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Privacy and security: a hypothetical example

Why having one without the other just isn’t enough.

Thanasis Karavasilis avatar
Written by Thanasis Karavasilis
Updated over a week ago

Let’s bring this to life with an everyday example: your bank.

You expect your bank to protect your money, your identity, and your personal information. That means both security and privacy need to be in place.

Here’s how it plays out:


🟢 Scenario 1: Strong security, strong privacy

The bank collects your info to set up your account—but they keep it locked down.

  • They protect it with strong encryption

  • They don’t share it without your consent

  • Hackers can’t get in, and no one snoops on your data

✅ Your data is secure and private. Just how it should be.


🟡 Scenario 2: Strong security, poor privacy

The bank protects your data with robust tech—but quietly shares it with third parties for marketing or analysis.

You’re still safe from hackers, but your personal info is being used in ways you didn’t expect (or agree to).

✅ Your data is secure, but ❌ not private.


🔴 Scenario 3: Poor security, poor privacy

The bank has weak systems and a loose privacy policy. One day, they’re hacked—and your personal data is leaked.

Suddenly, your information is on the dark web, and you’re dealing with identity theft.

❌ Your data is neither secure nor private.


The takeaway?

You need both security and privacy to be protected. One without the other puts your data—and your trust—at risk.

Up next, we’ll look at what this means in the world of cloud storage.


Previous:
⬅️ What is privacy?

Next:
➡️ Privacy and security for cloud storage

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