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GenAI and ‘human factor’ are Biggest Data Protection Considerations

GenAI-International Data Protection Day, which takes place annually on January 28, serves as a reminder that data protection and privacy remain topics of critical importance in the evolving technology and cybersecurity landscape.

Even as tech innovations drive industry shifts and new regulations come into play, the “human factor” remains one of the key points of organizational data loss vulnerability. Proofpoint’s inaugural Data Loss Landscape Report revealed that a staggering 85% of global organizations experienced data loss in the past year, with 90% suffering negative consequences, including revenue loss and reputational damage. Surprisingly, only 1% of users are responsible for 88% of data loss alerts, pointing to the significant impact of careless employees.

In the UAE, the increasing relevance and use of GenAI in the threat landscape is also driving increased investment in data protection measures, with 51% of CISOs in the UAE implementing Data Loss Prevention (DLP) technology in 2024, a notable jump from 45% in the previous year. Furthermore, over half (55%) are investing in data security training for employees, up from 41% in 2023. This is especially relevant since tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, and Google Gemini are only increasing in power and utility, and more users are inputting sensitive data into these applications.

Emile Abou Saleh – Vice President- Northern Europe, Middle East Turkey & Africa at Proofpoint, shares his additional insights below:

“Artificial Intelligence, and particularly GenAI, has opened the door to new challenges in the data security landscape.  While AI offers immense potential, it also introduces significant data loss risks. Inputting confidential information or Personally Identifiable Information (PII) into these models is like handing attackers a loaded weapon, and organizations are understandably worried. Proofpoint’s 2024 Voice of the CISO Report reveals that 49% of CISOs in the UAE  identify GenAI tools as a top organizational risk, underscoring the need for robust data protection strategies.

Data doesn’t lose itself; data loss originates with people. Careless, compromised, and malicious users are and will continue to be responsible for the vast majority of data loss incidents. In fact, 94% of UAE organizations suffered a loss of sensitive data in the past 12 months, with 71% of CISOs in the UAE agreeing that employees were responsible for these incidents due to risky actions such as misdirecting emails, clicking phishing links, installing unauthorized software, and emailing sensitive data to a personal account.

This means a human-centric approach to data security is needed to effectively respond. This approach brings together an understanding of data classification, user intent, and threat context and applies it consistently across all communications channels, including email, cloud, endpoint, web, and GenAI tools. This also means guiding employees with relevant, in-the-moment interventions and personalized learning paths based on an individual’s unique risk profile to cultivate a behavior change, where everyone understands the risks and plays a role in safeguarding the organization.”

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