How do you protect spatial data from unauthorized access and use?

1 Understand the risks

To secure geo-spatial data, it is essential to understand the potential risks and threats that it faces. Geo-spatial data can be compromised by malicious actors, insiders, or third parties. Common risks include data breaches, where hackers exploit vulnerabilities in the spatial database system or the network to access and exfiltrate the data; data tampering, where attackers alter or delete geo-spatial data to cause harm or mislead users or decision-makers; data inference, where adversaries use geo-spatial data to infer sensitive information about individuals or groups; and data linkage, where intruders combine geo-spatial data with other sources to create a more detailed profile of the data subjects.

2 Implement access control

The second step to secure geo-spatial data is to implement access control mechanisms that limit who can access and use the data and for what purposes. Access control can be enforced at different levels, such as the database level, where the spatial database system can provide authentication and authorization features to verify users' identity and credentials, as well as log and monitor their activities. At the data level, encryption, masking, or anonymization can be used to protect the data's confidentiality and integrity. Finally, applications that use or display geo-spatial data can implement their own access control policies to restrict data access based on the context or purpose of users; for example, limiting the zoom level or resolution of the data to avoid revealing too much detail.

3 Adopt privacy-preserving techniques

The third step to secure geo-spatial data is to adopt privacy-preserving techniques that can protect the data from unwanted or unnecessary disclosure or analysis. Privacy-preserving techniques can be applied at different stages of the data lifecycle, such as data collection, storage, and processing. For instance, with data collection, a geo-spatial data collector can use differential privacy to add random noise to the data while preventing individual identification. When storing the data, a geo-spatial data custodian can use secure cloud storage to encrypt the data and distribute it across multiple servers and locations. Lastly, with data processing, a geo-spatial data processor can employ homomorphic encryption to perform computations on encrypted data without decrypting it. All of these techniques help ensure the privacy and rights of the data subjects while preserving the accuracy and quality of the data.

4 Educate and train the users

The fourth step to secure geo-spatial data is to educate and train the users who are involved in the creation, management, or consumption of the data. As users may lack the awareness, knowledge, or skills to handle geo-spatial data properly and responsibly, it is important to raise awareness about the importance and value of geo-spatial data, as well as its potential risks and threats. Explain the principles and best practices of geo-spatial data security and privacy, and the roles and responsibilities of the users. Additionally, teach them how to use the spatial database system and applications that access or display geo-spatial data, as well as how to apply access control mechanisms and privacy-preserving techniques. Finally, provide them with tools and resources to detect and respond to any incidents or issues related to geo-spatial data security and privacy, as well as report and resolve any problems or concerns that they encounter or observe.

5 Review and update regularly

The fifth step to secure geo-spatial data is to review and update the security and privacy measures and practices regularly. Geo-spatial data security and privacy must be monitored and improved constantly, so it is essential that you assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the security and privacy measures, identify any gaps or weaknesses, adapt the measures according to changes in the environment, and audit for compliance and performance. Regular audits and inspections should also be conducted to ensure that the security and privacy measures meet user and stakeholder expectations.