How can transportation management systems improve data security and privacy?

1 Encrypt data in transit and at rest

One of the most basic and important steps to protect data is to encrypt it both in transit and at rest. Encryption is the process of transforming data into a code that can only be deciphered by authorized parties with a key. This prevents unauthorized access, modification, or theft of data by hackers, competitors, or other malicious actors. TMS can use various encryption methods and standards, such as SSL, TLS, AES, or RSA, to secure data during transmission and storage.

2 Implement access control and authentication

Another key aspect of data security and privacy is to ensure that only authorized users can access, modify, or delete data in TMS. Access control and authentication are techniques that verify the identity and permissions of users before granting them access to data or functions. TMS can use different access control and authentication methods, such as passwords, tokens, biometrics, or multi-factor authentication, to prevent unauthorized or fraudulent access to data.

3 Use data anonymization and pseudonymization

Sometimes, transportation companies need to share or use data for purposes such as analysis, reporting, or compliance. However, this data may contain sensitive or personal information that can identify or harm the data subjects, such as customers, drivers, or suppliers. Data anonymization and pseudonymization are techniques that remove or replace identifying information from data, such as names, addresses, or phone numbers, with random or fictitious values. This reduces the risk of exposing or violating the privacy of data subjects while preserving the utility of data. TMS can use various data anonymization and pseudonymization tools and algorithms, such as masking, hashing, or encryption, to protect data privacy.

4 Adopt data minimization and retention policies

Another way to improve data security and privacy is to limit the amount and duration of data that is collected, stored, and used in TMS. Data minimization and retention are principles that state that data should be collected and kept only for specific, legitimate, and necessary purposes, and that data should be deleted or destroyed when it is no longer needed or relevant. This reduces the exposure and liability of data and complies with data protection laws and regulations. TMS can adopt data minimization and retention policies and procedures, such as data audits, data classification, data lifecycle management, or data disposal, to ensure that data is handled appropriately.

5 Monitor and audit data activities

Another important measure to improve data security and privacy is to monitor and audit data activities in TMS. Monitoring and auditing are processes that track and record data events, such as access, modification, deletion, or transfer, and detect and report any anomalies, errors, or breaches. This helps to ensure the integrity, accuracy, and availability of data and to identify and respond to any incidents or threats. TMS can use various monitoring and auditing tools and techniques, such as logs, alerts, reports, or dashboards, to oversee data activities.

6 Comply with data protection laws and standards

Finally, one of the most essential ways to improve data security and privacy is to comply with data protection laws and standards that apply to transportation companies and their customers. Data protection laws and standards are rules and guidelines that regulate how data should be collected, stored, used, shared, and protected, and that grant rights and obligations to data subjects and data controllers. Some examples of data protection laws and standards are the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 27001. TMS can help transportation companies comply with data protection laws and standards by implementing the appropriate policies, procedures, controls, and documentation.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?