New Study Identifies Visual Privacy As Weak Link In Data Security Practices

Visual Privacy — the protection of sensitive information as it is displayed on screen — is an emerging issue in information security and an under-addressed area of risk in corporate security policies. Given the rapid digitization of sensitive information and the growing mobility of workers, the need to protect displayed information has grown substantially.

The IT analyst firm IDC estimates that over 72% of workers in the United States have some level of mobility(1). With corporate data being accessed in public places by a wide range of devices (such as laptops, tablets and smart phones), this presents new challenges for businesses that must safeguard information.

The Visual Data Breach Risk Assessment Study, authored by Dr. Hugh Thompson, Chief Security Strategist of People Security, and commissioned by 3M, the makers of computer privacy filters and mobile privacy screen protectors, found a significant risk of data exposure while information is displayed on laptop screens in public environments with correspondingly little security controls in the way of technology and policy to address this risk.

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