World Data Protection Day

In today’s digital society, the twenty-eighth day of the year is a moment to remember and raise awareness worldwide of the importance of protecting our personal data. 28 January is World Data Protection Day, or Data Privacy Day as it is known outside Europe. It coincides with the anniversary of the signing of Convention 108 on data protection. This convention has shaped the criteria followed to regulate issues such as privacy, in Europe and beyond, for the last 40 years.

At the Office of the Data Protection Officer (ODPO), we would like to commemorate this day together with the health department bodies that are members and the rest of the Catalan Health System. And all of the general public. So we are taking the opportunity to share some tips on how to protect your personal data.

Do not click on any links

Phishing attacks have increased exponentially in recent years and are very common. They usually come by e-mail, although they can also be sent by SMS or instant messaging applications.

Use strong passwords

Passwords must be unique for each browsing page or application. They must include uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols. They also need to be updated every so often and changed. It is advisable to use two-factor authentication whenever possible.

Make use of security solutions on devices

Most attacks are caused by human error. So it is important to have security systems on all your devices: anti-malware, password managers and screen locks, among others that help to protect your personal data.

Are you a health professional?

Remember that all organisations have a Data Protection Coordinator (DPC). Always contact them if you detect any threat that may compromise the security of patient data or other personal data. As good practice in our field of work, it is important to avoid conversations about patients in public areas such as lifts and canteens. Documents containing patient data must be kept and saved in restricted-access physical or virtual spaces. You cannot request information from people known to colleagues as having access to the Shared Clinical History of Catalonia (HC3) without written authorisation.

If you are not sure who your DPC is, please contact the ODPO at the following e-mail address: dpd@ticsalutsocial.cat