Your virtual events are a prime target for cybercriminals, with a booming market for attendees and company data. Cyberattacks spare no one! This means you need strategically designed security and privacy protocols in place to hold them off and keep your company’s reputation intact. Read our comprehensive guide to make your events hack-proof!
Your virtual events hold a lot of important information. If there’s a security breach, it can damage people’s trust in your brand. Let’s go deeper and gain an overview of data breaches in virtual events.
Overview of the Data Breaches in Virtual Events
After the COVID-19 pandemic began, there has been a significant increase in cyber risks and incidents. According to the FBI’s report, cyber-crime incidents and reports have quadrupled since the pandemic started. They also noted a 300% increase in reported data attacks. This situation has made businesses hosting virtual events more concerned about data security & privacy than ever before.
Cybercriminals are constantly active, ready to take advantage. During virtual and hybrid events, important data like payment details, intellectual property, and personal information like phone numbers and emails get shared. This type of data is extremely valuable and easy to exploit, making it a prime target for hackers who are always seeking to steal such sensitive information.
Therefore, businesses are using trusted virtual event platforms to ensure privacy and security. As per IBM’s Cost of Data Breach Report 2023, 51% of businesses plan to spend more on security following a breach.
Why is Event Data Privacy Important?
No matter what kind of event it is, planners gather important personal data crucial to individuals’ lives. It’s crucial to protect this data well since people trust others with it. Here’s why having a strategy to keep event data private is so beneficial:
- Protect customer data: It’s important to prioritize the security of your customers’ data. Implementing event data security protocols is essential for fulfilling this responsibility.
- Build trust: Letting your customers know you take their data security seriously is a great way to build trust with them.
- Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations: You’re often required by law to safeguard event data. Following event data privacy regulations can help you avoid legal troubles.
- Make the Right Choice: Your customers rely on you to protect their data. Failing in this responsibility breaches their trust in your company.
Prioritizing event data privacy is crucial for companies. By implementing effective event data security measures, you can ensure that your events are not only safe but also enjoyable for attendees.
What's the Difference Between Security and Privacy?
Great question! While they’re often grouped together, they’re actually different:
- Security means using technology and plans to protect your virtual event connections, secure your space, and prevent cybercriminals and hackers from accessing your network.
- Privacy is like a part of security. It’s about letting the right people in and keeping others out. This includes protecting secret stuff, discussions, attendee safety, and their personal information like phone numbers & emails before, during, and after the event.
Event Data Privacy & Security: Best Practices
Let’s discover 8 best practices that will help you guarantee attendee privacy throughout virtual events.
1. Robust Data Encryption
Keep attendee information safe by using strong encryption methods. This means making sure that attendee data is protected when it’s sent and when it’s stored, so no one unauthorized can access personal details or conversations.
2. Ensure Safety during Registration and Sign-in
Make your event safer by having attendees register using a secure login. You can use methods like multi-factor authentication to verify their identity, giving extra protection against unauthorized access.
3. Limited Data Gathering
Show respect for attendee privacy by only gathering necessary information during registration. Avoid asking for too much personal data that isn’t related to the event. Be transparent about how you collect and use data, and get permission when needed.
4. Choose Privacy-Focused Platforms
Choose virtual event platforms that put attendee privacy first. Look for platforms with strong security features, data protection measures, and a history of keeping user data safe.
5. Promote Secure Password Practices
Encourage attendees to use strong, unique passwords for their accounts. Set requirements for password complexity and offer tips on creating secure passwords. Remind attendees to update their passwords regularly.
6. Use End-to-End Encryption for Communication
Make sure that video calls and chat messages in your virtual event are protected with end-to-end encryption. This ensures that only the intended recipients can read the messages, making it very hard for others to spy or intercept them.
7. Provide Privacy Education
Empower participants with essential privacy guidelines and expert tips to protect their privacy throughout the virtual event. Encourage the adoption of secure networks, timely software updates, and careful handling of personal information.
8. Perform Regular Security Audits
Conduct regular security and privacy audits for your virtual event platform to detect potential vulnerabilities and ensure adherence to privacy regulations.
How ibentos Ensures Security and Privacy in Virtual Events?
ibentos takes security and privacy in virtual events very seriously. They use strong protections to keep participant information safe and make sure events run smoothly. Through advanced encryption protocols, sensitive information is securely transmitted and stored, safeguarding it from unauthorized access. ibentos also prioritizes compliance with global privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA, guaranteeing ethical handling of participant data. They also teach users how to stay safe during events. Overall, ibentos works hard to create a safe and trustworthy place for virtual events, making businesses and participants feel confident.
Discover the secure and trusted virtual event platform by ibentos today! Join us to ensure your events are not just successful but also protected.