
Coopamootoo, K., 2020. Usage Patterns of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies. Proceedings of the 2020 ACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security,.
McCarthy, N., & Fourniol, F. (2020). The role of technology in governance: The example of Privacy Enhancing Technologies. Data & Policy, 2, E8. doi:10.1017/dap.2020.8
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