DETROIT, Nov. 8, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compuware Corporation (Nasdaq:CPWR), the technology performance company, today published a new white paper by Privacy Associates International LLC titled: "Putting Your Privacy People Back to Sleep With De-Identification." This paper, sponsored by Compuware, demonstrates the need for greater data security and protection for personal customer and employee data often used in application development and testing processes.
The white paper outlines the real potential for serious test data privacy issues including legal and non-compliance risks when companies use live production data as a basis for testing, modifying or fixing business applications and systems. For example, the paper cites survey research indicating more than 83 percent of financial services companies use real customer or employee information in development and testing, and a majority of these companies admit they do not take appropriate steps to protect this data.
"From the perspectives of budget and timeline, it may seem best to use real production data when testing an application, but doing so presents significant risks to an organization," said Robert L. Rothman, a Principal at Privacy Associates International. "De-identification of personal information can help chief privacy officers and organizations solve privacy problems while giving IT departments the latitude they need to meet testing objectives."
Privacy Associates International helps organizations address and manage data privacy needs. The white paper outlines:
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The pervasiveness of the use of live data in application testing and development work;
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Privacy concerns created by live data use from the standpoint of the Chief Privacy Officer;
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Reasons live data are used from the standpoint of the Chief Information Officer; and
- How de-identification can be used to address the needs of both the CPO and CIO.
"The findings outlined in this white paper should shock Chief Privacy Officers. Current processing maps do not address customer data being sent unguarded around the world for testing," said Stuart Feravich, Worldwide Solution Leader, Test Data Management, Compuware Corporation. "That's a glaring omission, especially when industry studies show that 70 percent of organizations send real production data to third-party organizations for development and testing. The Compuware Test Data Privacy solution is an extremely effective de-identification solution that addresses the needs of both the IT and privacy teams to avoid thorny non-compliance issues."
Compuware will highlight several notable advancements in test data management – all available through the company's Test Data Management Solution – in a Webcast Thursday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. EST. To register for the "Protect Sensitive Data in Test, Protect Your Business" Web event, visit http://bit.ly/qBXgT2.
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Compuware Corporation
Compuware Corporation, the technology performance company, provides software, experts and best practices to ensure technology works well and delivers value. Compuware solutions make the world's most important technologies perform at their best for leading organizations worldwide, including 46 of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies and 12 of the top 20 most visited U.S. web sites. Learn more at: http://www.compuware.com.
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