The security of data is the degree to which the data that are collected by a company are reliable, accurate and reliable and consistent. Data from a business must be reliable to be used to make decisions and analysis.
Businesses must adhere to strict quality control procedures in order to ensure the security of data. These include checks for data validation standard formats, as well as thorough cleaning procedures for data. Expertise and experience of data collection teams are also important. A knowledgeable team is more likely to follow best practices and provide reliable data. A good technological infrastructure and secure data storage capabilities can prevent mistakes that could affect the reliability of data.
Incorrect or inconsistent data can cause serious problems, both internally and externally. For instance in the event that a database for a business shows that a customer has $1000 on their account when they actually have $100 due to a data error and this could result in financial penalties and loss of confidence. In the same way, inaccurate sensor data from manufacturing equipment can cause recalls and product defects.
Validity and reliability are related but they are two distinct concepts. Validity is determined by whether the information is correct. For instance the list that has duplicate email addresses or those that are not unique is not valid, and therefore cannot be used to send marketing emails.
Reliability refers to the consistency and accuracy over time of the data. For instance, if two lists of customer’s email addresses compiled from different sources are the same however, they are slightly different. they are not able to be used to target a marketing campaign because they will not be effective or reach the right people. This is why it is vital to keep detailed records of the methods employed for obtaining and altering data to ensure transparency and integrity of insights.