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Data Privacy Week: Protect Your Privacy





As Data Privacy Week has started, we are gladly sharing with our readers an informative circle-up of the rules and legislations related to data privacy. 


Data Privacy Week this year starts on January 22nd and follows the whole week until January 28th when it’s the Data Privacy Day. This is an international week aiming towards creating awareness about digital data privacy, advocating full privacy of individuals, and for businesses to level up their transparency on handling user data.


Read the following text to find out how global privacy regulations are connected with Internet usage and cybersecurity in the region and Bosnia and Herzegovina. 


The prime global privacy and security legislation is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It was prepared and approved by the EU, and it imposes duties on organisations worldwide if they target or gather data about individuals within the EU. The rule became operative on May 25th, 2018. In case organisations, or individuals, violate the GDPR requirements, they face fines of up to tens of millions of euros.


On the other hand, there is a Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), recognized as a collection of guidelines and practices to maximise the security of credit, debit, and cash card transactions while shielding cardholders from identity theft. The first Standard. The guidelines were created by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC), were released on December 15h in 2004, and were modelled after the Visa Cardholder Information Security Program (CISP). PCI DSS was created to lower the risk of fraud for businesses handling credit card information and stop cybersecurity breaches of sensitive data. Five significant credit card companies — Visa, Mastercard, Discover, JCB, and American Express, joined this modelling in 2004. 


Bosnia and Herzegovina has a law on the security of personal data, with strict precautionary measures, called the Personal Data Protection Act. Bosnia and Herzegovina is obliged by the Stabilisation and Association Agreement to harmonise its domestic legislation with the acquit of the European Union. In this case, the obligation also refers to the harmonisation of the Personal Data Protection Act with GDPR.


The aim of this Act is to ensure the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of their citizenship or residence, and in particular the right to privacy and data protection regarding the processing of personal data.


The knowledge of data safety is important for managers, lawyers, security professionals, IT and telecommunication specialists, and all other organisations that process personal data, to understand and fulfil their obligations regarding the protection of personal data, by the prescribed BH legal provisions and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).


For your protection, it is best to follow steps that create a safe environment for your data, and your everyday activities in an online space.


  • Strong Password Use unique and strong passwords for your accounts. Include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to make them harder to guess.

  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Enable 2FA whenever possible. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a secondary verification step, such as a code sent to your phone.

  • Regular Updates Keep your devices and software up to date. Updates often include security patches that help protect against the latest threats.

  • Double-Check Emails Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown or suspicious emails. Cybercriminals often use phishing emails to trick you into revealing sensitive information.

  • Secure Wi-Fi Use a strong, unique password for your Wi-Fi network to prevent unauthorized access. Also, consider using WPA3 encryption for an extra layer of security.


A few simple steps can go a long way in safeguarding your online data!


Cyber Security Excellence Centre works on levelling up individual knowledge of people so that their safety is definite, with activities focus on education, workforce development and raising awareness of the importance of cyber security. Find out more about CSEC activities - events and blog.


Our Vision

''A safe and secure cyberspace in Bosnia and Herzegovina for all''.


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