Privacy vs. security-Are these two same?

Privacy and security, are the two words that we often use together, but they are not the same. Earlier in 2010, the concept of privacy and security was vague. Everyone takes it as the same thing and the reason for this ignorance was that no one was too much into technology. 

However, we are living in 2020 now, and just after a decade, we have realized that everything has changed now. We are relying on technology more than ever and that’s what obliged us to understand and differentiate basic terms like privacy and security. 

In this blog, I will try to explain both concepts and their differences as well. They sound similar but actually privacy is an entirely different thing than security. Let’s have a good read to find differences between privacy and security. 

What is Privacy?

Privacy can be defined as the privileges that you own to share your information. It means that privacy is your right to share your information the way you want. 

In the online realm, privacy is your fundamental right to allow or forbid organizations to collect or share your personal information. 

Online services will no longer be able to store or share information if a user has privacy concerns. 

You must have seen a detailed privacy policy every time when you get registered to a website. The privacy policy document is a way to inform you regarding where and how the website will use your information.

Mostly, many of you don’t even read and agree to the terms and conditions. 

There are online services that share your personal information e.g. email address, and phone number to third-parties without user consent and that’s a privacy breach. 

A privacy breach is a dilemma of this age since you never know how many times your privacy has been invaded. A number of apps and websites collect users’ personal information and sometimes you allow for that by clicking on their privacy policy without reading it.

 What is Security?

When talking about security, online security is an expression that you’ll come across a lot. Security is an entirely different thing than privacy. At its best, security can be explained as the measure that you follow to protect your information. 

Let’s take the example of a house door. You expect that no one will enter your home without your permission. That’s because of your privacy right. Similarly, you use door safety locks to protect your home from interventions. These door safety locks are a perfect example of security. 

If we analyze online security then we can clearly see that many online users connect to VPN servers, use antivirus software, and install secure browsers as a security measure. 

It means that if someone is invading your privacy without consent then security acts as the barrier against the invasion. 

 Keep in mind that simultaneously maintaining privacy and security is your online success. Whether you’re an online business, a gamer, or just a common user, your online privacy and security should be meeting standards to protect you from various high profile cyber-attacks. 

Factors That Keep Your Online Security on Top

Maintaining your online security merely needs a few factors. If any online security tool like a VPN ensures these factors then your online security will be totally maintained. 

Now, the question that comes in mind is what are those factors that build and strengthen your online security? So, here I am outlining those elements:

Confidentiality 

Confidentiality is a must to maintain both privacy and security. Whatever service you’re using to maintain online security must be provided confidentially and if it’s not it’s time to move to the next service. 

For example, if you want a VPN service for a secure encrypted network then always get a service that offers no-logs policy. Similarly, if you are planning to use a secure browser then choose the one with no-logs. 

Such services maintain your confidentiality and never record your online activities in this way, both your security and privacy remain protected.

Integration 

Integrity is another dynamic that puts a lot to retain your security. Here what I meant out of integrity is the consistency of confidentiality and other essential features required to maintain online privacy and security. 

Things should be integrated continuously for a trusted yet flawless cybersecurity. If an online security tool is not integrated with the most updated software and confidentiality terms, then it cannot achieve top security for its users. 

Accessibility 

Here accessibility can be defined as the ability to be available when it is needed. It means that any cybersecurity tool that you’re implementing should provide you related information each time when you need it the most. A trusted software, VPN, browser, and antivirus program contain all the aforementioned factors and successfully protect your online privacy and security.

How to Protect Privacy and Security 

The best way to protect online privacy and security is to deploy a cybersecurity product. There are various online security products among which VPNs are widely used across the globe. 

VPN forms a secure connection between your computer and the internet. It encrypts your traffic so that no one can read or access it. Also, a VPN hides your online activities from your ISP and the Government. It saves you from bandwidth throttling and enables you to access geo-blocked content in the most secure way.

Besides using a VPN, always use a complicated password for each account and frequently alter your passwords especially for the financial accounts. Do not click every link that you see because some links contain malware that infects your device and steal your data. 

Use antivirus software as it helps you to find malicious sources and protect your system against potential malware and viruses that may lead to the data breach. 

Lastly, always try to deactivate the autofill option. In case, a hacker gets access to your device with enabled autofill option then he can easily access all your accounts since your credentials are saved in your browser. Therefore, it is suggested to disable the autofill option for a much safer online experience.

Conclusion 

We cannot skip using the internet. What we do best is to take care of our privacy and security. It is essential to use security products because you cannot always maintain your privacy because your information is not in your hands and companies are continuously fetching it. 

Therefore, implementing top security products is the only way to fight against privacy breaches while maintaining security to its best.