IAPP Updated CIPM Exam Questions and Answers by matias

Privacy/security questionnaires are used primarily to do what?

SCENARIO

Please use the following to answer the next QUESTION:

Natalia, CFO of the Nationwide Grill restaurant chain, had never seen her fellow executives so anxious. Last week, a data processing firm used by the company reported that its system may have been hacked, and customer data such as names, addresses, and birthdays may have been compromised. Although the attempt was proven unsuccessful, the scare has prompted several Nationwide Grill executives to Question the company's privacy program at today's meeting.

Alice, a vice president, said that the incident could have opened the door to lawsuits, potentially damaging

Nationwide Grill's market position. The Chief Information Officer (CIO), Brendan, tried to assure her that even if there had been an actual breach, the chances of a successful suit against the company were slim. But Alice remained unconvinced.

Spencer – a former CEO and currently a senior advisor – said that he had always warned against the use of contractors for data processing. At the very least, he argued, they should be held contractually liable for telling customers about any security incidents. In his view, Nationwide Grill should not be forced to soil the company name for a problem it did not cause.

One of the business development (BD) executives, Haley, then spoke, imploring everyone to see reason. "Breaches can happen, despite organizations' best efforts," she remarked. "Reasonable preparedness is key." She reminded everyone of the incident seven years ago when the large grocery chain Tinkerton's had its financial information compromised after a large order of Nationwide Grill frozen dinners. As a long-time BD executive with a solid understanding of Tinkerton's's corporate culture, built up through many years of cultivating relationships, Haley was able to successfully manage the company's incident response.

Spencer replied that acting with reason means allowing security to be handled by the security functions within the company – not BD staff. In a similar way, he said, Human Resources (HR) needs to do a better job training employees to prevent incidents. He pointed out that Nationwide Grill employees are overwhelmed with posters, emails, and memos from both HR and the ethics department related to the company's privacy program. Both the volume and the duplication of information means that it is often ignored altogether.

Spencer said, "The company needs to dedicate itself to its privacy program and set regular in-person trainings for all staff once a month."

Alice responded that the suggestion, while well-meaning, is not practical. With many locations, local HR departments need to have flexibility with their training schedules. Silently, Natalia agreed.

What is the most realistic step the organization can take to help diminish liability in the event of another incident?

SCENARIO

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It's just what you were afraid of. Without consulting you, the information technology director at your organization launched a new initiative to encourage employees to use personal devices for conducting business. The initiative made purchasing a new, high-specification laptop computer an attractive option, with discounted laptops paid for as a payroll deduction spread over a year of paychecks. The organization is also paying the sales taxes. It's a great deal, and after a month, more than half the organization's employees have signed on and acquired new laptops. Walking through the facility, you see them happily customizing and comparing notes on their new computers, and at the end of the day, most take their laptops with them, potentially carrying personal data to their homes or other unknown locations. It's enough to give you data- protection nightmares, and you've pointed out to the information technology Director and many others in the organization the potential hazards of this new practice, including the inevitability of eventual data loss or theft.

Today you have in your office a representative of the organization's marketing department who shares with you, reluctantly, a story with potentially serious consequences. The night before, straight from work, with laptop in hand, he went to the Bull and Horn Pub to play billiards with his friends. A fine night of sport and socializing began, with the laptop "safely" tucked on a bench, beneath his jacket. Later that night, when it was time to depart, he retrieved the jacket, but the laptop was gone. It was not beneath the bench or on another bench nearby. The waitstaff had not seen it. His friends were not playing a joke on him. After a sleepless night, he confirmed it this morning, stopping by the pub to talk to the cleanup crew. They had not found it. The laptop was missing. Stolen, it seems. He looks at you, embarrassed and upset.

You ask him if the laptop contains any personal data from clients, and, sadly, he nods his head, yes. He believes it contains files on about 100 clients, including names, addresses and governmental identification numbers. He sighs and places his head in his hands in despair.

From a business standpoint, what is the most productive way to view employee use of personal equipment for work-related tasks?

SCENARIO

Please use the following to answer the next QUESTION:

As they company’s new chief executive officer, Thomas Goddard wants to be known as a leader in data

protection. Goddard recently served as the chief financial officer of Hoopy.com, a pioneer in online video viewing with millions of users around the world. Unfortunately, Hoopy is infamous within privacy protection circles for its ethically Questionable practices, including unauthorized sales of personal data to marketers. Hoopy also was the target of credit card data theft that made headlines around the world, as at least two million credit card numbers were thought to have been pilfered despite the company’s claims that “appropriate” data protection safeguards were in place. The scandal affected the company’s business as competitors were quick to market an increased level of protection while offering similar entertainment and media content. Within three weeks after the scandal broke, Hoopy founder and CEO Maxwell Martin, Goddard’s mentor, was forced to step down.

Goddard, however, seems to have landed on his feet, securing the CEO position at your company, Medialite, which is just emerging from its start-up phase. He sold the company’s board and investors on his vision of Medialite building its brand partly on the basis of industry-leading data protection standards and procedures. He may have been a key part of a lapsed or even rogue organization in matters of privacy but now he claims to be reformed and a true believer in privacy protection. In his first week on the job, he calls you into his office and explains that your primary work responsibility is to bring his vision for privacy to life. But you also detect some reservations. “We want Medialite to have absolutely the highest standards,” he says. “In fact, I want us to be able to say that we are the clear industry leader in privacy and data protection. However, I also need to be a responsible steward of the company’s finances. So, while I want the best solutions across the board, they also need to be cost effective.”

You are told to report back in a week’s time with your recommendations. Charged with this ambiguous mission, you depart the executive suite, already considering your next steps.

What metric can Goddard use to assess whether costs associated with implementing new privacy protections are justified?