Avoidable data scandals in the email era: The latest amendment to the German Data Protection Act has far-reaching consequences for businesses
Eisenach, 14 January 2010 – Data scandals as far as the eye can see. The list of companies hit by data scandals is getting longer by the day and includes increasing numbers of well-known suppliers and service providers. Recent events have not only worried consumers, but also damaged confidence in the affected companies. Legislators have been forced to act: the latest amendment to the German Data Protection Act came into force on 1 September 2009. It contains new regulations for data encryption, data processing and the permitted storage of data for advertising purposes.
Higher penalties and new sanctions for data protection violations were introduced at the same time. Businesses must notify the loss of personal data, during transmission by email for example, or if it becomes accessible to unauthorised persons or is passed to third parties illegally. "Many companies will have to rethink and act immediately on the basis of the amendment to the Act," explains Andreas Richter, Director for International Marketing at GROUP Technologies, referring to a current study by the business consultants Ernst & Young.
As a result, the number of data scandals in the coming months will rise steeply. According to the survey, this is because German companies are still failing to protect sensitive data. "Businesses should scrutinise their daily work processes, particularly those involving electronic communication. It is important that they are made secure with specialised IT security solutions which cover both incoming and outgoing email communication," advises Richter.
GROUP Technologies specialises in the development of process-oriented solutions for email management and is well aware of the significance of comprehensive security mechanisms. Data protection and data loss prevention are currently two key phrases in this context. iQ.Suite from the Email, Archiving and Administration Division at GROUP Business Software AG provides companies with numerous tools to prevent the loss of confidential data – from content analysis to the four-eyes principle to the encryption of confidential content. The email management suite is based on a central approach, protects from both internal and external threats and ensures that both incoming and outgoing email communication complies with corporate policy and data protection legislation. GROUP Technologies solutions undergo constant development so that they always take account of the current legal situation.
"The latest amendment to the German Data Protection Act should be considered a compromise between business interests on the one hand and consumer interests on the other. I don't think we can rule out more political measures to regulate data protection," says Richter. The email experts at GROUP Technologies will therefore address themselves more strongly to the subject of data protection in the future and this will be reflected in their product strategy. For example, further enhancement of the encryption group of products is planned for 2010; this will provide central management of keys and certificates with the integration of trust centres. Furthermore, iQ.Suite WebCrypt, which is already certified and established on the market, will be enhanced with new functionality making it easier to exchange sensitive emails with recipients without an encryption solution.
