With changes in the way employees work, it is critical to create secure channels for remote communications. This is also important for data security. Communication surveillance systems are the need of the hour to ensure the security of data and networks.
Employees now increasingly use electronic communication. In an ideal world, the scope of these channels was clearly identified. In the real world, even the most well-intentioned worker can take actions that put organizations at risk. That’s why so many firms now invest in communication surveillance software.
Communications surveillance involves observing and studying interactions between users, which could be employees, or vendors, or even clients. Most firms do it to ensure there is no leakage of their company IP data, or customer data.
The communications could be in the form of email, chat, voice, and other methods. Employees, or third party vendors can purposely or accidentally leak critical data. These tools are meant to ensure this does not happen.
Why Communication Surveillance is Necessary
As per a 2024 Email Security Risk Report,
A bulk of these breaches happen through internal communications. This has led to a high risk of data privacy loss and potential breaches for firms. Therefore, firms use surveillance to manage risks, and promote transparency. By complying with regulations, firms not only protect themselves but also gain the trust of their stakeholders.
Secondly, employee communication channels, is controlled by many agencies and laws that also require record retention. Based on jurisdiction and context, firm communication practices are also subject to many regulatory criteria. Failing to comply with these can result in significant fines and legal penalties.
Thus, firms need to stay updated about the precise orders and standards set by regulatory bodies overseeing their operations. Also, to meet these compliances, they need to have proper communication surveillance records.
How to Boost Communication Surveillance Systems
Communication surveillance can be boosted by using a combination of strategies and tools to achieve the overall goals. Some of them are:
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Use The Latest Technology
AI and LLMs can help improve communication surveillance processes, which is one of their stronger abilities.
ML can be valuable for automatically discerning between relevant and unrelated items when choosing a precise sample for review. By using features like intelligent review and automatic clean-up, firms can reduce manual intervention. They can also cut down the sample size that is scanned while boosting overall output.
Here AI and ML will be used to increasingly support compliance review teams by helping them focus on important communications.
Also Read: 5 Data Privacy Challenges and How to Fix Them
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Install an Escalation Reporting Mechanism
The communication channels used should be overseen by a platform that allows the compliance manager to track its progress. They would also need to review the data that the system has already captured.
The platform should be able to generate reports in the form of dashboards and presentations. It should notify the registered principal of any issues the analyst raises and actions taken by the team takes.
This will also help ensure that the compliance team can always learn and save time in tracking progress and recording outcomes. Moreover, having a well-documented process in place will also make it easier for the firm, during audits.
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Re-Assess Key Terms and Lexicon
The surveillance systems should time to refresh words or phrases previously used to monitor for compliance issues. In this new environment, they may create many false positives or may not capture the complete picture. Firms should also consider adding in new or alternate words to address heightened risks during this time.
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Reassess Surveillance Level Regularly
It is best to find and address any new or significant compliance issues as early as possible. With the recent surge in communications, firms might need to review things more often to stay on top of these issues.
With in-person interactions becoming less, it’s important to monitor more frequently to stay informed about daily updates. If a firm usually does quarterly or monthly reviews, they may need to do them more often. This can depend on how much communication there is. The review schedules should show not just how much information is being sent and received, but also new risks.
Conclusion
In the volatile environment of cyber risks today, communication surveillance could keep companies and resources protected.
In the case of a data breach, it becomes easier to get completely clarity on the actual incidence. So, it is in firms’ best interests to keep this activity on a top priority. In addition, many compliances need these records. In the absence of this transparency, firms could face negative situations.
However, running and maintaining surveillance systems is not easy. Technology certainly helps here, and the adoption of the right tools could make the process easier.
In addition to this, firms have to handle concerns about privacy, complex technology, and managing data. With the right approach, firms can set up good surveillance systems that follow the rules, give insights into communications, and help deal with potential risks.
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