So what is compartmentalization?
Compartmentalization for privacy is a strategy in which an organization or individual creates distinct boundaries between different areas of their life or operations.
This is done with the intention of protecting sensitive information and reducing the risk of security breaches. When applied to individual privacy, compartmentalization can refer to separating personal data into different categories based on their level of sensitivity, for example, financial transactions being separated from health records or online activity logs.
What are the advantages?
- Increased security and privacy
- Better protection against cyber-threats or data breaches
- Improved efficiency by reducing the need for frequent backups or updates
- Reduced risk of identity theft or fraudulent activities
- Peace of mind that sensitive information is properly protected
- Separation of work responsibilities from personal concerns
A strategy to compartmentalize the lives of high-risk individuals, such as police officers and whistle-blowers, could involve creating multiple layers of protection. For example, they may use different email addresses for work-related communication compared to personal or confidential communications, store sensitive information in encrypted devices or password-protected folders on their computers, and take extra precautions when using public Wi-Fi networks. They may also limit the amount of personal information they share with others, especially those who are not part of their inner circle. By taking these steps, high-risk individuals can better protect themselves from potential threats while still being able to live a normal life.
An example of compartmentalization
One example of this segmentation: Let’s take a person who is not in a high-risk situation and just wants a bit more privacy. He is married with children and works.
As you can see from the example, each part of Bob’s life has its own “container”. It has an email address and phone number. By doing this it segments his life more. If one part is compromised, he can change it. This also helps to confuse the data brokers somewhat.
Notice that there is a “Throw away” category. I use this for many things such as: the grocery store that want you to join their club. I change this every month or so to keep this fresh and not guessable.
So how do we accomplish this?
There are several companies out there that can help. I will mention two of them that I am familiar with: MySudo (which is my favorite) and Cloaked .
The email addresses should be more personalized. Think 1990’s ones that you may have had in the far past – like: Bob_Smith23245@somedomain.com.
The phone numbers should be out of your area. No need for someone to link your geographic location to your residence.
Final thoughts on compartmentalization for privacy
Data Breaches are an everyday thing for most of us in today’s world. By segmenting it becomes much harder for someone to see and take the whole picture of your life.