Databases and Privacy Risks

Data is constantly increasing the size of databases. Our personal information is often stored in large databases online; consequently, database mining was one of the main concerns regarding database security in 2011. Personal information mining is a profitable business for cyber criminals; therefore, your personal information in these databases can place you at risk for scams, identity theft, etc.

According to reports, Google's new privacy policy, being rolled out by March 1, is an act to consolidate services. Therefore, all individual services that contained bits and pieces of your personal information will now be link. Given the increases in attempts to gain access to private information you are more at risk with all your information linked. Each service used would see the increase in the information stored on users. This puts us more at risk for scams, identity theft, etc if these databases are not properly secured.

I think these articles are worth the read:

http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/view/21561/2011-year-of-the-database-hack/

http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/view/23500/googles-revised-privacy-policy-not-sitting-well-with-some