Privacy Perspective from RSA 2020

Attending the RSA Conference always feels like a whirlwind. So many friends to see, people to meet, vendors to visit, deals to discuss and sessions to attend. This year, attending the conference in sunny San Francisco, CA was no different, but more than ever privacy and the use of personal data seemed to be on everyone’s mind. The theme of this year’s conference: The Human Element touched upon the many ways human beings are affected by data security and privacy. Chief among the topics creating a noteworthy buzz was data privacy. Everyone was focused on it, not just privacy junkies like me.

Following are a few experiences I had at the conference and several themes presented themselves which raised the bar for future data privacy conversations.

Innovation may come at a price

As I listened to some of the technology vendors casually talk about using customer data to feed artificial intelligence (AI) engines, I felt cold chills run down my spine. The only way for AI “to get it right,” according to some vendors, is to manipulate real, personal data. Vendors even suggested collecting such data from random sources around the world. They were then quick to add, “We would have lots of lawyers ensure that the data collection was done legally.” Indeed?

Even the “experts” are a bit mystified

On the convention floor, it became clear to me that even technical and security people don’t understand the personal data being collected about them. As I spoke with one very seasoned professional, she pointed to her smart watch and exclaimed that she had no idea what information it was collecting nor with whom it was sharing her data.

She understood how the technology worked and could guess which data was being collected, but was frustrated because she didn’t have any concrete documentation telling her exactly which data points were being used. Plus, she didn’t feel like she could easily obtain the answers to her questions about that data.

As a consumer, she wanted to trust the manufacturer of the watch. To establish her trust, she wanted transparency around the data collection as well as honesty around the data processing and sharing.

Casual conversations turned to personal data

En masse, we conference attendees were not afraid to let our geek flags fly in public. Being surrounded by about 40,000 of your closest technical colleagues relaxes social norms. Waiting for the walk sign between Moscone North and Moscone South, I overheard little bits of intriguing conversation. A few folks chatted about the personal data being collected by the RSA mobile app and with whom it was being shared. I spoke with others about the personal data required to attend after-hours parties and others discussed which applications people were using to track expenses.  We all know these apps collect our personal data but do we understand how and why it is being used and shared?

Opportunities to discuss privacy concerns abounded

Ahh, teachable moments. When I ran into other parents, we discussed our kids and raised concerns about the information minors share online. Bottom line: Most parents are troubled with how their kids share data and wonder if their children are oversharing sensitive information. Plus, most parents don’t know how to protect their kids’ personal data or even that there are laws protecting them.

When vendors scanned my badge, I asked if they knew how my data would be handled; most vendors admitted they hadn’t considered what was going to happen to the data downstream. 

I attended a meeting at an offsite location. I had never heard of or previously frequented this venue or website in any way. Twelve hours later, the venue popped up in my LinkedIn feed. Surprising? Spooky? You decide.

CDC Update

In addition to events related to the security and privacy of our personal data, I know worries are increasing about the spread of the Corona virus (COVID-19). RSA Conference 2020 administrators kept everyone apprised about the latest CDC updates via the conference website. Hand sanitization stations were everywhere, as handwashing remains our best defense for disease prevention. Here’s an interesting read about how the CDC uses predictive analytics to influence health decisions.

I sincerely hope everyone was able to enjoy the week, stay healthy and get home safely.